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The specific heat capacity of a substance is the energy needed to raise 1 kg of it by 1 °C. Multiply it by the mass and the temperature change to get the heat energy: Q = mcΔT.
Pick a material or choose 'Other' and enter its specific heat. A negative answer means the substance gives out heat as it cools. The formula applies only while the substance stays in the same state; for melting or boiling use the latent heat calculator.
| Material (specific heat, J/kg·°C) | Water (4186) |
| Mass (m) | 1 kg |
| Starting temperature | 20 °C |
| Final temperature | 100 °C |
| Heat energy Q (J) | 334,880 |
| Heat energy (kJ) | 334.88 |
| Heat energy (kcal) | 80.0382 |
| Temperature change ΔT (°C) | 80 |
Heating 1 litre of water to boiling takes 334.88 kJ.
Try this example →| Material (specific heat, J/kg·°C) | Iron (450) |
| Mass (m) | 2 kg |
| Starting temperature | 200 °C |
| Final temperature | 25 °C |
| Heat energy Q (J) | -157,500 |
| Heat energy (kJ) | -157.5 |
| Heat energy (kcal) | -37.6434 |
| Temperature change ΔT (°C) | -175 |
The block gives out -157.5 kJ (negative = heat released).
Try this example →When a hot object is placed in cold water and no heat escapes, the heat lost by the hot object equals the heat gained by the water: m₁c₁(T₁ − T) = m₂c₂(T − T₂), where T is the final common temperature.
Q = mcΔT, where m is mass, c is specific heat capacity and ΔT is the temperature change.
About 4,186 J/kg·°C (4.186 J/g·°C, or 1 cal/g·°C).
Heat capacity is for a whole object (J/°C). Specific heat capacity is per kilogram (J/kg·°C).
Yes. A change of 1 °C equals a change of 1 K.