A 76.0-gram piece of metal at 96.0 °C is placed in 120.0 g of water in a calorimeter at 24.5 °C. The final temperature in the calorimeter is 31.0 °C. Determine the specific heat of the metal. Show your work by listing various steps, and explain how the law of conservation of energy applies to this situation.

when 25.0 ml of 0.700 mol/l naoh was mixed in a calorimeter with 25.0 ml of 0.700 mol/l hcl, both initially at 20.0 °c, the temperature increased to 22.1 °c. the heat capacity of the calorimeter is 279 j/°c.

the equation for the reaction is:

naoh + hcl → nacl + h₂o

moles of hcl = 0.0250 l hcl ×

0.700

mol hcl

1 l hcl = 0.0175 mol hcl

volume of solution = (25.0 + 25.0) ml = 50.0 ml

mass of solution = 50.0 ml soln ×

1.00

ml soln

= 50.0 g soln

δt=t2-t1

= (22.1 – 20.0) °c = 2.1 °c

the heats involved are

heat from neutralization + heat to warm solution + heat to warm calorimeter = 0

q1+q2+q3=0

nδh+mcδt+cδt=0

0.0175 mol ×

δh

+ 50.0 g × 4.184 j·g⁻¹°c⁻¹ × 2.1 °c + 279 j°c⁻¹ × 2.1 °c = 0

0.0175 mol ×

δh

+ 439.32 j + 585.9 j = 0

0.0175 mol ×

δh

= -1025.22 j

δh=1025.22j0.0175 mol= -58 600 j/mol = -58.6 kj/mol