HESI A2 Physics Practice Test Related

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The specific heat capacity of tin is 217 J/(g°C). Which of these materials would require about twice as much heat as tin to increase the temperature of a sample by 1°C?

  • A. Copper [0.3844 J/(g°C)]
  • B. Iron [0.449 J/(g°C)]
  • C. Gold [0.1291 J/(g°C)]
  • D. Aluminum [0.904 J/(g°C)]
Correct Answer: D

Rationale: The correct answer is D: Aluminum. The specific heat capacity of aluminum is 0.904 J/(g°C), which is approximately 4 times that of tin. For a material to require about twice as much heat as tin to increase the temperature by 1°C, it should have a specific heat capacity roughly double that of tin. Therefore, aluminum fits this criterion better than the other options. Gold has a much lower specific heat capacity than tin, so it would require less, not more, heat to increase the temperature by 1°C. Copper and Iron also have specific heat capacities lower than tin, making them incorrect choices for requiring twice as much heat as tin.