Specific Heat Capacity: Comparing Spheres

In summary: The specific heat capacity is a measure of how much heat a material can absorb over a period of time. So if you wanted to know how much heat a metal sphere can absorb before it melts, you would need to ask the question about the metal sphere's specific heat capacity.
  • #1
fabrc
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How do I know which one of these two spheres have more specific heat capacity?
 

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  • #2
Hi fabrc. Can you explain what the photo is showing us?
 
  • #3
First, I am afraid you are gluing the words of two different concepts...probably because they are directly related, but you need to keep in mind that they are two separate concepts.

To be sure, there is no "Specific Heat Capacity"; instead, you have two concepts:

"Specific Heat", this is a property of matter.

"Heat Capacity", this is an attribute on an object that depends on its "specific heat" and on its mass.

Once you understand these two concepts and how they relate to each other (go back to read the textbook or google...I got a few links right away), you should be able to explain what experiment you can do to answer the correct question.
 
  • #4
gsal said:
First, I am afraid you are gluing the words of two different concepts...probably because they are directly related, but you need to keep in mind that they are two separate concepts.

To be sure, there is no "Specific Heat Capacity"; instead, you have two concepts:

"Specific Heat", this is a property of matter.

"Heat Capacity", this is an attribute on an object that depends on its "specific heat" and on its mass.

Once you understand these two concepts and how they relate to each other (go back to read the textbook or google...I got a few links right away), you should be able to explain what experiment you can do to answer the correct question.
I googled it, as you suggested. This is the first link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heat_capacity

Taken from the second paragraph on that page: '. . . and the specific heat capacity, often simply called specific heat, is the heat capacity per unit mass of a material.'
 
  • #5
If you take the question at face value... The specific heat capacity depends only on the material the sphere is made of and that's stated on the image.

However I suspect there is more to the question.
 

1. What is specific heat capacity?

Specific heat capacity is the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of a substance by 1 degree Celsius or 1 Kelvin per unit mass. It is a measure of how much energy a substance can absorb or release as heat.

2. How is specific heat capacity measured?

Specific heat capacity is usually measured in units of joules per kilogram per degree Celsius (J/kg·°C) or joules per gram per degree Kelvin (J/g·K) using a calorimeter. A calorimeter is a device that measures the change in temperature of a substance when a known amount of energy is added or removed.

3. What factors affect the specific heat capacity of a substance?

The specific heat capacity of a substance is affected by its molecular structure, mass, and temperature. Substances with stronger intermolecular forces, such as water, tend to have higher specific heat capacities. A substance with a higher mass will also have a higher specific heat capacity as it requires more energy to raise its temperature. The specific heat capacity of a substance also changes with temperature, usually increasing as the temperature increases.

4. How does the specific heat capacity of spheres differ from other shapes?

The specific heat capacity of a sphere is the same as any other shape of the same substance, as it is a property of the substance itself. However, the surface area-to-volume ratio of a sphere is smaller than that of other shapes, meaning that it has less surface area for the same volume. This can affect the rate of heat transfer, but not the specific heat capacity itself.

5. Why is it important to compare the specific heat capacities of spheres?

Comparing the specific heat capacities of spheres can help us understand how different shapes affect heat transfer and energy absorption. It also allows us to explore how the properties of a substance, such as its molecular structure, can affect its specific heat capacity. This information is important in fields such as materials science, thermodynamics, and engineering.

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