Specific heat capacity table
Specific heat capacity for common materials, in SI and imperial units. It is the energy needed to raise one unit of mass by one degree, and it governs how fast something heats up or cools and how much energy it stores.
Specific heat (c)
| Material | c (J/kg·K) | c (BTU/lb·°F) |
|---|---|---|
| Water | 4186 | 1.00 |
| Wood | 1700 | 0.41 |
| Air | 1005 | 0.240 |
| Concrete | 880 | 0.21 |
| Glass | 840 | 0.20 |
| Aluminum | 900 | 0.215 |
| Titanium | 523 | 0.125 |
| Stainless steel | 500 | 0.120 |
| Steel (carbon) | 490 | 0.117 |
| Nickel | 440 | 0.105 |
| Zinc | 390 | 0.093 |
| Copper | 385 | 0.092 |
| Brass | 380 | 0.091 |
| Lead | 130 | 0.031 |
A high specific heat means a material stores a lot of energy per degree and warms slowly. Water is exceptionally high, which is why it is the standard coolant and why coastal climates are mild. Metals are low, so they heat and cool quickly, with lead and copper among the fastest to change temperature.
Sizing a heating or cooling job?
Combine these values with mass and temperature change, or browse the engineering calculators for thermal tools.
How to use specific heat
The heat needed to change a temperature is mass times specific heat times the temperature change. Heating 2 kg of aluminum (about 900 J/kg-K) by 50 degrees takes roughly 90,000 joules. The same mass of water needs over four times as much, which is why water is so effective at carrying heat away.
Why water dominates cooling
Water stores about 4186 joules per kilogram per degree, far above any common metal. That huge capacity lets a small flow of water absorb large amounts of heat with only a modest temperature rise, making it the default coolant for engines, power plants, and electronics, and the reason oceans buffer the climate.
FAQ
What is the specific heat of water?
About 4186 J/kg-K, or 1.0 BTU/lb-F. It is unusually high, which makes water an excellent heat store and coolant.
Why do metals heat up faster than water?
Their specific heat is far lower, often around a tenth that of water, so the same energy raises their temperature much more.
How do I calculate heat energy?
Multiply mass by specific heat by the temperature change. The result is the energy added or removed, in joules when using SI units.