Physics·Thermal Physics · NSSCO 3.2.2
Thermal capacity
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When you heat something, its particles jiggle faster and its internal energy climbs. But how MUCH heat does it take to warm a thing up? That's what this lesson is about. We'll meet heat capacity C = Q ÷ ΔT and specific heat capacity c, learn the master equation E = m c ΔT and use it in worked calculations, measure c for a metal block with an electrical heater, and finish by seeing why water's unusually high c quietly shapes our whole world.
What you'll learn in this lesson
By the end you should be able to (NSSCO Physics 3.2.2):
- Relate a rise in the temperature of a body to an increase in its internal energy
- Explain the term thermal capacity
- Define heat capacity C as the heat Q required to raise an object's temperature by one kelvin, and recall and use C = Q ÷ ΔT
- Define specific heat capacity c as the heat required to raise 1 kg of a substance by one kelvin, and recall and use c = Q ÷ (m ΔT)
- Recall and use the equation E = m c ΔT in worked calculations
- Describe an experiment (electrical method) to measure the specific heat capacity of a solid or liquid
- Describe how the temperature rise depends on heating time (constant mass) and on mass (constant heating time)
- Explain why the high specific heat capacity of water matters in everyday life
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