Specific Heat and Thermal Conductivity
Describe the energy required to change the temperature of an object by a certain amount.
- The amount of energy required to change the temperature of a material is related to the material’s specific heat. Relevant equation:
- The specific heat of a material is an intrinsic property of that material that depends on the arrangement and interactions of the atoms that make up the material.
Describe the rate at which energy is transferred by conduction through a given material.
- The rate at which energy is transferred by conduction through a given material is related to the thermal conductivity, the physical dimensions of the material, and the temperature difference across the material. Relevant equation:
- The thermal conductivity of a material is an intrinsic property of that material that depends on the arrangement and interactions of the atoms that make up the material.
AP Physics 2 will model specific heat as independent of temperature.