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Course: High school chemistry > Unit 6

Lesson 2: Specific heat capacity
Science
High school chemistry
Thermochemistry
Specific heat capacity
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Problem

One way of joining together different pieces of metal is to use solder. Solder is a soft metal alloy with a low melting point. An electric heater or blowtorch is used to melt the solder. As it cools it re-solidifies, bonding the metals into one solid piece.
A photograph of two copper pipes being soldered together using a piece of solder and a propane blow-torch.
Two copper pipes being soldered together
A certain type of solder has a specific heat capacity of 0.221 J/g°C and a melting point of 237.0°C.
A welder uses a propane torch to heat 3.23 grams of this solder from room temperature (22.2°C) to its melting point.
How much thermal energy did the solder absorb?
Report your answer to the nearest whole number.
  • Your answer should be
  • an integer, like 6
  • a simplified proper fraction, like 3/5
  • a simplified improper fraction, like 7/4
  • a mixed number, like 1 3/4
  • an exact decimal, like 0.75
  • a multiple of pi, like 12 pi or 2/3 pi
joules