Specific Heat Calculator (Q = mcΔT)
Specific heat calculator: heat energy to warm or cool a substance, or its mass, specific heat or temperature change.
Q = m · c · ΔT
How to use this calculator
- Choose the quantity you want under “Solve for”.
- Type the known values and pick their units: any combination works.
- The result updates as you type. Open “Show the steps” to see the substitution.
Q = m·c·ΔT. Water has c ≈ 4 186 J/(kg·K), much higher than metals such as aluminium (900) or iron (450).
The result is also shown in kWh to estimate heating costs.
Formula
Q = m · c · ΔT
| Symbol | Quantity | Units |
|---|---|---|
| m | Mass | kg, g, mg, µg, t, lb, oz, st, US ton, ct, Da |
| c | Specific heat capacity | J/(kg·K), kJ/(kg·K), cal/(g·°C), BTU/(lb·°F) |
| ΔT | Temperature change | K, °C, °F |
| Q | Heat | J, kJ, MJ, cal, kcal, Wh, kWh, eV, BTU, erg, ft·lbf |
Worked example
Given: m = 1 kg · c = 4 186 J/(kg·K) · ΔT = 10 °C
Q = m c ΔT
Result: Q = 41.86 kJ
Frequently asked questions
Energy to heat 1 kg of water by 10 °C?
41.86 kJ (0.0116 kWh).