SPECIFIC HEAT Meaning and
Definition
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Specific heat is the amount of heat energy required to raise the temperature of a given substance by a certain amount. It is a fundamental property used to describe the thermal characteristics of materials and is typically expressed in units of joules per gram per degree Celsius (J/g°C) or calories per gram per degree Celsius (cal/g°C).
Specific heat is specific to each substance and can vary depending on the material's chemical composition and physical properties. Some substances have a lower specific heat, meaning they require less heat energy to raise their temperature, while others have a higher specific heat and thus require more heat energy for the same temperature increase.
The concept of specific heat is closely related to the heat capacity of a substance. Heat capacity is the amount of heat energy required to raise the temperature of an entire sample, while specific heat refers to the amount of heat energy needed to raise the temperature of a unit mass (typically 1 gram) of the substance. Therefore, specific heat can be calculated by dividing the heat capacity by the mass of the substance.
Knowing the specific heat of a material is essential in various applications, from industrial processes to everyday life. It helps in determining the energy requirements for heating or cooling substances, designing efficient heat transfer systems, and understanding the behavior of materials when subjected to different temperatures.
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The heat required to raise any substance through 1° of temperature, compared as a standard with that raising the same volume of water one degree.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
Common Misspellings for SPECIFIC HEAT
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Etymology of SPECIFIC HEAT
The word "specific heat" is derived from Latin and Greek roots. "Specific" comes from the Latin word "specificus", which means "particular" or "distinguishing". The term "heat" has its roots in Greek, stemming from the word "hêdonē", which means "pleasure" or "passion".
The concept of specific heat refers to the amount of heat or energy required to raise the temperature of a substance by a certain amount. The term was introduced in the field of thermodynamics during the 19th century. The word "specific" in "specific heat" denotes the particular or unique heat capacity of a substance, as different materials have different abilities to store or release thermal energy. Thus, the combination of these Latin and Greek roots conveys the idea of the distinct thermal characteristics possessed by different substances.
Similar spelling words for SPECIFIC HEAT
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