A sample of nickel is heated to 99.8C and placed in a coffeecup calorimeter containing 150.0 g water at 23.5C. After the metal cools, the final temperature of metal and water mixture is 25.0C. If the specific heat capacity of nickel is 0.444 J/C g, what mass of nickel was originally heated? Assume no heat loss to the surroundings.

The mass of the nickel sample is 28.35 °C

Explanation:

Step 1: Data given

Mass of water = 150 grams

Initial temperature of nickel = 99.9 °C

Initial temperature of water 23.5 °C

Final temperature of water and nickel = 25 °C

Specific heat capacity of nickel = 0.444 J/g°C

Specific heat capacity of water = 4.184 J/g°C

Step 2: Calculate mass of nickel

heat lost by nickel = heat gained by the water

Q = m*c*ΔT

Qnickel = - Qwater

m (nickel) * c (nickel) * ΔT (nickel) = - m (water) * c (water) * ΔT (water)

m (nickel) * 0.444 J/g°C * (25°C - 99.8°C) = - 150 grams * 4.184 J/g°C * (25-23.5)

m (nickel) * (-33.2112) = - 941.4

m (nickel) = - 941.4 / - 33.2112

m (nickel) = 28.35 °C

The mass of the nickel sample is 28.35 °C