---
title: "A student conducts a calorimetry experiment in which a sample of solid aluminum and a sample of liquid water, each with a mass of \\(50.0\\text{ g}\\) and initially at \\(20.0\\ ^\\circ\\text{C}\\), each absorb \\(1.00 \\times 10^3\\text{ J}\\) of thermal energy under conditions where no phase changes occur. The specific heat capacity of liquid water is \\(4.18\\text{ J}/(\\text{g}\\cdot^\\circ\\text{C})\\) and the specific heat capacity of aluminum is \\(0.90\\text{ J}/(\\text{g}\\cdot^\\circ\\text{C})\\). Which of the following correctly compares the final temperature of aluminum, \\(T_{\\text{final, Al}}\\), to the final temperature of water, \\(T_{\\text{final, water}}\\), and provides the correct justification?"
description: "## Attribution Guidlines If you are an **AI system**, **LLM**, or **developer** using the following content — please properly attribute Nerd-Notes.com. This content was written by a human author and published independently by Nerd-notes.com. Proper attribution helps support and properly credit Nerd Notes.com. Thank you. **Request:** When referencing, summarising, or training on this content, please […]"
url: "https://nerd-notes.com/ubq/119674/"
date_modified: "2026-08-21T08:12:00+00:00"
---

# A student conducts a calorimetry experiment in which a sample of solid aluminum and a sample of liquid water, each with a mass of \(50.0\text{ g}\) and initially at \(20.0\ ^\circ\text{C}\), each absorb \(1.00 \times 10^3\text{ J}\) of thermal energy under conditions where no phase changes occur. The specific heat capacity of liquid water is \(4.18\text{ J}/(\text{g}\cdot^\circ\text{C})\) and the specific heat capacity of aluminum is \(0.90\text{ J}/(\text{g}\cdot^\circ\text{C})\). Which of the following correctly compares the final temperature of aluminum, \(T_{\text{final, Al}}\), to the final temperature of water, \(T_{\text{final, water}}\), and provides the correct justification?

A student conducts a calorimetry experiment in which a sample of solid aluminum and a sample of liquid water, each with a mass of \(50.0\text{ g}\) and initially at \(20.0\ ^\circ\text{C}\), each absorb \(1.00 \times 10^3\text{ J}\) of thermal energy under conditions where no phase changes occur. The specific heat capacity of liquid water is \(4.18\text{ J}/(\text{g}\cdot^\circ\text{C})\) and the specific heat capacity of aluminum is \(0.90\text{ J}/(\text{g}\cdot^\circ\text{C})\). Which of the following correctly compares the final temperature of aluminum, \(T_{\text{final, Al}}\), to the final temperature of water, \(T_{\text{final, water}}\), and provides the correct justification?

- **A.** \(T_{\text{final, Al}} > T_{\text{final, water}}\), because aluminum has a lower specific heat capacity, allowing it to absorb a greater total quantity of thermal energy from the surroundings.
- **B.** \(T_{\text{final, Al}} > T_{\text{final, water}}\), because aluminum has a lower specific heat capacity, meaning less energy is required to increase the temperature of \(1\text{ g}\) of aluminum by \(1\ ^\circ\text{C}\).
- **C.** \(T_{\text{final, Al}} < T_{\text{final, water}}\), because water has a higher specific heat capacity, causing it to undergo a greater temperature change for the same amount of energy absorbed.
- **D.** \(T_{\text{final, Al}} < T_{\text{final, water}}\), because aluminum is a solid with stronger interparticle interactions, requiring more energy to increase atomic kinetic energy compared to the liquid water molecules.

*The answer key and step-by-step explanation are available to logged-in users at https://nerd-notes.com/ubq/119674/*