Heat Energy and Specific Heat of Water

Vocabulary terms and definitions covering the fundamental equations, constants, and experimental conventions for calculating heat transfer using water.

General Formula for Heat Energy

The formula used to calculate the quantity of moving heat energy: $\text{Heat (energy)} = (\text{Mass}) \times (\text{Heat capacity}) \times (\text{Magnitude of Temperature Change})$.

Density of Water (Heat Transfer Context)

The density is $1.00\,\text{g/ml}$, which allows mass in the heat formula to be directly replaced by the easily measured volume of water (in $\text{ml}$).

Heat Capacity of Water

The heat capacity is $1.00\,\text{cal.}/\text{g}/\text{degree}$ (calories per gram, per degree), which can be replaced by the value "1" if temperature is measured in Celsius rather than Fahrenheit.

Simplified Heat Equation for Water

The specialized equation for water derived from its density and heat capacity: $\text{Heat (in calories)} = \text{Volume (in ml)} \times \text{Temperature Change}$.

Energy Proportionality to Temperature Change

The principle that heating matter by $2$ degrees (or $20$ degrees vs. $10$ degrees) requires twice as much energy as increasing its temperature by $1$ degree.

Heat Gained vs. Heat Lost

The experimental convention requiring any heat gained by an object or substance to be treated as separate from heat lost by another, even when both share the same container.