Why can a substance's specific heat capacity change as the substance changes temperature? (For instance, consider water?)

1 Answer
Feb 13, 2017

It does not change.

Explanation:

You may be thinking about a phase change, during which the temperature of the substance does not change while heat is being adsorbed or released.

  • Heat capacity is the amount of heat needed to change a substances’ temperature by #1^o#C or #1^o#K. Specific heat is the heat needed to change 1g of substances’ temperature by #1^o#C or #1^o#K.
  • Heat capacity is dependent on the amount of substance, but specific heat capacity is independent of it.

http://www.differencebetween.com/difference-between-heat-capacity-and-vs-specific-heat/

Neither changes with a change in temperature.