Specific heat capacity, or SHC, tells us how much energy is needed to heat something up.
Let’s look at two examples:
Water has a high SHC of 4.18 J/g°C. This means it needs a lot of energy to get hotter. This is great for cooking because water can soak up a lot of heat without changing temperature quickly.
Metals, like copper, have a low SHC of about 0.39 J/g°C. This means they heat up fast. That’s why they are good for pots and pans that need to conduct heat quickly.
So, why does this matter?
When we heat water, it boils at 100°C. To turn water into steam, we need a lot of energy—2260 J/g.
This energy requirement affects how we cook and how efficient we are with energy use.
Specific heat capacity, or SHC, tells us how much energy is needed to heat something up.
Let’s look at two examples:
Water has a high SHC of 4.18 J/g°C. This means it needs a lot of energy to get hotter. This is great for cooking because water can soak up a lot of heat without changing temperature quickly.
Metals, like copper, have a low SHC of about 0.39 J/g°C. This means they heat up fast. That’s why they are good for pots and pans that need to conduct heat quickly.
So, why does this matter?
When we heat water, it boils at 100°C. To turn water into steam, we need a lot of energy—2260 J/g.
This energy requirement affects how we cook and how efficient we are with energy use.