Physics
Specific Heat Capacity
Updated Oct 28, 2026
Calculate energy for a temperature change without a phase change.
What you’ll learn
Calculate energy for a temperature change without a phase change.
គណនាថាមពលកម្ដៅសម្រាប់ការប្ដូរសីតុណ្ហភាពដែលគ្មានប្ដូរសភាព។
Meaning and use
Specific heat capacity relates energy input to mass and temperature change. Use the final minus initial temperature, not the final temperature alone. The simple formula assumes a suitable approximately constant c and no phase change. A Celsius temperature difference has the same numerical size as a kelvin difference.
កម្ដៅម៉ាសភ្ជាប់ថាមពល ម៉ាស និងបម្រែបម្រួលសីតុណ្ហភាព។ ប្រើសីតុណ្ហភាពចុងដកដើម។ រូបមន្តនេះប្រើពេលគ្មានប្ដូរសភាព និង c ប្រហែលថេរ។
Formulas
Energy for temperature change
\[Q=mc\Delta T\]
Temperature difference
\[\Delta T=T_f-T_i\]
Symbols and units
| Symbol | Meaning | Unit or restriction |
|---|---|---|
| Q | Energy transferred as heat to the stated material | J |
| m | Mass | kg |
| c | Specific heat capacity | J/(kg·K) |
| ΔT | Temperature change | K or a temperature difference in °C |
Conditions and limits
- No melting, boiling, or other phase change occurs during the calculation.
- Use the supplied c; examples take water c = 4200 J/(kg·K).
- បើមានការបាត់កម្ដៅទៅបរិស្ថាន ថាមពលឧបករណ៍បញ្ចូលអាចលើស Q នៃវត្ថុ។
Worked examples
Heating water
Heat 0.5 kg water from 20°C to 30°C, c = 4200 J/(kg·K).
- Temperature rise \(\Delta T=30-20=10\) K.
- Calculate \(Q=0.5\times4200\times10=21000\) J.
21000 J
ត្រូវប្រើការកើន 10 ដឺក្រេ មិនមែន 30។
Finding a temperature rise
A 2 kg block has c = 500 J/(kg·K) and receives 10000 J, with no other transfer.
- Rearrange \(\Delta T=Q/(mc)\).
- Calculate \(10000/(2\times500)=10\) K.
10 K temperature rise
ចែកថាមពលនឹងផលគុណម៉ាសនិងកម្ដៅម៉ាស។
Common mistakes
| Instead of | Use | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Q = mcTf in every heating problem. | Q = mc(Tf − Ti). | Use the change from the initial temperature. |
| Use Q = mcΔT to melt material at constant temperature. | Use latent heat for the phase change. | The energy-temperature relationship differs during melting. |
Practice
Solve these before revealing the worked solutions. Include units where relevant.
សាកល្បងដោះស្រាយមុនបើកមើលចម្លើយ។ សូមបង្ហាញជំហាន និងឯកតាដែលពាក់ព័ន្ធ។
- Find Q for m = 1 kg, c = 1000 J/(kg·K), ΔT = 5 K.
- Water warms from 15°C to 25°C. Find ΔT.
- If mass doubles for the same c and ΔT, how does Q change?
Answers and steps
Show solutions / បង្ហាញដំណោះស្រាយ
-
5000 J
1 × 1000 × 5 = 5000.
-
10 K, equivalently a 10°C difference
Subtract the initial value from the final value.
-
It doubles.
Q is proportional to mass in this model.
Quick recap
- Use temperature change, not final temperature.
- Check that no phase change occurs.
- Use consistent mass and heat-capacity units.