Answer :
Final answer:
The final temperature when thermal equilibrium is reached between a copper sample and water can be calculated using the principle of conservation of energy.
Explanation:
The final temperature when thermal equilibrium is reached can be calculated using the principle of conservation of energy. The energy lost by the copper is equal to the energy gained by the water. We can use the equation: (mass of copper)(specific heat of copper)(change in temperature of copper) = (mass of water)(specific heat of water)(change in temperature of water)
Plugging in the values, we get: (45.5 g)(0.39 J/g·°C)(final temperature - 99.8°C) = (152 g)(4.18 J/g·°C)(final temperature - 18.5°C) Solving for the final temperature, we find that it is approximately 20.7°C.