Specific heat capacity is given by which formula?

Specific heat capacity is given by which formula?

• A. c = q / (m ΔT)
• B. c = m ΔT / q
• C. q = c m ΔT
• D. ΔT = q / (c m)

Answer: (A)

Specific heat capacity is defined as the heat required per unit mass to raise the temperature by one degree. The relationship is q = c m ΔT, where q is heat added, m is mass, and ΔT is the temperature change. Solving for c gives c = q /(m ΔT). This form directly shows that c is the amount of heat per unit mass per unit temperature change. The units reflect this: joules per kilogram per kelvin (or joules per gram per degree Celsius). Knowing q, m, and ΔT lets you compute c, and knowing c, m, and ΔT lets you find the heat q. The other rearrangements (like q = c m ΔT or ΔT = q /(c m)) express the same relationship with different variables on each side. The key idea is that c links heat, mass, and temperature change in this proportional way.

Specific heat capacity is defined as the heat required per unit mass to raise the temperature by one degree. The relationship is q = c m ΔT, where q is heat added, m is mass, and ΔT is the temperature change. Solving for c gives c = q /(m ΔT). This form directly shows that c is the amount of heat per unit mass per unit temperature change. The units reflect this: joules per kilogram per kelvin (or joules per gram per degree Celsius). Knowing q, m, and ΔT lets you compute c, and knowing c, m, and ΔT lets you find the heat q. The other rearrangements (like q = c m ΔT or ΔT = q /(c m)) express the same relationship with different variables on each side. The key idea is that c links heat, mass, and temperature change in this proportional way.