Which of the following was an unknown in the calorimetry lab?

• A. The mass of water used
• B. The volume of the calorimeter
• C. The specific heat capacity of the metal sample
• D. The initial temperature of the calorimeter

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the purpose of the calorimetry lab: it is typically used to determine an unknown property, such as the specific heat capacity of a metal sample, by measuring temperature changes when the metal is placed in water.
2. Identify the known quantities in the experiment: usually, the mass of water, the initial temperature of the calorimeter (or water), and the volume of the calorimeter are measured or given.
3. Recognize that the specific heat capacity of the metal sample is often the unknown variable because it is what the experiment aims to find by applying the principle of conservation of energy.
4. Recall the key equation used in calorimetry: the heat lost by the metal equals the heat gained by the water and calorimeter, expressed as \(q_{metal} = -q_{water}\), where \(q = m \times c \times \Delta T\).
5. Conclude that since the mass of water, volume of the calorimeter, and initial temperature are known or measured, the specific heat capacity of the metal sample is the unknown being determined.