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Heat Capacity - Chemistry LibreTexts

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Heat Capacity
Last updated: 11:21, 6 Jan 2016

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The heat capacity of a de ned system is the amount of heat (usually expressed in calories, kilocalories, or
joules) needed to raise the system's temperature by one degree (usually expressed in Celsius or Kelvin). It is
expressed in units of thermal energy per degree temperature. To aid in the analysis of systems having certain
speci c dimensions, molar heat capacity and speci c heat capacity can be used. To measure the heat capacity of
a reaction, a calorimeter must be used. Bomb calorimeters are used for constant volume heat capacities,
although a coffee-cup calorimeter is suf cient for a constant pressure heat capacity.

Molar Heat Capacity

The amount of heat needed to increase the temperature of one mole of a substance by one degree is the
molar heat capacity. It is expressed in joules per moles per degrees Celsius (or Kelvin),
. For example,
Joules

M oles

the molar heat capacity of lead is 26.65

mole of lead byC.

Joules
M oles C

, which means that it takes 26.65 Joules of heat to raise 1

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Speci c Heat Capacity

The amount of heat needed to increase the temperature of one gram of a substance by one degree is the
speci c heat capacity. It is expressed in joules per gram per degree Celsius,
. Because the speci c
Joules

Grams

heat of lead is 0.128

Joules
Grams

, it 0.128 Joules of heat is required to raise one gram of lead by oneC.

Quantity of Heat
The quantity of heat is a measurement of the amount of heat is present. The formula of quantity of heat, q, is
equal to the mass of substance, m, multiplied with the speci c heat and the change in temperature, T .
When the mass of substance is multiplied with the speci c heat the product is equal to heat capacity, which is
donated as C .
q = T C m

Heat capacity, C, can never be negative for a mass or a substance and the speci c heat of a substance can
never be negative. Thus, if the change in temperature is negative, the initial temperature is more than the nal
temperature, then quantity of heat must be negative, for a negative number multiplied by a positive number
equals a negative number. When the quantity of heat heat is negative heat the system is depleted of its heat;
however, if the quantity of heat is positive then the system gains heat.
The total heat in a closed system must remain constant, which is represented by the equation

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qsystem + qsurroundings = 0

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in
This means that it is possible to set the quantity of heat of the system equal to the quantity of heat of the
surroundings multiplied by negative one, which is used in the rst calculation question of lab.

Speci c Latent Heat

There are two types of speci c latent heat: vaporization and fusion. The speci c latent heat of vaporization is
de ned as the quantity of heat energy that is necessary to raise one unit of weight (pounds or grams) with no
change of temperature in the surroundings. Like the name implies, this speci c latent heat quanti es the
transfer of energy when a substance's state changes from liquid to gas or from gas to liquid. On the other
hand, the speci c heat of fusion is the quantity of heat that is necessary to raise one unit of weight without
any change in temperature. This speci c latent heat quanti es the transfer of energy when a substance's state
changes from a solid to a liquid or from a liquid to a solid. Two formulas has be derived from this property:
q = m L

and thus
q
L =
m

with
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q

Heat Capacity - Chemistry LibreTexts

is the amount of heat increase or decrease as the state changes,

m
L

is the mass of the substance present, and

is the speci c latent heat for that substance.

Example 1
The speci c heat capacity of water is 4.18 joules per gram per degree Celsius. How many joules of heat must
be added to one gram of water to increase its temperature by 10 degrees Celsius?
SOLUTION
amount of heat =( mass of substance) x ( speci c heat capacity) x ( change of temperature)
amountofheat=(1gram)(4.18 joules)/(gramsC)(10C)
amountofheat=41.8 joules
Example 2
In a calorimeter there is only water at room temperature (25C). About 1.6 grams of ice are added to the
system, and the temperature decreases to 1.2C. The speci c heat of water is 4.186 J/(g C). What is the
quantity of heat of calorimeter and the reaction?
SOLUTION
Because the change in temperature is given, the heat capacity of the calorimeter is the only unknown
constant needed to solve for the quantity of heat of the calorimeter. However, the speci c heat, C, of the
calorimeter is equal to the speci c heat of water, which is4.186J/(gC). Now it's possible to solve for the
quantity of heat.
1.
qcalorimeter=T C
qcalorimeter= (1.2C - 25C)4.186J/(gC)= -99.627 J
2. The formula for the quantity of heat of the calorimeter is:
qcalorimeter= -qreaction
-99.627 J= -qreaction
qreaction=99.627 J
Example
There is a coffee-cup calorimeter is lled with water at room temperature (25C) as well as 2 grams of
copper. If the two grams of copper are heated up to 46.3C, what is the quantity of heat of the calorimeter
and the copper?
SOLUTION
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SOLUTION
1.qcopper=T C

qcopper= (46.3C - 25C)4.186J/(gC)= 89.162 J

2. The formula for the quantity of heat of the calorimeter is:
qcopper= -qcalorimeter
89.162 J= -qcalorimeter

qcalorimeter=- 99.627 J
Example 4
If the quantity of heat of aluminum is 0.903 J/(g*C) and the mass of the aluminum is 105 grams, what is the
speci c latent heat of the aluminum as it's state goes from solid to liquid?
SOLUTION
L=Q/m
L=(0.903 J/(gC))(105 g)= 94.815 J/g= 94.815 kJ/kg.
The temperature (C)is neglected because there is no change in temperature.
Example 5
The speci c latent heat of sulfur is 4.84 kJ/kg and the quantity of heat is 0.706 kJ/(kg*C)
Q=mL
m=L/Q
m=(4.84 kJ/kg)/(0.706 kJ/(kg*C)= 6.856 kg
The temperature (C)is neglected because there is no change in temperature.

References
1. Petrucci, et al. General Chemistry: Principles & Modern Applications: AIE (Hardcover). Upper Saddle
River: Pearson/Prentice Hall, 2007.
2. Kotz, John C., Treichel, Paul M., and Townsend, John.Chemistry & Chemical Reactivity. 7th Ed. Belmont:
Thomson Higher Education, 2006. Print.

Contributors
Cameron Tracy, Ravneet Singh (UCD)

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