What is specific heat defined as?

What is specific heat defined as?

• A. The total energy of a substance
• B. The quantity of heat needed to vaporize the substance
• C. The heat required to raise the temperature of a material
• D. The heat needed to melt a solid

Answer: (C)

Specific heat is defined as the heat required to raise the temperature of a unit mass of a material by one degree Celsius (or one Kelvin). This concept is crucial in understanding how different materials respond to heat. Each substance has a unique specific heat value, determining how much energy is needed to increase its temperature. This property is fundamental in various applications, including engineering, materials science, and thermodynamics, where it helps in calculating heat transfer and assessing thermal stability. The other options describe different thermodynamic processes. The total energy of a substance encompasses all forms of energy within it, not just thermal. The quantity of heat needed to vaporize a substance relates to its latent heat of vaporization, which is a separate concept from specific heat. Similarly, the heat needed to melt a solid pertains to its latent heat of fusion and not to the specific heat, which focuses specifically on temperature changes rather than phase changes.

Specific heat is defined as the heat required to raise the temperature of a unit mass of a material by one degree Celsius (or one Kelvin). This concept is crucial in understanding how different materials respond to heat. Each substance has a unique specific heat value, determining how much energy is needed to increase its temperature. This property is fundamental in various applications, including engineering, materials science, and thermodynamics, where it helps in calculating heat transfer and assessing thermal stability.

The other options describe different thermodynamic processes. The total energy of a substance encompasses all forms of energy within it, not just thermal. The quantity of heat needed to vaporize a substance relates to its latent heat of vaporization, which is a separate concept from specific heat. Similarly, the heat needed to melt a solid pertains to its latent heat of fusion and not to the specific heat, which focuses specifically on temperature changes rather than phase changes.