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Specific Heat calculator
Find the heat needed to change the temperature of a substance from its mass, specific heat capacity and temperature change.
Specific Heat
Q = m × c × ΔT · Mass · Specific Heat · Temperature
Q = m × c × ΔT | Heat Energy in Joules
Heating a substance takes energy in proportion to its mass, its temperature rise and a property of the material itself: its specific heat capacity. This calculator solves Q = mcΔT for any one of the four quantities.
How to use this calculator
- Enter any three of: heat energy, mass, specific heat, temperature change.
- Press calculate to see the fourth value.
Water's stubbornness explains the climate
Water's specific heat (about 4,186 J/kg·°C) dwarfs most materials': it soaks up enormous energy while warming slowly and returns it just as slowly. Coastal climates, car cooling systems and hot-water bottles all exist in the shape they do because of that one stubborn number.
Frequently asked questions
What is the specific heat formula?
Q = m × c × ΔT: heat energy = mass × specific heat capacity × temperature change.
What is specific heat capacity?
The energy needed to raise 1 kilogram of a substance by 1 °C (or 1 K), in joules per kilogram per degree.
Why does metal feel colder than wood at the same temperature?
Partly conductivity, partly heat capacity: metal draws heat from your hand quickly and its surface warms slowly, so the cold sensation persists.