specific heat

noun

, Physics.

1. the number of calories required to raise the temperature of 1 gram of a substance 1°C, or the number of BTU's per pound per degree F.
2. (originally) the ratio of the thermal capacity of a substance to that of standard material.

specific heat

1. See under heat capacity

specific heat

1. The amount of heat needed to raise the temperature of one gram of a substance by one degree Celsius , or to raise the temperature of one pound of a substance by one degree Fahrenheit (see also Fahrenheit ).

Word History and Origins

Origin of specific heat¹

First recorded in 1825–35

Example Sentences

“Without a specific heat standard, it makes it more challenging for regulators to decide, ‘OK, this employer’s breaking the law or not.’”

From Washington Times

The panel finds that these specific heat events, as well as others, would have been “extremely unlikely to occur without human influence on the climate system.”

From Washington Post

They have a high “specific heat capacity” — it takes a lot of energy to raise their temperatures by just a degree.

From Washington Post

Rapid attribution analysis attempts to answer two questions about a specific heat event: how much worse, and how much more likely, did climate change make it?

From New York Times

Known as the Breathing Shoe, the sneaker material is home to microorganisms that can learn a user’s specific heat emissions and opens up ventilation based on those patterns.

From New York Times