Specific

Heat
Capacity
F O R M O R E C O N T E N T, C L I C K
HERE
 Heat and
Temperature
Change
Temperature is a measure of the
average kinetic energy of the
particles

✓A Flow of heat occurs when some

of the internal energy of one object
passes to another in contact with it.

✓Heat is a form of energy, heat is

energy in transit due to a
temperature difference. The unit of
heat is the Joule (J).

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 What is Specific
Heat Capacity?
Specific heat capacity is defined as the quantity of heat
which is required to raise the temperature of 1 kg of a
substance by 1 K.

➢If we place equal masses of water and oil in different

containers, on the same heat source, for the same
amount of time then, the oil is going to reach a higher
temperature due to having a lower specific heat capacity.

Different substances have different specific heat capacities:

Water – 4200 Jkg-1k-1
Copper – 980 Jkg-1k-1 NB: Symbol – c(common letter)
Aluminium - 880 Jkg-1k-1 Unit – Jkg-1k-1
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 Calculating Heat
Energy
Energy = Mass * Specific Heat Capacity *
Change in time
EH = m * c * ΔT
Where: EH – Thermal Energy/J
m – mass/kg
c – Specific Heat Capacity/Jkg-1k-1
ΔT – Change in temperature/K
Playing By The Formula
EH EH EH
m= C= ΔT =
c ∗ ΔT m ∗ΔT m∗c

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 Finding The Specific Heat
Capacity & Heat Energy
1. It is found that 1800J of heat is required to raise the temperature of a metal of mass 0.80kg from 25°C
to 100°C, what is the specific heat capacity? 30 Jkg-1k-1

EH = 1800J, m = 0.8kg, T1 = 25°C, T2 = 100°C, ΔT = 75°C, c = ? Jkg-1k-1

EH
EH = m * c * ΔT C=
m ∗ΔT
2. A substance of mass 2.56kg has a specific heat capacity of 27.6 Jkg-1k-1, the initial temperature of
66°C raised by 34°C to get a final temperature of 100°C, what is the heat energy? 2402.3J

EH = ?, m = 2.56kg, T1 = , T2 = 100°C, ΔT = 34°C, c = 27.6 Jkg-1k-1

EH = m * c * ΔT

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 Finding the mass & change in
temperature
1. It is found that 1800J of heat is required to raise the temperature of a metal from 25°C to 100°C with a
specific heat capacity of 30Jkg-1k-1, what is the mass of the metal? 0.8kg
EH = 1800J, m =?, T1 = 25°C, T2 = 100°C, ΔT = 75°C, c = 30Jkg-1k-1
EH
EH = m * c * ΔT m=
c ∗ ΔT

2. A substance of mass 2.56kg has a specific heat capacity of 27.6 Jkg-1k-1 and a heat capacity of
2402.3J, the initial temperature of 66°C raised get a final temperature of 100°C, what is the
change in temperature? 34°C
EH = 2402.3J, m = 2.56kg, T1 = 66°C, T2 = 100°C, ΔT = ?, c = 27.6 Jkg-1k-1
EH
ΔT = OR ΔT = T2 – T1
m∗c

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 Proof that temperature change is
the same in °C and K
Given that the T1 = 40°C and the T2 = 100°C.

ΔT = T2 – T1 T1 = 40°C + 273 T1 = 100°C + 273

= 100°C - 40°C = 313K = 317K
= 60°C

ΔT = T2 – T
= 373K – 313K
=60K

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 What is Heat
Capacity?

Heat capacity is defined as

the heat which is required to
raise the temperature of a
substance by 1 K.

NB: Symbol – C(capital letter)

Unit – Jk-1

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Relationship between C and c
C=m*c

Where: C – Heat Capacity/Jk-1

m – mass/kg

c – Specific Heat Capacity/Jkg-1k-1

Playing with the formula

C
m=
c
C
c=
m

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Finding the heat capacity & mass
1. Given that a substance of mass 100kg has a specific heat capacity of 1800Jkg-1k-1, what is the heat
capacity? 180,000Jk-1

c = 1800Jkg-1k-1, m = 100kg, C = ? Jk-1

C=m*c

2. A substance with a heat capacity 21,700Jk-1 and has a specific heat capacity of 1400Jkg-1k-1, what is the
mass of this substance? 15.5kg

c = 1400Jkg-1k-1, m = ?, C = 21,700Jk-1

C
m=
c

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Finding The specific heat capacity
3. Given that a substance of mass 100kg has a heat capacity of 1800Jk-1, what is the specific heat
capacity? 18Jkg-1k-1

c = ?, m = 100kg, C = 1800Jk-1

C
c=
m

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 The Electrical
method
The electrical method can be used to determine the specific
heat capacity of:

➢Solids

➢Liquids

For both solids and liquids, a known quantity of thermal energy

is applied while the change in temperature of a known mass is
calculated.

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Steps in carrying out this method
✓Measure mass of water (m) before pouring it into the container.

✓Connect the heating coil into the circuit.

✓Before turning the power supply on, measure the temperature (T1) of water in the container.

✓Turn on the power supply and at the same begin to measure the time (t) of the heating.

✓Record the voltage (v) from the voltmeter and the current (I) from the ammeter

✓After about 15 minutes turn the power supply off, quickly stir the water with a stirrer and read the
final temperature (T2) of the water.

