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Ch.5 - Thermochemistry
All textbooksBrown 14th EditionCh.5 - ThermochemistryProblem 51c
Chapter 5, Problem 51c

(c) What is the heat capacity of 185 g of liquid water?

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Identify the specific heat capacity of liquid water, which is typically 4.18 J/g°C.
Use the formula for heat capacity: \( C = m \cdot c \), where \( C \) is the heat capacity, \( m \) is the mass, and \( c \) is the specific heat capacity.
Substitute the given mass of water (185 g) and the specific heat capacity (4.18 J/g°C) into the formula.
Calculate the product of the mass and the specific heat capacity to find the heat capacity.
Ensure the units are consistent and the final answer is in Joules per degree Celsius (J/°C).

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Heat Capacity

Heat capacity is the amount of heat energy required to raise the temperature of a substance by one degree Celsius. It is an extensive property, meaning it depends on the amount of substance present. For water, the specific heat capacity is typically 4.18 J/g°C, indicating that it takes 4.18 joules of energy to raise the temperature of one gram of water by one degree Celsius.
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Specific Heat Capacity

Specific heat capacity is a measure of how much heat energy is needed to change the temperature of a unit mass of a substance by one degree Celsius. It is expressed in units of J/g°C. Water has a high specific heat capacity, which means it can absorb a lot of heat without a significant change in temperature, making it an excellent coolant and temperature stabilizer in various environments.
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Calculating Heat Capacity

To calculate the heat capacity of a given mass of a substance, you multiply the mass of the substance by its specific heat capacity. For example, to find the heat capacity of 185 g of water, you would use the formula: Heat Capacity = mass × specific heat capacity. This calculation provides insight into how much energy is needed to change the temperature of the water, which is crucial in thermodynamic processes.
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Related Practice
Textbook Question

Two solid objects, A and B, are placed in boiling water and allowed to come to the temperature of the water. Each is then lifted out and placed in separate beakers containing 1000 g of water at 10.0 °C. Object A increases the water temperature by 3.50 °C; B increases the water temperature by 2.60 °C. (a) Which object has the larger heat capacity?

Textbook Question

Two solid objects, A and B, are placed in boiling water and allowed to come to the temperature of the water. Each is then lifted out and placed in separate beakers containing 1000 g of water at 10.0 °C. Object A increases the water temperature by 3.50 °C; B increases the water temperature by 2.60 °C. (b) What can you say about the specific heats of A and B?

Textbook Question

(a) What amount of heat (in joules) is required to raise the temperature of 1 g of water by 1 kelvin? (b) What amount of heat (in joules) is required to raise the temperature of 1 mole of water by 1 kelvin?

Textbook Question

(d) How many kJ of heat are needed to raise the temperature of 5.00 kg of liquid water from 24.6 to 46.2 °C?

Textbook Question

(b) Calculate the energy needed for this temperature change.

Textbook Question

The specific heat of octane, C8H18(l), is 2.22 J•g/K. (a) How many J of heat are needed to raise the temperature of 80.0 g of octane from 10.0 to 25.0 °C?