Specific Heat of Water

Procedure to calculate Specific Heat values

 In the presence of two materials, each of which is initially at a different temperature than the other, heat always flows from the warmer material into the colder material until both materials reach the same temperature as the warmer material. According to the law of conservation of energy, the heat received by the initially colder material must equal the heat lost by the initially warmer material in order for the system to function properly.

We are all aware that when heat energy is absorbed by a substance, the temperature of the substance rises. When the same amount of heat is applied to equal masses of different substances, it is found that the rate of temperature rise varies depending on the substance. This is owing to the fact that the heat capacities of different substances vary greatly. As a result, the heat capacity of a substance is defined as the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of the entire substance by one degree Celsius. When the mass of a substance is one, the heat capacity is referred to as the specific heat capacity or the specific heat capacity of the substance.

Formula for Specific Heat Capacity (SHC)

Q = C*m*(t)

Where

Q is the amount of heat that a body has absorbed.

m is the mass of the body, and t is the increase in temperature.

C = The specific heat capacity of a substance is determined by the nature of the substance’s constituent materials.

Specific heat is measured in J kg-1 K-1, which is the SI unit of specific heat.

Unit of Specific Heat Capacity (SHC)

Heat capacity is equal to specific heat multiplied by mass.

Its S.I unit is designated as J*K-1.

Specific Heat of Water

The specific heat capacity (Cp) of a liquid at room temperature and pressure is roughly 4.2 J/g°C when the liquid is at room temperature and pressure. 4.2 joules of energy are required to raise one gramme of water one degree Celsius, which translates to a total energy need of 4.2 joules of energy. This value for Cp is actually rather large in comparison to other values. This (1 cal/g.deg.) is the specific heat of water as a liquid, also known as the specific heat capacity of water as a liquid.

One calorie equals 4.184 joules, and one joule equals one kilogramme (m)

A calorie equivalent of 2(s)-2 is 0.239005736.

At room temperature, water vapor has a specific heat capacity that is higher than that of the majority of other materials. According to the specific heat capacity (Cp) of water vapor at standard conditions of temperature and pressure, the value is around 1.9 J/g°C.

Water’s temperature increases as it absorbs heat and lowers as it releases heat, just like the temperature of most other liquids. The temperature of liquid waterfalls and rises more slowly than the temperature of most other liquids, though. In general, we may say that water absorbs heat without causing a significant increase in temperature. It also holds its warmth for a significantly longer period of time than other substances.

We rely on this feature of water in our bodies to keep our body temperature constant throughout the day. If the Csp value of water were lower, there would be a greater number of incidents of overheating and underheating.

The Explanation of Specific Heat

We can explain the reason for the high specific heat of water by referring to the hydrogen bonds that exist between water molecules. The molecules must vibrate in order to raise the temperature of the water, which is due to the large number of hydrogen bonds that have been formed. A greater amount of energy is required to cause the water molecules to break apart by vibrating them as a result of the enormous number of hydrogen bonds present.

In a similar vein, it takes some time for hot water to cool down. Thermal radiation causes the temperature to drop and the vibrational activity of water molecules to slow down when heat is radiated away. The heat that is emitted counteracts the chilling effect of the heat loss from the liquid water by providing an equal amount of heat.

Conclusion

The advantage of high specific heat like water is that the high specific heat of water also contributes to the regulation of the rate at which air temperature changes. As a result, the temperature shift between seasons is gradual rather than abrupt, especially in areas near the oceans and lakes.

On a global scale, this same notion can be applied to a variety of situations.