Question

The specific heat of substance A is greater than that of substance B. Both A and B are at the same initial temperature when equal amounts of energy are added to them. Assuming no melting or vaporization occurs, which of the following can be concluded about the final temperature TA of substance A and the final temperature TB of substance B?
a) TA > TB
b) TA < TB
c) TA = TB
d) More information is needed

Answer 1

Answer:

$m_A c_{pA} (T_{fA} -T) = m_B c_{pB} (T_{fB}- T)$

For this case, if we try to find the final temperature of A and B, we see that we will obtain an expression in terms of specific heats and masses, from the information given we know the relationship between specific heats, but we don't know the relationship that exists among the masses, then the best option for this case is:

d) More information is needed

(The relation between the masses is not given)

Explanation:

For this case we know the following info:

$c_{pA} > c_{pB}$

Where c means specific heat for the substance A and B.

We also know that the initial temperatures for both sustances are equal:

$T_{iA}= T_{iB}$

We assume that we don't have melting or vaporization in the 2 substances. So we just have presence of sensible heat given by this formula:

$Q = m c_p \Delta T$

And for this case we know that Both A and B are at the same initial temperature when equal amounts of energy are added to them, so then we have this:

$Q_A = Q_B$

And if we replace the formula for sensible heat we got:

$m_A c_{pA} \Delta T_A = m_B c_{pB} \Delta T_B$

And if we replace for the change of the temperature we got:

$m_A c_{pA} (T_{fA} -T_{iA}) = m_B c_{pB} (T_{fB}- T_{iB})$

And since $T_{iA}= T_{iB}= T$ we have this:

$m_A c_{pA} (T_{fA} -T) = m_B c_{pB} (T_{fB}- T)$

For this case, if we try to find the final temperature of A and B, we see that we will obtain an expression in terms of specific heats and masses, from the information given we know the relationship between specific heats, but we don't know the relationship that exists among the masses, then the best option for this case is:

d) More information is needed

(The relation between the masses is not given)