Specific Heat Calculator
Calculate heat energy, mass, specific heat, or temperature change (q = mcΔT).
Result
Calculation Steps
The Specific Heat Equation
The amount of heat energy required to change the temperature of a substance is given by the specific heat equation. The same equation can be rearranged to solve for any of its four variables.
q = m · c · ΔT
- • q = Heat energy (joules, J)
- • m = Mass (grams, g)
- • c = Specific heat capacity (J/(g·°C))
- • ΔT = Temperature change, Tfinal − Tinitial (°C)
m = q / (c · ΔT)
c = q / (m · ΔT)
ΔT = q / (m · c)
What is Specific Heat?
Specific heat capacity (c) is the amount of heat energy required to raise the temperature of one gram of a substance by one degree Celsius. A high specific heat means a substance can absorb a lot of energy with only a small change in temperature.
Water has an unusually high specific heat (4.18 J/(g·°C)), which is why it is used as a coolant and why large bodies of water moderate climate. Metals such as copper and iron have low specific heats, so they heat up and cool down quickly.
Common Specific Heat Values
| Material | Specific Heat (J/(g·°C)) |
|---|---|
| Water | 4.18 |
| Aluminum | 0.90 |
| Iron | 0.45 |
| Copper | 0.39 |