Heat Capacity: The heat capacity of a substance is the amount of heat energy required to raise its temperature by 1 degree Celsius or 1 Kelvin. It i...
Heat Capacity:
The heat capacity of a substance is the amount of heat energy required to raise its temperature by 1 degree Celsius or 1 Kelvin.
It is a measure of the substance's ability to absorb and store thermal energy.
Heat capacity is typically denoted by the Greek letter C.
Specific Heat:
The specific heat of a substance is the amount of heat energy required to raise the temperature of a unit mass of the substance by 1 degree Celsius or 1 Kelvin.
It is a measure of the substance's ability to absorb and store thermal energy at a constant mass.
Specific heat is a constant for a given substance, regardless of its temperature.
Difference between Heat Capacity and Specific Heat:
Heat capacity is an extensive property, meaning its value depends on the amount of substance present.
Specific heat is an intensive property, meaning its value remains constant regardless of the amount of substance present.
Examples:
For a 100 g block of copper, C = 420 J/kg°C.
For a 100 g sample of water, c = 420 J/kg°C.
Specific heat of water is higher than that of copper because it takes more energy to raise its temperature by 1 degree Celsius.
Key Differences:
| Feature | Heat Capacity | Specific Heat |
|---|---|---|
| Amount | Extensive | Intensive |
| Unit | Joules | Joules per kilogram-degree Celsius |
| Value | Depends on amount | Constant for a given substance |