Specific heat capacity

video for types of thermometer

Specific heat capacity is the amount of heat required to change the heat content of exactly 1 gram of a material by exactly 1°C.

Here is a table for SHC of some materials:

Some effects of Specific Heat Capacity are:

• Water is used to cool the engines of vehicles.


• Water is suitable for heating systems.


• The night in the desert is very cold while the day is very hot.


• Sea breeze occurs in the day and land breeze occurs at night.

Heat Equation

Let the temperature of a body of mass 'm' raises from t to t, when it is heated by supplying the amount of heat Q.

Here, the mass of the body= m 

Initial temperature=t₁
Final temperature=t₂
Amount of heat supplied= Q

∴ Change in temperature(dt)= t₂-t₁

It has been found that heat gained or lost by a body is directly proportional to (I) the mass of the body and (II) the change in temperature.

∴ Q∝ m....... (I)

   Q∝ dt....... (II)

Combining equations (I) (II), we have
 Q∝ mdt

∴ Q= Smdt

or, Q= mSdt..........(III)

Principle of Calorimeter

The principle of calorimeter states that for an insulated system, heat energy lost by a hot body is equal to the heat gained by the cold body.

∴Heat lost                                                  = Heat gained...........(I)
(by a body at a higher temperature)          (by a body at a lower temperature)
or, m₁ * S₁ * dt₁                                               = m₂ * S₂ * dt₂