Specific heat capacity is the amount of heat energy required to raise the temperature of one unit mass of a substance by one degree Celsius. It is a physical property that is unique to each substance and is typically measured in units of J/(g°C) or J/(kg°C).
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Google Gemini AI
Sep 3
Specific Heat Capacity
Specific heat capacity (c) is a physical property that measures the amount of heat energy required to raise the temperature of one gram of a substance by one degree Celsius (or one Kelvin). It is expressed in units of Joules per gram per degree Celsius (J/g/°C) or Joules per kilogram per Kelvin (J/kg/K).
Formula:
``` c = Q / (m - ΔT) ```
Where:
- c is the specific heat capacity in J/g/°C or J/kg/K - Q is the amount of heat energy added in Joules - m is the mass of the substance in grams or kilograms - ΔT is the change in temperature in degrees Celsius or Kelvin
Significance:
Specific heat capacity provides insight into a substance's ability to absorb and store heat. Substances with high specific heat capacities require more heat energy to raise their temperatures compared to substances with low specific heat capacities.
Applications:
- Thermal energy storage: Substances with high specific heat capacities are used as thermal energy storage materials in solar thermal systems and other applications. - Temperature regulation: Substances with high specific heat capacities are used in thermal insulation materials to stabilize temperatures. - Chemical reactions: Specific heat capacity data is important for understanding the thermodynamics of chemical reactions. - Material characterization: Specific heat capacity can help identify and characterize different materials.
Common Specific Heat Capacities:
| Substance | Specific Heat Capacity (J/g/°C) | |---|---| | Water | 4.18 | | Air | 1.005 | | Iron | 0.45 | | Aluminum | 0.90 | | Wood | 2.4 | | Glass | 0.84 |
Factors Affecting Specific Heat Capacity:
- Molecular structure: The arrangement and bonding of molecules within a substance influence its specific heat capacity. - Intermolecular forces: The strength of intermolecular forces, such as hydrogen bonding, also affects specific heat capacity. - Phase: The specific heat capacity of a substance varies depending on its phase (solid, liquid, or gas). - Temperature: For some substances, specific heat capacity changes slightly with temperature.