Specific Heat Capacity

Studying the heat capacity of different objects is completed in the laboratory setting and through calculations. In this topic, you learned that some substances heat quickly, while others heat slowly. The rate of heating depends on the chemistry of the substance, better known as the substance's specific heat.

Knowing the specific heat of objects has very important real-world applications. For example, did you know the water, or coolant, in a car keeps the car at the proper running temperature? The coolant circulates through the engine where it absorbs a lot of heat. When it passes through the radiator, the coolant is exposed to cooler air by a fan that pulls air from outside of the engine. The coolant is then ready to travel back through the hot engine again. Without this process, a car’s engine would overheat in a matter of minutes.