Specific heat is defined as the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of 1 gram of substance by 1°C.

• A. The energy released during a chemical reaction.
• B. The rate of heat transfer.
• C. The amount of heat it takes to raise the temperature of 1 gram of substance by 1°C.
• D. A unit of energy.

Answer: (C)

Specific heat capacity tells us how much heat is needed to raise the temperature of a given mass by a certain amount. In this context, the definition is about raising the temperature of 1 gram by 1°C, which is exactly the amount of heat required per gram per degree. That’s why the statement describing “the amount of heat it takes to raise the temperature of 1 gram of substance by 1°C” is the correct description—it directly captures how much energy a material needs for that small temperature change. This idea is used in the equation q = m c ΔT, where for 1 gram and a 1°C change, q equals the specific heat capacity c. Materials with large specific heat, like water, need more heat to raise their temperature, while metals with small specific heats require less. The other options describe different concepts—energy released in a reaction, the rate of heat transfer, or a unit of energy—and don’t define the substance’s heat-absorbing property.