How does the specific heat of water change with temperature?

How does the specific heat of water change with temperature?

• A. It remains constant
• B. It decreases with increasing temperature
• C. It increases with increasing temperature
• D. It varies slightly

Answer: (D)

The specific heat of water does vary slightly with temperature, which is why this choice is correct. Specific heat is defined as the amount of heat required to change the temperature of a unit mass of a substance by one degree Celsius. For water, while the specific heat is relatively high and consistent within a standard range of temperatures, it does show some variation as temperature changes. At lower temperatures, water has a higher specific heat capacity, which means it can absorb more heat before its temperature rises significantly. As the temperature increases, the specific heat of water tends to decrease slightly. This happens because the molecular structure of water and the way it stores thermal energy changes slightly with temperature. Understanding that the specific heat of water is not constant but instead varies with temperature is crucial in applications like heating and cooling systems, where precise temperature control is necessary. The other options suggest a more fixed or opposite relationship, which does not accurately capture the nuances of water's thermal properties.

The specific heat of water does vary slightly with temperature, which is why this choice is correct. Specific heat is defined as the amount of heat required to change the temperature of a unit mass of a substance by one degree Celsius. For water, while the specific heat is relatively high and consistent within a standard range of temperatures, it does show some variation as temperature changes.

At lower temperatures, water has a higher specific heat capacity, which means it can absorb more heat before its temperature rises significantly. As the temperature increases, the specific heat of water tends to decrease slightly. This happens because the molecular structure of water and the way it stores thermal energy changes slightly with temperature.

Understanding that the specific heat of water is not constant but instead varies with temperature is crucial in applications like heating and cooling systems, where precise temperature control is necessary. The other options suggest a more fixed or opposite relationship, which does not accurately capture the nuances of water's thermal properties.