Specific Heat Capacity (OCR GCSE Physics A (Gateway Science Suite)): Revision Notes
📚 Revision Notes
3.2.2 Specific Heat Capacity
Specific Heat Capacity
infoNote
Specific heat capacity (c) refers to how well a substance stores heat.
infoNote
It is the amount of energy needed to raise the temperature of 1 kg of a substance by 1°C.
infoNote
This depends on the material of the substance, its mass, and the energy added. The formula for calculating the change in thermal energy is: change in thermal energy = mass × specific heat capacity × temperature change
infoNote
Where ∆E is the change in thermal energy, in joules J, specific heat capacity, c in joules per kilogramme per degree Celcius , mass m in kilogrammes kg and temperature change ∆T in degrees Celcius °C.
infoNote
Rearranged Formula:
Table of Variables
| Variable | Symbol | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Change in Energy | Joules (J) | |
| Mass | Kilogrammes (kg) | |
| Specific Heat Capacity | J/kg°C | |
| Change in Temperature | Degrees Celsius (°C) |