Specific Heat Calculator

How to Calculate Specific Heat

Specific heat is a measure of the heat energy required to raise the temperature of a substance. It's an important property in thermodynamics and materials science, helping us understand how different materials respond to heat.

What is the Formula?

The formula for specific heat capacity is:

\[ c = \frac{Q}{m \cdot \Delta T} \]

Where:

• \(c\) is the specific heat capacity (in J/(kg·K) or cal/(g·°C))
• \(Q\) is the heat energy transferred (in J or cal)
• \(m\) is the mass of the substance (in kg or g)
• \(\Delta T\) is the change in temperature (in K or °C)

What are the calculation steps?

1. Determine the heat energy (Q) transferred to or from the substance.
2. Measure the mass (m) of the substance.
3. Calculate the change in temperature (ΔT).
4. Divide the heat energy by the product of mass and temperature change.

Example Calculation

Let's calculate the specific heat capacity of a substance:

Given:

• Heat energy transferred (Q) = 1000 J
• Mass of substance (m) = 200 g = 0.2 kg
• Initial temperature = 20°C
• Final temperature = 25°C

Step 1: Calculate the temperature change

\(\Delta T = 25°C - 20°C = 5°C = 5K\)

Step 2: Apply the formula

\(c = \frac{Q}{m \cdot \Delta T} = \frac{1000 \text{ J}}{0.2 \text{ kg} \cdot 5 \text{ K}} = 1000 \text{ J/(kg·K)}\)

Therefore, the specific heat capacity of the substance is 1000 J/(kg·K).

Diagram of Specific Heat

The following diagram illustrates the concept of specific heat:

This diagram shows the relationship between heat energy, mass, temperature change, and specific heat capacity. The specific heat capacity is the amount of heat energy required to raise the temperature of a unit mass of the substance by one degree.