A laboratory technician drops a 0.0850 kg sample of unknown solid material, at a temperature of 100 oC, into a calorimeter. The calorimeter can, initially at 19.0 oC, is made of 0.150 kg of copper and contains 0.20 kg of water. The final temperature of the calorimeter can, and contents is 26.1 oC. Compute the specific heat of the sample.

The specific heat of the sample

Explanation:

Given that:

mass of an unknown sample = 0.0850

temperature of the unknown sample = 100° C

initial temperature of the calorimeter can = 19° C

mass of copper = 0.150 kg

mass of water = 0.20 kg

the final temperature of the calorimeter can = 26.1° C

The objective is to compute the specific heat of the sample.

By applying the principle of conservation of energy

where;

i.e

the specific heat capacities of water and copper are 4.18 × 10³ J/kg.K and 0.39 × 10³ J/kg.K respectively

the specific heat of the sample can be computed by making  the subject of the above formula:

i.e

The specific heat of the sample

in the given question, the partial pressure is calculated by using the ideal gas equation, that is, pv = nrt

here, p is pressure, v is volume = 25 l, n is number of moles = 0.0104 moles, r is gas constant = -0.0821 l.atm / mol.k

t is temperature = 273 k

p = nrt / v

p = (0.0104 mol × 0.0821 l.atm / mol.k × 273 k) / 25 l

= 0.0093 atm

the best answer is d because the strong cohesion is caused by the ability of water molecules to undergo hydrogen bonding.

a is incorrect because when water solidifies, it becomes   ice, which expands and occupies a bigger volume for the same mass of water in its liquid state.

b is incorrect because water has high surface tension. besides bonding to itself it hydrogen bonds to other molecules at the top decreasing possibility for breaking of attractive forces.

c is incorrect because the water molecule has oxygen which is highly electronegative and so pulls the electron pair towards itself creating a dipole moment, making the molecule polar.

e is incorrect because water has strong adhesion, ability to stick to other molecules such as glass because of this molecules having stronger hydrogen bonding than water.