Our specific heat capacity converter allows precise conversion between different units of thermal storage capacity, including joules per kilogram kelvin, kilocalories per kilogram celsius, and BTU per pound fahrenheit.
Specific heat capacity is the amount of heat energy required to raise the temperature of a unit mass of a substance by one degree of temperature. It is a fundamental material property that indicates how much thermal energy a material can store. Materials with high specific heat capacity can absorb and store large amounts of heat with relatively small temperature changes.
Convert between different specific heat capacity units with our free online calculator. Perfect for engineering, scientific, and professional applications.
Common specific heat capacity conversions
| From | To | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 4186 Joules Per Kilogram Kelvin (J/kg·K) | 1.0000 Kilocalories Per Kilogram Celsius (kcal/kg·°C) | Water at 20°C (approximate) |
| 0.5 Btu Per Pound Fahrenheit (BTU/lb·°F) | 2093.0000 Joules Per Kilogram Kelvin (J/kg·K) | Typical building material |
| 0.22 Kilocalories Per Kilogram Celsius (kcal/kg·°C) | 920.4800 Joules Per Kilogram Kelvin (J/kg·K) | Aluminum (approximate) |
Materials with high specific heat capacity like water are ideal for thermal energy storage systems in solar heating and industrial applications.
Specific heat capacity determines how effectively building materials can store and release heat, affecting thermal comfort and energy efficiency.
Understanding specific heat capacity helps predict how different foods will heat up and cool down during cooking and processing.
Specific heat capacity is considered when selecting heat sink materials and thermal management solutions for electronic devices.
Water has an unusually high specific heat capacity (4.186 kJ/kg·K) due to hydrogen bonding between water molecules. These bonds absorb energy when broken and reform, allowing water to store large amounts of heat with relatively small temperature changes. This property makes water excellent for thermal storage and explains its moderating effect on Earth's climate.
Specific heat capacity is typically measured using calorimetry techniques. In a simple calorimeter, a known amount of heat is added to a sample, and the resulting temperature change is measured. More sophisticated methods include differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), which measures heat flow as a function of temperature.
Yes, specific heat capacity often varies with temperature, especially near phase transitions. For many engineering applications, it's treated as constant over limited temperature ranges, but precise calculations may require temperature-dependent values.
Specific heat capacity is the heat capacity per unit mass (J/kg·K), while heat capacity is the total thermal energy storage capability of an object (J/K). Heat capacity depends on both the material and the amount of material, while specific heat capacity is a material property independent of size or amount.
The SI unit of specific heat capacity. It represents the energy in joules required to raise the temperature of one kilogram of a substance by one kelvin.
A unit used in some engineering and scientific applications. One kcal/kg·°C equals 4.184 kJ/kg·K. The temperature intervals for Celsius and Kelvin are the same size, so the numerical values are equivalent.
A unit commonly used in engineering in the United States. One BTU/lb·°F equals approximately 4.184 kJ/kg·K.
| Material | Specific Heat Capacity (J/kg·K) | Applications |
|---|---|---|
| Water | 4,186 | Thermal storage, heating systems, cooling |
| Air (dry, 20°C) | 1,005 | HVAC calculations, climate control |
| Aluminum | 897 | Heat sinks, cookware, construction |
| Copper | 385 | Heat exchangers, electronics cooling |
| Concrete | 880 | Building thermal mass, passive heating/cooling |
| Wood (typical) | 1,700 | Construction, thermal insulation |
| Ice (-10°C) | 2,050 | Cold storage, thermal calculations |
The amount of heat energy required to change the temperature of a material can be calculated using the equation:
Where:
This equation is fundamental to thermal calculations in engineering, physics, chemistry, and many other fields. It allows engineers and scientists to predict temperature changes in materials when heat is added or removed.