Heat and temperature
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17. Specific heat Q&A


Figure 7.10
Q:
Metal cooking pots and pans often have wooden handles. Can you explain why?

A: Wood has a higher specific heat than metal, so it takes more energy to heat a wooden handle than a metal handle.
As a result, a wooden handle would heat up more slowly and be less likely to burn your hand when you touch it.


Specific heat is a measure of how much energy it takes to raise the temperature of a substance. It is the amount of energy (in joules) needed to raise the temperature of 1 gram (or 1 kg) of the substance by 1 °C.

• Specific heat is a property that is specific to a given type of matter, and substances vary in their specific heat.

Metals tend to have low specific heat.
Water has very high specific heat.

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