1. What is Specific Heat?

Definition: Specific heat is the amount of heat energy required to raise the temperature of 1 kilogram of a substance by 1 Kelvin.

Purpose: This calculator helps determine the specific heat capacity of materials, which is crucial in thermodynamics, material science, and engineering applications.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the formula:

Where:

• \( c \) — Specific heat capacity (J/kg K)
• \( Q \) — Heat energy added (Joules)
• \( m \) — Mass of the substance (kilograms)
• \( \Delta T \) — Temperature change (Kelvin)

Explanation: The heat energy is divided by the product of mass and temperature change to determine how much energy the material can store per unit mass per degree.

3. Importance of Specific Heat Calculation

Details: Knowing specific heat helps in designing heating/cooling systems, selecting materials for thermal applications, and understanding energy requirements for temperature changes.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter the heat energy in Joules, mass in kilograms, and temperature change in Kelvin. All values must be > 0.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What are typical specific heat values?
A: Water has high specific heat (4186 J/kg K), metals are lower (e.g., iron ~450 J/kg K), while air is about 1005 J/kg K.

Q2: Why use Kelvin for temperature change?
A: Kelvin and Celsius degrees are the same size, but Kelvin is an absolute scale required in thermodynamic calculations.

Q3: How does specific heat relate to thermal conductivity?
A: They're different properties - specific heat measures energy storage capacity, while conductivity measures energy transfer rate.

Q4: Can I use this for gases?
A: Yes, but gases often have different specific heat values at constant pressure vs. constant volume.

Q5: What if my temperature change is in Celsius?
A: For ΔT, Celsius values can be used directly since the degree size is identical to Kelvin.