Changes in heat content

Abstract

After completing this chapter you should

• know how temperatures are measured

• understand what is meant by the thermal capacity of an object, and the specific heat capacity of a substance

• be able to explain the equation relating an object’s gain in internal energy to its increase in temperature

• know how to measure the specific heat capacity of a substance

• know that water has a high specific heat capacity

• know that latent heat is involved in changes of state without changes of temperature.