A metal sample is heated and placed into the water in a calorimeter at room temperature. Which statement best describes how the calorimeter can be used to determine the specific heat capacity of the metal sample?

The heated metal starts at a higher temperature than the room-temperature water and calorimeter, so energy transfers from the metal to them. The transfer continues until the metal, water, and calorimeter reach the same final temperature, which can be used in a heat-energy calculation to find the metal’s specific heat capacity. The final temperature does not have to be room temperature.

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