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Steps in carrying out this method
cont’d (Recording Results)
m – Mass of substance (solid/liquid) =_____kg
t – Time while power supply was on = s
T – Initial Temperature of the (solid/liquid) = _____°C/K
T – Initial Temperature of the (solid/liquid) = _____°C/K
v – voltage reading from the voltmeter = _____v
I - current reading from the ammeter = _____A
Calculate the specific heat capacity
c – Specific heat capacity of the (solid/liquid) = _____?Jkg-1k-1

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 Calculating Heat
Energy(Electrical Method)
Energy = Power * time Therefore
EH = P * t P * t = m * c * ΔT
BUT OR
P=v*I v * I * t = m * c * ΔT
EH = v * I * t Where: P – Power/W
Heat lost = Heat Gained t – Time/s
By heater = by metal I - Current
EHh = Ehm v – Voltage/v

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Playing by the formula
m ∗ 𝑐 ∗ΔT
P=
t

m ∗ 𝑐 ∗ΔT
t=
P

P∗t
m=
c ∗ΔT

P∗t
c=
m ∗ΔT

P∗t
ΔT =
c ∗m

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Finding the time taken
1. A tank holding 60kg of water is heated by a 7KW electrical emersion heater. If the specific
heat capacity of water is 4200Jkg-1k-1, Find the temperature change in Kelvin and estimate the
Time taken for the temperature to raise from 10°C to 100°C. 50K & 1800s

ΔT = T2 – T1

P = 7KW, T1 = 10°C, T2 = 100°C, c = 4200Jkg-1k-1, Δ T = ?, t = m = 60kg

m ∗ 𝑐 ∗ΔT
P * t = m * c * ΔT t= P

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 Finding the mass and specific
heat capacity
1. A tank holding water is heated by a 7KW electrical emersion heater, this is done for a time span of
6000s. If the specific heat capacity of water is 4200Jkg-1k-1, Find the temperature change in Kelvin and the
mass if the temperature change ranges from 10°C to 100°C. 111.1kg
ΔT = T2 – T1

P = 7KW, T1 = 10°C, T2 = 100°C, c = 4200Jkg-1k-1, Δ T = ?, t = 6000s, m =? kg

P∗t
m=
c ∗ΔT

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 Finding the current and
temperature (T2)
An electric heater supplies 30 volts over a time period of 255 seconds to a metal block of mass 0.5kg that has a value of 450Jkg-1C-1
for its specific heat capacity. The temperature of the block rises from 20°C to 80°C during the heating process. Assuming that
very little heat is lost from the block during the heating process, what is the current provided to heat up the block? 1.8 A

m ∗ 𝑐 ∗ΔT
P * t = m * c * ΔT v * I * t = m * c * ΔT I=
t∗v

An electric heater supplies 60 watts of power over a time period of 255 seconds to a metal block of mass 0.5kg that has a value of
450Jkg-1C-1 for its specific heat capacity. The temperature of the block rises from 20°C to an unknown temperature during the
heating process. Assuming that very little heat is lost from the block during the heating process, what is the final temperature of the
metal block? 80°C
m ∗ 𝑐 ∗ΔT P∗t P∗t
P * t = m * c * ΔT P= ΔT = c ∗m T2 = + T1
t c ∗m

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 C

The method H C

of mixtures
The method of mixtures can be M
used to determine the specific
heat capacity of:
➢Solids
➢Liquids

H M C
 The basic principle
When the two substances (Hot metal, m and cold water, w) of different values of heat energy are mixed, it can be
assumed that the heat energy lost by the substance A of higher heat energy is equal to the heat gained by the
substance B of lower heat energy. This is represented by EM = EW where: EM – Heat energy lost

EW - Heat energy gained

If these two formulas were to be expanded, we would end up with:

mM * cM * ΔTM = mW * cW * ΔTW where: mM – Mass of substance M

mW - Mass of substance W

cM – Specific Heat Capacity of substance M

cW - Specific Heat Capacity of substance W

ΔTM - Change in temperature of substance M

ΔTW - Change in temperature of substance W

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 Playing by the formula
mW ∗ cW ∗ ΔTW
mM =
cM ∗ ΔTM
mM ∗ cM ∗ ΔTM
mW =
cW ∗ ΔTW
mW ∗ cW ∗ ΔTW
cM =
mM ∗ ΔTM
mM ∗ cM ∗ ΔTM
cW =
mW ∗ ΔTW
mW ∗ cW ∗ ΔTW
ΔTM =
mM ∗ cM
mM ∗ cM ∗ ΔTM
ΔTW =
mW ∗ cW

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 Finding the specific heat
capacity(method of mixtures) Example
#1
A piece of aluminium of mass 0.5 kg is heated to 100°C and then placed in 0.4kg of water at
10C. If the resulting temperature of the mixture is 30°C, what is the specific heat capacity of
aluminium if that of the water is 4200Jkg-1°C-1?
960Jkg-1°C-1
Heat lost by aluminium = heat gained by water
EM = EW
mM * cM * ΔTM = mW * cW * ΔTW
mW ∗ cW ∗ ΔTW
cM = mM ∗ ΔTM

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Created by: Sanjaye Shaw
Shaw S.T.E.M Academy

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