Specific Heat Capacity Converter
Convert between 5 units of specific heat capacity — J/(kg·K), kJ/(kg·K), cal/(g·°C), kcal/(kg·°C), and BTU/(lb·°F).
Quick conversions
All units
About the Specific Heat Capacity Converter
Specific heat capacity is the amount of energy needed to raise 1 kg of a substance by 1 Kelvin (or 1 °C). Water's exceptionally high specific heat (4,186 J/kg·K) makes it ideal for heating systems, climate regulation, and cooling in engines. Metals have much lower specific heats, which is why they heat and cool rapidly. The SI unit is J/(kg·K); the calorie-based unit cal/(g·°C) is still used in food science and chemistry.
Quick facts
- ›Water has one of the highest specific heat capacities of any common substance at 4,186 J/(kg·K)
- ›Hydrogen gas has the highest specific heat of any gas: about 14,300 J/(kg·K)
- ›Aluminum (900 J/kg·K) heats faster than iron (450 J/kg·K) for the same mass and heat input
- ›The specific heat of the human body averages about 3,470 J/(kg·K)
Common uses: HVAC, food processing, chemical engineering, materials science, calorimetry, engine cooling