Imagine that you have a 500 g iron pot (c = 0.440), a 500 g copper pot (c = 0.385), and a 500 g aluminum pot (c = 0.897). You fill each pot with 250 mL of water and heat the water to 100°C on a stove. Which pot will keep the water warm the longest? Explain your answer.

Aluminium

Explanation:

If we calculate the heat transfer for all the substances, we have

Mc (∆T)

Where M is mass

C is heat capacity

∆T is temperature change.

For iron

Mc (∆T) = 500 * 0.440*100 = 22000J

For copper

Mc (∆T) = 500 * 0.385*100 = 19250J

For aluminium

Mc (∆T) = 500 * 0.897*100 = 44850J

Aluminium has the highest heat capacity and would take longest for this heat capacity to be dissipated under similar condition.