Specific Heat
Reference from the original Physics I textbook.
- Specific Heat
The amount of heat needed to raise the temperature of an object. Formally it says: “the amount of energy in that it takes to raise the of the object’s temperature by .”
- Related Glossary Terms
- Index
Glossary and deeper reading · 3 refreshers
These editorial refreshers supplement the reading. Definitions and examples are added guidance; original source wording and recorded answers remain in their original context.
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Specific heat
Specific heat is the energy needed per unit mass for a unit temperature increase under the stated conditions. Its units are joules per kilogram per kelvin, and the simple calorimetry model treats it as constant without a phase change. For example, equal masses of two materials can require different energy transfers for the same temperature rise.
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Calorimetry
Calorimetry measures energy transfers by tracking temperature changes and any relevant phase changes. The energy balance must include the named objects and account for the container or energy leakage when they matter. For example, mixing a warm metal sample with cooler water can help estimate the metal’s specific heat.
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Heat capacity
Heat capacity is the energy needed to raise the temperature of an entire object by one temperature unit under specified conditions. For a uniform sample in the simple constant-specific-heat model, it equals mass times specific heat. For example, twice as much of the same material has twice the heat capacity when its state and specific heat are unchanged.