4.

2 Understanding
Specific Heat
Capacity

Learning Outcomes
define specific heat capacity
state that c Q
m

determine the specific heat capacity of a liquid

determine the specific heat capacity of a solid
Describe applications of specific heat capacity
Solve problems involving specific heat capacity

Which pot of water take a longer time

to boil ?

Requires
more
heat

Greater heat capacity

Require
s less
heat

Smaller heat capacity

What is heat capacity?

Heat capacity of a body is the
amount of heat that must be
supplied to the body to increase
its temperature by 1oC

Which object has a higher heat capacity ?

o = 30oC

o = 30oC

1 = 35oC

1 = 38oC

30 kg

4 kg

31 200 J of heat

18 000 J of heat
18000/5
=3600 J oC-1

Higher
heat
capacit

31 200/8
=3900 J oC-1

What is specific heat capacity?

Specific heat capacity of a body
is the amount of heat that must
be supplied to increase its
temperature by 1oC for a mass
of 1 kg of the body.

Which object has a higher

specific heat capacity ?
o = 30oC

o = 30oC

1 = 35oC

1 = 38oC

30 kg

4 kg

18 000 J of heat
18000/(5x 4)
=900 J kg-1 oC-1

31 200 J of heat

Higher
specific heat
capacity

31 200/(8x 30)
=130 J kg-1 oC-1

Formulae
Specific heat capacity,

Quantity of heat absorbed or lost ,

Q = mc

Q
c
m

Heat conductor is easy to be heated

up and easy to lose heat .
Conductor has a low specific heat
capacity.
Heat insulator is more difficult to be
heated up and more difficult to lose
heat .
Insulator has a high specific heat
capacity.

Worked example pg 113

The bulb of a thermometer contains 3.4 g

of mercury. What amount of heat is
required to raise the temperature of the
mercury from 30oC to 100o C ?
Hint :
What

There is a change
of temperature.

formula to
use ?

Q = mc
Ans : 33 J

Worked example pg 114

Q = mc

320 g pf hot water at 80oC is poured into an aluminium

can of mass 35 g and temperature of 20oC. Calculate the
final temperature.
Specific heat capacity of water= 4200 J kg-1 oC-1
Specific heat capacity of aluminium = 900 J kg-1 oC-1

Let the final temperature be

Heat lost by water = heat gained by aluminium can
(0.320)(4200)(80-) = (0.035)(900)(-20)
107520 - 1344 = 31.5 - 630

80oC

1375.5 = 108150

20oC

Application of specific heat capacity

Cooking pot

Aluminium Body
- Low specific heat capacity so
that the pot becomes hot
quickly.
- Low density so that the pot is

Copper base
- Low specific heat capacity so
that the base becomes hot
very quickly.
- High density so that the base

light.
Wooden
handle
- Large specific heat capacity
so that the handle will not
become too hot .
- Poor heat conductor so that
heat lost is minimum.

Application of specific heat capacity

Cooling system of a car engine
1
3

Why Sea Breeze occurs during

the day?

Specific heat capacity of

sand is lower than that of
the water.
During the day,
Surface of land heats up
faster .

Air above the land is hot

and rises . Thus creating
a region of low pressure.
Cool air above the sea
moves towards the land.

Why Land Breeze occurs

during the night ?

Specific heat capacity of

sand is lower than that of
the water.
During the night,
Surface of land cools
down faster.

Air above the sea is still

hot and rises . Thus
creating a region of low
pressure.
Cool air above the land
moves towards the sea.

Evaluation
1.

Material X has a higher specific heat

capacity than material Y. Which of the
comparison between X and Y is correct ?
A
B
C
D

X warms up faster and cools down faster.

X warms up faster but cools down slower.
X warms up slower and cools down slower.
X warms up slower but cools down faster.

Evaluation
2.

200 g of P and 200 g of Q are heated by the

same flame for the same period of time. P has
a higher rise in temperature. Which of the
following statements is correct ?
A
B
C
D

Heat capacity of P is higher than that of Q.

Heat capacity of P is lower than that of Q.
More heat is absorbed by P than by Q.
More heat is absorbed by Q than by P.

Evaluation
3.

Which of the following is the correct unit for

specific heat capacity ?
A J kg-1
B J oC-1
C J kg oC-1
D J kg-1 oC-1

Exercise
Mastery

Practice 4.2 pg 115

Q 1, 2, 3,4

Challenge

Q1

Yourself pg 115