Learning Objectives

(a) define and apply the concept of specific heat

capacity;
(b) select and apply the equation E = mcΔθ;
(c) describe an electrical experiment to determine the
specific heat capacity of a solid or a liquid;
(d) describe what is meant by the terms latent heat of
fusion and latent heat of vaporisation.
 How much Energy?
• The energy needed to change the temperature
of a something depends on different things.
• For example:
Imagine a tea pot. To heat the water, you use a
kettle.
What is the quickest way of heating the
water to 100oC – By heating just enough
water for a cup of tea or heating water in
the whole kettle? Why???
• The energy needed to change the temperature
of a something (e.g. water) depends on:

• Mass – the more mass, the more energy

needed to change something's temperature

• The material it is made from e.g. Copper needs

less energy to raise its temperature than Iron.
Why?

• The temperature change desired

 Specific Heat Capacity
• In fact, the energy needed to raise the
temperature of a material is given by:

Energy mass Specific Temperature

= X X
transferred (kg) Heat change (K)
(J) Capacity

E = mcT

This is just a property

of the material
 Specific Heat Capacity
• The specific heat capacity of a substance is the
energy required to raise the temperature of 1kg of
that substance by 1K (or 1°C).

Energy Specific Heat

mass Temperature
transferred = X Capacity X Change (K)
(J) (kg) (J/kgK)

E = mcT
• Different materials have different values for c.
 Experiment to find ‘c’
“describe an electrical experiment to determine the
specific heat capacity of a solid or a liquid”
What did you do?
What measurements did you take?
How did you find the electrical energy?
 Experiment to find ‘c’
1. Take a cylindrical metal block of mass 1kg.
2. Use an electrical heater to supply the energy and
place a thermometer inside it.
3. Record the voltage and current of the circuit using a
voltmeter and ammeter respectively.
4. Switch on the circuit and start the timer.
5. Record the temperature of the block every 100
seconds.
6. Draw a graph of temperature against time.
SHC Questions E = mcT

1. What is the energy required to heat 4kg of iron

from 22°C to 50°C if c = 450J/kg°C?

2. What is the mass of lead (c = 126J/kg°C) that

increases its by 7°C when 3000J of energy is
supplied?
An example …

On the beach, both the sand and the sea are

heated by the Sun’s radiation for the same amount
of time. So why does the sand burn you but not
the sea?
Sand has a much lower SHC than water
 Changes of State
Each change of state is given a different name.
Gas

Boiling
Condensing

Melting
Solid Liquid

Freezing
Changes of State
Boiling 
Condensing 
as
Temperature

G
Melting Liquid  Gas
Freezing
u id
Liq
Solid  Liquid

li d
So

Time
 Specific Latent Heat
The specific latent heat of a substance is the
energy required per kilogram to change its
state without any change in temperature.

SLH of fusion is for melting.

SLH of vaporisation is for boiling.

Q = mL
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=qtSNLsQJTcY
 Specific latent heat questions

Specific latent heat of water is 2 300 000 J/kg .

1. Calculate the quantity of heat energy required
to:
(a) convert 2 kg of water at 100 oC into steam
(b) convert 3kg of ice into water at 0 oC.
2. Calculate the mass of water that can be
converted into steam using 100,000J of energy