SPECIFIC HEAT CAPACITY Meaning and
Definition
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Specific heat capacity is a physical property that quantifies the amount of heat energy required to raise the temperature of a substance by a certain amount. It is defined as the amount of heat energy needed to increase the temperature of one unit of mass of a substance by one degree Celsius or Kelvin. Specific heat capacity is also known as specific heat or thermal capacity.
The specific heat capacity of a substance is determined by its molecular structure and composition. Different substances have different specific heat capacities due to variations in their molecular interactions. For example, substances with strong intermolecular forces tend to have higher specific heat capacities since it requires more energy to overcome these forces and increase the substance's temperature.
The unit of measurement for specific heat capacity is joules per kilogram per degree Celsius (J/kg°C) or joules per gram per degree Celsius (J/g°C). It can also be expressed in joules per kilogram per Kelvin (J/kgK). The specific heat capacity is a characteristic property of a substance and does not depend on the amount or mass of the substance.
Specific heat capacity is an important concept in thermodynamics and is used in various calculations related to heat transfer and energy exchange. It is particularly useful in determining the amount of heat energy required or released in processes such as heating or cooling substances, phase transitions, and calorimetry experiments.
