Wärmekapazitäten

Wärmekapazität is a physical property of a substance that quantifies the amount of heat energy required to raise its temperature by a certain amount. It is an extensive property, meaning it depends on the amount of the substance. The standard unit for Wärmekapazität is Joules per Kelvin (J/K). A higher Wärmekapazität indicates that a substance can absorb more heat energy for a given temperature increase. For example, water has a high Wärmekapazität compared to many other common substances.

To compare different substances independent of their mass, the concept of spezifische Wärmekapazität (specific heat capacity) is used. This is the amount of heat energy required to raise the temperature of one unit of mass (usually one kilogram or one gram) of a substance by one degree Celsius or Kelvin. The unit for specific heat capacity is Joules per kilogram per Kelvin (J/(kg·K)) or Joules per gram per Kelvin (J/(g·K)).

Another related concept is molare Wärmekapazität (molar heat capacity), which is the amount of heat energy required to raise the temperature of one mole of a substance by one degree Celsius or Kelvin. Its unit is Joules per mole per Kelvin (J/(mol·K)). The Wärmekapazität of a substance is a crucial factor in many thermodynamic processes and applications, influencing how quickly materials heat up or cool down.