Heat Capacity

and Specific Heat

Specific Heat Definition

Specific heat is a property of a substance. It is a measure of the ability of a substance to store heat.

Specific Heat Capacity - the amount of heat it takes to raise the temperature of 1 gram of the substance by 1 oC (abbreviated C)

Specific Heat of Water

Importance of Specific Heat of Water

Specific Heat of Water

Water has a very high specific heat- the amount of heat needed to raise its temperature a certain amount. it takes a lot of heat to make water hot. Water has to absorb 4.184 Joules of heat for the temperature of one gram of water to increase 1 degree celsius (C) Copper has to absorb 0.385 Joules of heat to raise 1 gram of copper 1C. If you leave a bucket of water outside in the sun in summer it will certainly get hot, but not hot enough to boil an egg. But, if you walk barefoot on the black asphalt of a street here in Merced, CA in August, you'll burn your feet. Metals have a much lower specific heat capacity than water. Dropping an egg on the metal of my car hood on an August day will produce a fried egg. If you've ever held onto a needle and put the other end in a flame you know how fast the needle gets hot, and how fast the heat is moved through the length of the needle. Not so with water.

Why Specific Heat is Important

The high specific heat capacity of water has a great deal to do with regulating extremes in the environment. For instance, our fish in the pond is indeed happy because the heat capacity of the water in his pond above means the temperature of the water will stay relatively the same from day to night. He doesn't have to worry about either turning on his air conditioner or putting on his woolen flipper gloves.

Specific Heat Importance

This same concept can be expanded to a world-wide scale. The oceans and lakes help regulate the temperature ranges that billions of people experience in their towns and cities. Water surrounding or near cities take longer to heat up and longer to cool down than do land masses, so cities near the oceans will tend to have less change and less extreme temperatures than inland cities. This property of water is one reason why states on the coast and in the center of the United States can differ so much in temperature patterns. A Midwest state, such as Nebraska, will have colder winters and hotter summers than Oregon, which has a higher latitude but has the Pacific Ocean nearby.

Why is specific heat of water important?

Give at least two examples of how the high specific heat of water is important or useful ______________________________________ ______________________________________ ______________________________________

Heat Capacity and Specific Heat

A calorie is defined as the quantity of heat needed to raise the temperature of 1 g of pure water 1 oC. Used except when referring to food a Calorie, written with a capital C, always refers to the energy in food 1 Calorie = 1 kilocalorie = 1000 cal.

Heat Capacity and Specific Heat

Joule-- the SI unit of heat and energy 4.184 J = 1 cal

Heat Capacity and Specific Heat

For water, C = 4.18 J/(g oC), and also C = 1.00 cal/(g oC) Thus, for water: it takes a long time to heat up, and it takes a long time to cool off! Water is used as a coolant!

Water gives off heat as it freezes

As water cools and freezes it releases energy that can warm the air and protect the fruit

Heat Capacity and Specific Heat

To calculate, use the formula: q = mass (g) x T x C heat abbreviated as q T = change in temperature C = Specific Heat Units are either J/(g oC) or cal/(g oC)

Concept Development Different substances differ in their response to an input of heat. A given amount of heat raises the temperature of some substances (such as metals) far more than others (such as nonmetals)

Specific Heat Interactive

Go to this interactive. Read the instructions and observe the graph. Which substance heats up faster? _______ Why? _______________