Calculate the amount of heat (in calories) absorbed when 50.0g of water at 20C spreads over your skin and warms to body temperature, 37C.

Question

I don't understand how to figure this out - which number is the specific heat number? 20C or 37C? I know delta temp will be 17C and mass is 50.0g. (using formula: Amount of Heat = Specific Heat x Mass X (Temp 2 - Temp 1).

Answer 1

Specific heat is neither of those numbers. Those numbers are T2 and T1. The specific heat of water in calories is 1 cal per grams per degree C.