Short answerEasy2 marks
State two differences between "Heat Capacity" and "Specific Heat Capacity".
Topic: Heat and calorimetry
Previous-year question practice database
Answer
Exam answer
Heat capacity is heat required to raise the temperature of the whole body by 1 K and has unit J K⁻¹; specific heat capacity is heat required per unit mass per 1 K rise and has unit J kg⁻¹ K⁻¹.
Comparison
| Heat capacity | Specific heat capacity |
|---|---|
| Applies to the whole body. | Applies per unit mass. |
| Unit: J K⁻¹. | Unit: J kg⁻¹ K⁻¹. |
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