Heat capacity
Heat capacity or thermal capacity is the ability of an object to store heat. It is abbreviated to Cth, and its SI units are J/K (joule per kelvin). The concept is further discussed in the article on temperature.
Heat capacity is related to thermal capacitance by the formula
where
- V = volume (m3)
- ρ = density (kg/m3)
- cp = specific heat (J/kgK) at constant pressure
The product ρcp is known as thermal capacitance or (confusingly) thermal capacity, and has units of J/m3K. Dulong and Petit predicted in 1818 that ρcp would be constant for all solids (the Dulong-Petit law). In fact, the quantity varies from about 1.2 to 4.5 J/m3K. For fluids it is in the range 1.3 to 1.9, and for gases it is a constant 0.001 J/m3K.
Referenced By
Acetic Acid | Ethanoic acid | Formaldehyde | Formic acid | Fused quartz | Methanal | Peclet number | Propionic acid
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