Specific Heat

Front

What is Specific Heat?

Back

Specific Heat is the amount of energy required to raise the temperature of 1 gram of a substance by 1°C.

Front

What is the specific heat of water?

Back

The specific heat of water is 4.18 J/g°C.

Front

How do you calculate heat energy (Q)?

Back

Q = mass (m) × specific heat (c) × change in temperature (ΔT).

Front

If 20 g of water cools from 25°C to 20°C, how much heat energy is released?

Back

Q = 20 g × 4.18 J/g°C × (25°C - 20°C) = 418 Joules.

Front

What does temperature measure?

Back

Temperature measures the average kinetic energy of molecules.

Front

Which material has the largest change in temperature when heated with the same amount of energy?

Back

The material with the smallest specific heat will have the largest change in temperature.

Front

What is the relationship between mass and temperature change when heating?

Back

Larger mass results in a smaller temperature change for the same amount of heat energy.

Front

What is thermal energy?

Back

Thermal energy is the total kinetic energy of all the particles in a substance.

Front

What is the formula for calculating specific heat?

Back

Specific Heat (c) = Q / (m × ΔT).

Front

What happens to the temperature of a substance when it absorbs heat?

Back

The temperature of the substance increases.