Heat Capacity of ice- Winter 2013 Final Question 2A

[Mia-Kyla Coronel 2N]

When plugging in the value for heat capacity of ice, why is 4.184 plugged in? Isn't that the heat capacity of h20 water?

[Niharika Reddy 1D]

We have solid ice at 0.0°C. To raise the temperature of the ice, we must first melt it and then raise the temperature of what is then water, after being converted from ice. This is why the specific heat of water is used, since the ice has been melted into water.

You would use the specific heat of ice if the ice was at a temperature below water's melting point (0°C) in order to raise the temperature of the ice to the melting point, at which point you would melt the ice (use enthalpy of fusion). You can then raise the temperature of water, using the specific heat of water, since solid ice no longer remains.