Specific Heat Capacity Flashcards

All 6 cards in this deck

What is the equation for the change in thermal energy when a substance's temperature changes?

change in thermal energy $=$ mass $\times$ specific heat capacity $\times$ change in temperature
$\Delta Q = m \times c \times \Delta\theta$

What are the units of specific heat capacity?

J/kg °C (joule per kilogram degree Celsius).

What is the specific heat capacity of water?

$4200$ J/kg °C.

In the equation $\Delta Q = m \times c \times \Delta\theta$, what unit must the mass be in?

Kilograms (kg) — a mass in grams must be divided by $1000$ first.

What are the steps to calculate specific heat capacity from energy, mass and temperature rise?

e.g. $8400$ J raises $1$ kg of a liquid by $2$ °C

1. Write $\Delta Q = m \times c \times \Delta\theta$
2. Rearrange: $c = \Delta Q \div (m \times \Delta\theta)$
3. Substitute: $c = 8400 \div (1 \times 2) = 4200$ J/kg °C

True or false? A substance with a high specific heat capacity needs less energy to raise the temperature of $1$ kg by $1$ °C.

False. A high specific heat capacity means more energy is needed per kilogram per degree.