What is Specific Heat (Cp)?

Specific heat, often denoted as Cp, is defined as the amount of heat required to change the temperature of one unit of mass of a substance by one degree Fahrenheit (or Celsius, depending on the system used). The definition emphasizes that it's a measure of how much energy is needed to alter the temperature of a specific quantity of material without changing its phase.

This is particularly important in various applications, including heating and cooling systems, where understanding how much energy is needed to change the temperature of a material is crucial for efficiency and effectiveness. The concept reflects how different materials can absorb or release heat differently; for example, water has a high specific heat compared to metals, meaning it requires more energy to change its temperature.

In the context of the incorrect options, stating that specific heat will always be 1.0 overlooks the fact that specific heat values vary between substances. The option suggesting a fixed number of 144 BTUs doesn't provide a meaningful definition, as specific heat is not measured in fixed BTU quantities but rather in relation to mass and temperature change. Lastly, specific heat is distinctly different from latent heat, which refers to the energy required for a substance to change phase (like from solid to liquid) without a change in temperature. This distinction is