Question

What is the specific heat capacity of balsa wood?
a.$0.7{\text{ kcal}}{{\text{/}}^o}C$
b.$0.48{\text{ kcal}}{{\text{/}}^o}C$
c.$0.8{\text{ kcal}}{{\text{/}}^o}C$
d.$0.5{\text{ kcal}}{{\text{/}}^o}C$

Answer 1

Hint:The specific heat capacity of a substance, also known as massic heat capacity (symbol ${C_p}$) in thermodynamics, is the heat capacity of a sample divided by the mass of the sample. Informally, it is the quantity of energy that must be given to one unit of mass of a substance in the form of heat to create a one-unit increase in temperature.

Complete answer:
The balsa tree, or Ochroma pyramidale, is a big, fast-growing tree endemic to the Americas. It is the only member of the Ochroma genus. The word balsa derives from the Spanish word balsa, which means "raft." Ochroma pyramidale is a deciduous angiosperm that may grow up to 30 metres tall and is categorised as a hardwood despite its soft wood. It is the softest commercial hardwood and is frequently used due to its lightweight.
The amount of heat necessary to change the heat content of 1 mole of material by exactly \[1^\circ C\]is known as heat capacity, or ${C_p}$.
Heat is a type of energy that is also known as thermal energy. Energy may be converted from one form to another (for example, electrical energy may be converted into mechanical energy in a blender), but it cannot be generated or destroyed; rather, it must be conserved. The greater the temperature of a substance, the more thermal energy it has, according to fundamental thermodynamics. Furthermore, the more of a certain substance there is at a particular temperature, the more overall thermal energy the material has. Absorbed heat causes the atoms of a solid to vibrate on an atomic level, much like they would if they were connected by springs. The energy of vibrations increases as the temperature rises. This is the only motion conceivable in a metal. Absorbing heat causes the atoms in a molecule to vibrate, causing the molecule to spin and move from place to place in a liquid or gas. Liquids and gases have higher heat capacity than metals because they have more “storage” possibilities for energy.

The specific heat of balsa wood is \[2.9{\text{ J}}{{\text{g}}^{ - 1}}{K^{ - 1}}{\text{ or 0}}{\text{.7 kcal k}}{{\text{g}}^{ - 1}}{\text{/}}{{\text{ }}^o}C\]

Note:
Ochroma pyramidale, a member of the mallow family, is native to southern Mexico and southern Brazil, but has since spread to many other nations (Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, Thailand, Solomon Islands). It is a pioneer plant that establishes itself in man-made or natural clearings in woods, as well as in abandoned agricultural areas. It may reach a height of 27 metres in 10–15 years.