Question

Equal masses of granite, iron, copper, and lead are placed in sunlight. Based on specific heat, which material will warm up the fastest?

Answer 1

Based on specific heat, lead will be warm up the fastest among all other elements.

Explanation:

The specific heat is defined as the amount of heat required per unit mass of the object to increase the temperature of the object by 1 °C.

The object will get warm up when the heat transfer from the sunlight to object occurs leading to increase in the temperature of object.

Thus, the specific heat of an object will be directly proportional to the added heat.

It can also be defined as the object with less specific heat requires less heat energy to get warm up.

This means the object with less specific heat will get warm up in sunlight the fastest.

As all the objects like  lead, copper, granite and iron are taken in equal masses, so the influence of mass on the addition of heat will be neglected as it will be same for all object. Only the specific heat will be changing for all object.  

The specific heat of lead is very low compared to granite, iron and copper. So lead will get heat up earlier or fastest in sunlight.

Answer 2

Answer is lead, lead will heat up the fastest as it has the highest specific heat amongst the choices. The higher the specific heat of the substance the easier it is for that substance temperature to change for every mole of substance with respect to a degree in kelvin.