10 minutes maximum! Can you do it in 5?
1. Which of these sentences best describes the specific heat capacity (c) of a substance?
2. Which of the following correctly gives the formula for S.H.C. in terms of the heat energy ΔQ supplied to a substance?
3+4. The image shows a large glass vase holding 2 kg of cold water.
Water has a specific heat capacity (c) of 4200 J / Kg 0C.
3. The energy needed to heat 2 kg of water by 5 0C is ..
3. If I supply 210 kJ of heat to the same 2 kg of water, how much would the temperature increase?
Q 5-7. These questions are about heating different bars of copper.
Copper has a specific heat capacity of 800 J / Kg 0C.
What are the missing values?
Energy Supplied
8. The diagram shows a standard method of finding the S.H.C. of aluminium.
The block has a mass of exactly 1 kg.
What additional measurements are required to find the S.H.C. of aluminium?
9+10. These ice cubes have a total mass of 100g. The specific heat capacity of ice is about half that of water.
9. A student heats these ice cubes and also 200 g of water by 10 oC each. They then compare how much heat energy is needed to do this.
Which of these statements is correct?
10. In this example, the formula for specific heat capacity can be used when the ice is...
Question 1:
The specific heat capacity (c) of a substance is defined as:
The energy required to raise the temperature of 1 kg of the substance by 1 °C (or 1 K).
That matches option B.
A is incorrect because it does not specify the mass (1 kg).
C and D are incorrect because they describe temperature change per unit energy, which is the inverse of specific heat capacity.
Correct answer: B.
*These A.I. responses have been individually checked to ensure they match the accepted answer, but explanations may still be incorrect. Responses may give guidance but the A.I. might not be able to answer the question! This is particularly the case for questions based on diagrams, which the A.I. typically cannot interpret. Grade Gorilla uses Gemini, Deepseek and a range of other A.I. chatbots to generate the saved responses. Some answers have had human intervention for clarity or where the A.I. has not been able to answer the question.
Question 2:
The formula for specific heat capacity (c) in terms of heat energy ΔQ supplied is:
Where:
ΔQ = heat energy supplied (J)
m = mass (kg)
c = specific heat capacity (J/kg·°C)
ΔT = temperature change (°C or K)
That matches option A.
Correct answer: A. ΔQ = m . c . ΔT
Question 3:
We use the formula:
Given: m=2 kg c=4200 J/kg°C ΔT=5 °C
Q=2×4200×5
Q=42000 J
Correct answer: C. 42000 J.
Question 4:
We use the same formula:
Given: Q=210 kJ = 210,000 J m=2 kg c=4200 J/kg°C
210,000=2×4200×ΔT
ΔT=210,000/8400=25 °C
Correct answer: A. 25 °C.
Question 5:
We have three rows with missing values. Use Q = m * c * ΔT, c=800 J/(kg°C).
Energy supplied = ? , m=20 kg, ΔT=10°C. So Q = 20 * 800 * 10 = 20*8000 = 160,000 J = 160 kJ.
Question 6:
Q=8000 J, m=?, ΔT=20°C. So m = Q/(cΔT)=8000/(800*20)=8000/16000=0.5 kg.
Question 7:
Q=400 kJ = 400,000 J, m=5 kg, ΔT=?. So ΔT = Q/(m*c)=400000/(5*800)=400000/4000=100°C.
Question 8:
To find the specific heat capacity (c) of aluminium using ΔQ=m⋅c⋅ΔT:
Mass m is already known (1 kg).
Energy supplied ΔQ must be measured (from a joulemeter).
Temperature rise ΔT must be measured (using a thermometer).
The time taken (II) is not needed in the calculation, because c depends only on ΔQ, m, and ΔT, not on how long it took.
Therefore, the required measurements are I and III.
Correct answer: B. I and III
Question 9:
Given:
Mass of ice = 100 g=0.1 kg
Mass of water = 200 g=0.2 kg
Temperature change for each: ΔT=10∘C
Specific heat capacity of ice ci≈½cw (half that of water)
Heat needed for ice:
Qi=mi⋅ci⋅ΔT=(0.1)⋅(½cw)⋅10
Qi=0.5⋅cw
Heat needed for water:
Qw=mw⋅cw⋅ΔT=(0.2)⋅cw⋅10
Qw=2.0⋅cw
Ratio Qi/Qw:
So the ice needs ¼ the energy of the water.
Correct answer: A. The ice will need ¼ the energy to heat compared to the water.
Question 10:
The formula for specific heat capacity:
can only be used when:
The substance remains in the same state (solid, liquid, or gas)
No phase change is happening (melting, boiling, etc.)
If the ice is melting, the energy goes into latent heat (changing state), not into raising temperature, so the specific heat formula does not apply directly.
Therefore, the formula can be used when the ice is heated but staying in the same state (solid ice below 0°C).
Correct answer: C. heated but staying in the same state ✅