What is the specific heat of a substance?

The specific heat of a substance is defined as the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of one unit of mass of the substance by one degree Celsius (or one Kelvin). This concept is crucial in thermodynamics and is used to determine how substances respond to heat.

When you apply heat to a substance, its temperature will rise, and the specific heat tells you how much heat energy is necessary for that temperature change. Different materials have different specific heat capacities, meaning some require more energy to change temperature than others, which is an important factor in processes like heating, cooling, and phase changes in engineering applications.

For instance, water has a high specific heat capacity, which is why it takes a significant amount of energy to change its temperature compared to metals like copper, which have a lower specific heat. Understanding specific heat allows engineers to design systems for efficient thermal management, such as in boilers, heat exchangers, and refrigeration systems.