A very hot cube of copper metal (32.5 g) is submerged into 105.3 g of water at 15.4 0C and it reach a thermal equilibrium of 17.3 0 Calculate the initial temperature of copper (Cs = 0.385 J/g 0C for copper, and 4.18 J/g 0C for water).

The initial temperature of the metal is 84.149 °C.

Explanation:

The heat lost by the metal will be equivalent to the heat gain by the water.  

- (msΔT)metal = (msΔT)water

-32.5 grams × 0.365 J/g°C × ΔT = 105.3 grams × 4.18 J/g °C × (17.3 -15.4)°C

-ΔT = 836.29/12.51 °C

-ΔT = 66.89 °C

-(T final - T initial) = 66.89 °C

T initial = 66.89 °C + T final

T initial = 66.89 °C + 17.3 °C

T initial = 84.149 °C.