Specific Heat Capacity

Question 1

Adding and removing energy

Answer 1

Adding Energy: when energy is added to an object, the object increases in temperature.
Removing energy: when energy is removed from an object, the object decreases temperature.

Question 2

Specific Heat Capacity

Answer 2

SHC is the amount of heat required to increase 1kg of a substance by 1K. It depends on the type of the substance, not size or weight of the substance.

Higher SHC –> more energy required to heat
Lower SHC –> less energy to heat up

Unit is J/K/kg

Question 3

Proportional

Answer 3

Proportional means same ratio. We can say that Q is proportional to m. This means if c and deltaT stay constant, Q and m will increase by the same factor. We can also say that Q is proportional to c when m and delta T is constant.

Question 4

Change in temperature

Answer 4

In thermodynamics, you often need to find delta T, the change in temperature. As long as all temperatures are in the same units it works.

Delta T = Tfinal - Tinitial. +ve deltaT is an increase. -ve deltaT is decrease.

Question 5

Relationship between Heat Added vs Temperature

Answer 5

Linear relationship. They are proportional. You can use this graph to find the specific heat capacity by finding heat added divided by change in temperature.