[theowne]

There's a question here which asks about N2 + H2, one mole of each, in a calorimeter of heat capacity 20kJ/K (it says look carefully at these units).  I've figured out how much energy is released by that reaction.  Without the mass though, how am I supposed to determine the temp change in the calorimeter?  q = mct can't be used.  Also, will the delta H become positive to represent q for the calorimeter, if I were using that formula.

[Padfoot]

Without the mass though, how am I supposed to determine the temp change in the calorimeter?  q = mct can't be used. 

You are given the heat capacity of the calorimeter, you should use this.
You don't need mass, Heat capacity takes mass into account.

[theowne]

I don't understand.  In the example my teacher gave us when teaching this, we have the mass and the specific heat capacity and we plug it into the formula q = mct like this: deltaH = mct(ofcalorimeter) -mct (of solution).  But this question doesn't give mass.

[Padfoot]

I don't understand.  In the example my teacher gave us when teaching this, we have the mass and the specific heat capacity and we plug it into the formula q = mct like this: deltaH = mct(ofcalorimeter) -mct (of solution).  But this question doesn't give mass.

In the question you are given the heat capacity, not the specific heat capacity.

q=mCdeltaT    (C=specific heat)
or...
q= heat capacity*delta T.       

heat capacity=mC   - mass is taken into account 

[theowne]

Wow, thank you , I can't believe it is that simple.  I spent an hour pondering this question and trying to find an answer on the net.

[Padfoot]

Wow, thank you , I can't believe it is that simple.  I spent an hour pondering this question and trying to find an answer on the net.

Glad to help