g Water has a high heat capacity relative to many other materials. Metals like copper have a relatively low heat capacity. If 100 g copper at 80°C is placed in 100 g water at 20°C, which substance, water or copper, will experience the greater temperature change

Copper

Explanation:

According to the law of conservation of energy, the sum of heat lost by copper and the heat gained by water is zero.

QCu + QH₂O = 0

QCu = - QH₂O

We can calculate each heat (Q) using the following expression.

Q = c × m × ΔT

where,

c: specific heat capacity

m: mass

Δ: change in temperature

We can rearrange this expression.

ΔT = Q/c × m

Since both Q and m have the same magnitude for water and copper, the change in the temperature is inversely proportional to the specific heat capacity. Given copper has a lower specific heat capacity, it will experience the greater temperature change.