Question

If the same amount of thermal energy is added to samples of several substances, the sample that would show the greatest increase in temperature would be the one with the?

A) Smallest Specific Heat

B) Largest Specific Heat

C) Smallest Heat Capacity

D) Largest Heat Capacity

E) The largest enthalpy of formation

The answer is C, but why?

Answer 1

Heat capacity(C) of a substance is the amount of heat(q) required to raise the temperature of a given amount of substance by 1 °C.

This means q = C for 1° rise in temperature

So, q = C∆T for ∆T °C rise in temperature.

From above equation, C = q/∆T. Hence smaller the heat capacity, larger the temperature rise.

(Think of heat capacity as price of a chocolate and temperature rise as no of chocolates you can buy. Obviously, smaller the price of one chocolate greater number of chocolates you can buy for a given amount of money!!)