Specific Heat Capacity

• What is specific heat capacity?

  Energy required to raise 1 kg of a substance by 1° C
• What equation is used to calculate the change in thermal energy?

  ΔE = m × c × ΔT
• What is the specific heat capacity of water?

  4,200 Joules per kilogram per °C
• How do you convert Joules to kilojoules?

  Divide by 1,000
• What is the thermal energy stored in a 1.5 kg aluminium plate when the temperature rises from 20° C to 200° C?

  246,510 Joules
• What is the specific heat capacity of aluminium?

  913 Joules per kilogram per °C
• How do you rearrange the equation to find mass?

  m = ΔE / (c × ΔT)
• What is the process to calculate thermal energy change?

  • Identify mass (m)
  • Determine specific heat capacity (c)
  • Calculate temperature change (ΔT)
  • Use the equation: ΔE = m × c × ΔT
• What are the steps to convert Joules to kilojoules?

  • Take the energy in Joules
  • Divide by 1,000
  • Result is in kilojoules
• What factors affect the thermal energy stored in a substance?

  • Mass of the substance
  • Specific heat capacity
  • Temperature change