To raise the temperature of one pound of water from 50°F to 60°F, how many BTUs are required?

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Multiple Choice

To raise the temperature of one pound of water from 50°F to 60°F, how many BTUs are required?

The amount of energy needed to heat a substance depends on its mass, the temperature change, and the substance’s specific heat. For water, the specific heat is 1 BTU per pound per degree Fahrenheit. That means one pound of water requires 1 BTU to raise its temperature by 1°F. Here we have 1 pound of water and we want to raise its temperature by 10°F. Multiply: 1 lb × 10°F × 1 BTU/(lb·°F) = 10 BTUs. So the required energy is 10 BTUs. The other numbers don’t fit because they would imply a larger temperature rise, more mass, or a different material.

The amount of energy needed to heat a substance depends on its mass, the temperature change, and the substance’s specific heat. For water, the specific heat is 1 BTU per pound per degree Fahrenheit. That means one pound of water requires 1 BTU to raise its temperature by 1°F.

Here we have 1 pound of water and we want to raise its temperature by 10°F. Multiply: 1 lb × 10°F × 1 BTU/(lb·°F) = 10 BTUs. So the required energy is 10 BTUs.

The other numbers don’t fit because they would imply a larger temperature rise, more mass, or a different material.

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