Specific Heat Calculator
Warming 1 kg of water by 10 °C takes 41840 J of heat, from Q = mcΔT with c = 4184 J/(kg·K).
Water 4184, ice about 2100, aluminium 897, iron 449, copper 385 J/(kg·K).
41840 J
- In kJ
- 41.84 kJ
- In MJ
- 0.04184 MJ
- In cal
- 10000 cal
- In kcal
- 10 kcal
- In Wh
- 11.62222222 Wh
Step-by-step solution
- Q = m × c × ΔT
- Q = 1 × 4184 × 10
- Q = 41840 J
Specific Heat Formula
Q = m c ΔT
Q heat (J), m mass (kg), c specific heat capacity (J/(kg·K)), ΔT temperature change (K or °C)
Worked Example
Heating 1 kg of water by 10 °C:
- Q = m × c × ΔT
- Q = 1 × 4184 × 10
- Q = 41840 J
In MJ: 0.04184 MJ · In cal: 10000 cal · In kcal: 10 kcal · In Wh: 11.62222222 Wh
Calories and kettles
One calorie heats 1 g of water by 1 °C (4.184 J). Boiling 1 L from 20 °C needs about 335 kJ, so a 2 kW kettle takes close to three minutes.
More Heat and Gases Calculators
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Combined Gas Law Calculator
P₁V₁ / T₁ = P₂V₂ / T₂
P pressure, V volume, T absolute temperature (K) for a fixed amount of gas
Example: 2 L of gas at 1 atm and 20 °C heated to 100 °C while the pressure doubles to 2 atm: Final volume V₂ = 1.2729 L.
Frequently asked questions
Is a change of 1 °C the same as 1 K?
Yes: temperature differences are equal in both scales, so ΔT in °C equals ΔT in K. A change of 1 °F is 5/9 K.
Why does water have such a high specific heat?
Hydrogen bonds absorb energy as the water warms. Its c of about 4184 J/(kg·K) is roughly ten times iron’s, which is why seas moderate coastal climates.
Sources
- The International System of Units (SI), 9th edition (SI Brochure), Bureau International des Poids et Mesures .
Last reviewed: . Factors are stored exactly and computed with 50-digit decimal arithmetic. See how we verify conversion factors.
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APA
Scientific Converters. (2026, October 15). Specific Heat Calculator. Retrieved October 25, 2026, from https://scientificconverters.com/calculators/specific-heat-calculator/
IEEE
Scientific Converters, "Specific Heat Calculator," scientificconverters.com. Accessed: Oct. 25, 2026. [Online]. Available: https://scientificconverters.com/calculators/specific-heat-calculator/