Specific Heat Challenge
Which Material Heats Up the Fastest?
Heat different materials in water and observe how quickly they reach high temperatures. Metals heat up faster than water! Why? Because of their specific heat capacity.
Fe
0°C
50°C
100°C
Water Temp: 20°C
Material Temp: 20°C
Time: 0s
Iron (0.45 J/g°C)
Aluminum (0.90 J/g°C)
Copper (0.39 J/g°C)
Water (4.18 J/g°C)
The Science Behind Specific Heat
Specific Heat Capacity (SHC) is the energy needed to raise 1g of a substance by 1°C.
- Metals (Fe, Cu, Al) have low SHC → heat up quickly
- Water has high SHC (4.18 J/g°C) → heats slowly
- Formula: Q = mcΔT (Q=heat, m=mass, c=SHC, ΔT=temp change)
