Written by the Fiveable Content Team โข Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 examโขWritten by the Fiveable Content Team โข Last updated September 2025
Definition
Specific heat capacity refers to the amount of heat energy required to raise the temperature of a substance by a certain amount. It is a measure of how much heat a substance can absorb or release without changing its state.
Thermal energy refers to the total kinetic and potential energy associated with the motion and arrangement of particles in a substance. It is related to temperature but also includes the amount and type of matter present.