Copper and steel blanks weighing 100 kg each are heated to their melting point.

Copper and steel blanks weighing 100 kg each are heated to their melting point. Which of these bodies requires more heat to melt? How many times?

Data: m1 (mass of a copper blank) = 100 kg; m2 (mass of a steel bar) = 100 kg.

Constants: λ1 (specific heat of fusion of copper) = 2.1 * 10 ^ 5 J / kg; λ2 (specific heat of fusion of steel) = 0.84 * 10 ^ 5 J / kg.

1) Since the ingots have the same mass, a copper ingot will require more heat for melting, since it has a large specific heat of fusion: λ1 (2.1 * 10 ^ 5 J / kg)> λ2 (0.84 * 10 ^ 5 J / kg).

2) The ratio of heat consumption: k = λ1 / λ2 = 2.1 * 10 ^ 5 / (0.84 * 10 ^ 5) = 2.5 times.