Specific Heat
Entry: Noun
Pronunciation: [spi-sif-ik heet]
Definition
1. (Physics) Calories needed to increase one gram of substance by one degree Celsius
2. (In water properties) Water absorbs and releases heat very slowly
Example: Specific heat protects marine life such as salmon by insulating water below ice.
First used in: 1799
In context: Specific heat relates to cooking when making a cup of hot chocolate. Hot chocolate mixing the ingredients milk, chocolate, sugar, salt and water at a very high heat. Afterward, when the hot chocolate is taken off the stove, it does not cool quickly. This is because the water retains the heat, keeping the drink true to its namesake.
Pronunciation: [spi-sif-ik heet]
Definition
1. (Physics) Calories needed to increase one gram of substance by one degree Celsius
2. (In water properties) Water absorbs and releases heat very slowly
Example: Specific heat protects marine life such as salmon by insulating water below ice.
First used in: 1799
In context: Specific heat relates to cooking when making a cup of hot chocolate. Hot chocolate mixing the ingredients milk, chocolate, sugar, salt and water at a very high heat. Afterward, when the hot chocolate is taken off the stove, it does not cool quickly. This is because the water retains the heat, keeping the drink true to its namesake.