Question

mario and patience are making cookies. they are ready to drop balls of dough on baking sheets. they have baking sheets made of treated glass, aluminum, stainless steel, and copper. the specific heats of these substances are: treated glass ( = 0.75 , \text{j/g} cdot ^circ \text{c} ) aluminum ( = 0.90 , \text{j/g} cdot ^circ \text{c} ) stainless steel ( = 0.50 , \text{j/g} cdot ^circ \text{c} ) copper ( = 0.39 , \text{j/g} cdot ^circ \text{c} ) based on the specific heat values, which sheet is going to warm up the quickest, and, therefore, bake the cookies the fastest?

Explanation:

Step1: Understand specific heat concept

Specific heat ($c$) is the amount of heat ($Q$) required to raise the temperature ($\Delta T$) of a unit mass ($m$) of a substance. The formula is $Q = mc\Delta T$. For a given $Q$ and $m$, $\Delta T=\frac{Q}{mc}$. A lower specific heat means for the same heat input ($Q$) and mass ($m$), the temperature change ($\Delta T$) is larger.

Step2: Compare specific heat values

We have specific heat values: treated glass ($c = 0.75\ J/g\cdot^{\circ}C$), aluminum ($c = 0.90\ J/g\cdot^{\circ}C$), stainless - steel ($c = 0.50\ J/g\cdot^{\circ}C$), copper ($c=0.39\ J/g\cdot^{\circ}C$). Since copper has the lowest specific heat among these substances.

Answer:

Copper