---
title: "A student conducts a calorimetry experiment to investigate thermal equilibrium. Three separate \\(50.0\\text{ g}\\) metal samples—aluminum (\\(\\text{Al}\\)), iron (\\(\\text{Fe}\\)), and lead (\\(\\text{Pb}\\))—are heated to \\(100.0^\\circ\\text{C}\\) in a boiling-water bath. Each hot metal sample is then transferred into a separate well-insulated calorimeter containing \\(100.0\\text{ g}\\) of distilled water at \\(20.0^\\circ\\text{C}\\).  | Metal | Specific Heat Capacity \\(\\left(\\text{J}/(\\text{g}\\cdot^\\circ\\text{C})\\right)\\) | | :— | :— | | \\(\\text{Al(s)}\\) | \\(0.90\\) | | \\(\\text{Fe(s)}\\) | \\(0.45\\) | | \\(\\text{Pb(s)}\\) | \\(0.13\\) |  Assuming negligible heat loss to the surroundings and calorimeters, which of the following correctly ranks the final equilibrium temperatures, \\(T_f\\), of the water samples from greatest to least?"
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url: "https://nerd-notes.com/ubq/123751/"
date_modified: "2026-09-28T12:29:20+00:00"
---

# A student conducts a calorimetry experiment to investigate thermal equilibrium. Three separate \(50.0\text{ g}\) metal samples—aluminum (\(\text{Al}\)), iron (\(\text{Fe}\)), and lead (\(\text{Pb}\))—are heated to \(100.0^\circ\text{C}\) in a boiling-water bath. Each hot metal sample is then transferred into a separate well-insulated calorimeter containing \(100.0\text{ g}\) of distilled water at \(20.0^\circ\text{C}\).

| Metal | Specific Heat Capacity \(\left(\text{J}/(\text{g}\cdot^\circ\text{C})\right)\) |
| :— | :— |
| \(\text{Al(s)}\) | \(0.90\) |
| \(\text{Fe(s)}\) | \(0.45\) |
| \(\text{Pb(s)}\) | \(0.13\) |

Assuming negligible heat loss to the surroundings and calorimeters, which of the following correctly ranks the final equilibrium temperatures, \(T_f\), of the water samples from greatest to least?

A student conducts a calorimetry experiment to investigate thermal equilibrium. Three separate \(50.0\text{ g}\) metal samples—aluminum (\(\text{Al}\)), iron (\(\text{Fe}\)), and lead (\(\text{Pb}\))—are heated to \(100.0^\circ\text{C}\) in a boiling-water bath. Each hot metal sample is then transferred into a separate well-insulated calorimeter containing \(100.0\text{ g}\) of distilled water at \(20.0^\circ\text{C}\).

| Metal | Specific Heat Capacity \(\left(\text{J}/(\text{g}\cdot^\circ\text{C})\right)\) |
| :--- | :--- |
| \(\text{Al(s)}\) | \(0.90\) |
| \(\text{Fe(s)}\) | \(0.45\) |
| \(\text{Pb(s)}\) | \(0.13\) |

Assuming negligible heat loss to the surroundings and calorimeters, which of the following correctly ranks the final equilibrium temperatures, \(T_f\), of the water samples from greatest to least?

- **A.** \(T_{f,\text{Al}} > T_{f,\text{Pb}} > T_{f,\text{Fe}}\)
- **B.** \(T_{f,\text{Al}} > T_{f,\text{Fe}} > T_{f,\text{Pb}}\)
- **C.** \(T_{f,\text{Pb}} > T_{f,\text{Fe}} > T_{f,\text{Al}}\)
- **D.** \(T_{f,\text{Pb}} > T_{f,\text{Al}} > T_{f,\text{Fe}}\)

*The answer key and step-by-step explanation are available to logged-in users at https://nerd-notes.com/ubq/123751/*