Material Specific heat capacity / J/(kg °C) water 4200 aluminium 900 iron 450 copper 400 The table gives the specific heat capacity of four materials. For 1...
Question 1 Report
| Material | Specific heat capacity / J/(kg °C) |
|---|---|
| water | 4200 |
| aluminium | 900 |
| iron | 450 |
| copper | 400 |
The table gives the specific heat capacity of four materials. For 1 kg of each material, which one needs the MOST energy to raise its temperature by 1 °C?
Answer Details
Specific heat capacity tells you how much energy 1 kg of a material needs to rise by 1 °C. The higher the specific heat capacity, the more energy is required for the same temperature change.
From the table, water has a specific heat capacity of 4200 J/(kg °C), which is far higher than aluminium (900), iron (450), or copper (400). For 1 kg heated by 1 °C, water needs 4200 J while copper needs only 400 J.
This is a direct reading of the definition: the material with the largest specific heat capacity value requires the most energy per kilogram per degree.
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