Question

In a room there is a 100g block of aluminum and a container holding 200g of liquid water. In one instant the aluminum is 10 °C and the water is at 1 °C. At that instant, which object has more thermal energy? Show your work.

Answer 1

Step-by-step explanation:

Givens

The heat capacity for aluminum = 0.89 J/(oC*grams)

The heat capacity for water = 4.18

m water = 200 grams

t water = 1 degree C

t aluminum = 10 degrees C

Formula

Thermal energy = m * c * t

Solution

Water

Energy = m * c * t

Energy = 200 * 4.18 * 1

Energy = 836 Joules

Aluminum

Energy = mc t

Energy =100 * 0.89 * 10

Energy = 890

Answer Aluminum has the higher Thermal Energy

Note this is a very tricky question. Usually delta t is given in terms of a change in temperature or heat transfer. This question assumes the substance is at a constant temperature at a short time interval so delta t is a constant amount for that time interval. Be very careful when you think about this, because the laws of thermo dynamics begin to act almost immediately.