Specific Heat Capacity Converter

Specific heat capacity is the heat needed to raise the temperature of one unit of mass by one degree. Its SI unit is the joule per kilogram per kelvin, written J/(kg·K) or J/kg/K. Water's is about 4,186 J/(kg·K), aluminium's about 900 and copper's about 385.

It is measured per degree of temperature difference, and a difference of 1 K is the same as a difference of 1 °C. So J/kg/K and J/kg/°C are the same number, and so are units per °F and per °R.

How to convert specific heat units

Type a value into any field, and every other unit is calculated at once. By hand, multiply by the factor between the two units. For example, water's 4,186 J/(kg·K):

1. In kJ/(kg·K): divide by 1,000.

   4,186 / 1,000 = 4.186 kJ/(kg·K)

2. In Btu/(lb·°F): divide by 4,186.8.

   4,186 / 4,186.8 = 0.9998 Btu/(lb·°F)

That is why water's specific heat is almost exactly 1 in both Btu/(lb·°F) and cal/(g·°C).

A value in Btu/lb or J/kg with no temperature in it is not a specific heat but an energy per mass. That one is converted in the Fuel Efficiency - Mass Converter.

Common conversions

The calorie and the Btu here are the International Table (IT) units. The thermochemical (th) ones are about 0.07% smaller.

Units of specific heat capacity

• Joule / kilogram / K (J/kg/K): The amount of heat energy in Joules required to raise the temperature of 1 kilogram of a substance by 1 Kelvin.
  Conversion Factor: 1 J/kg/K = 1 J/kg/K (Base Unit)

• Joule / kilogram / °C (J/kg/°C): Similar to J/kg/K, but for a temperature difference of one degree Celsius. Because a temperature difference of one Kelvin is equal to a temperature difference of one Celsius, both units are equal.
  Conversion Factor: 1 J/kg/°C = 1 J/kg/K

• Joule / gram / °C (J/g/°C): Represents the heat energy in Joules required to increase the temperature of 1 gram of a substance by 1 degree Celsius.
  Conversion Factor: 1 J/g/°C = 1,000 J/kg/K

• Kilojoule / kilogram / °C (kJ/kg/°C): This unit is a larger scale, where 1 kilojoule is equivalent to 1000 joules.
  Conversion Factor: 1 kJ/kg/°C = 1000 J/kg/K

• Calorie / gram / °C (cal/g/°C): Represents the amount of heat energy in Calories needed to raise the temperature of 1 gram of substance by 1 degree Celsius.
  Conversion Factor: 1 cal(IT)/g/°C ≈ 4,186.8 J/kg/K; 1 cal(th)/g/°C ≈ 4,184 J/kg/K

• Kilogram-force meter / kilogram / K (kgf•m/kg/K): The energy required to raise the temperature of 1 kilogram of a substance by 1 Kelvin using a force of 1 kilogram-force under Earth's gravity.
  Conversion Factor: 1 kgf•m/kg/K = 9.80665 J/kg/K

• Pound-force foot / pound / °R (lbf•ft/lb/°R): Similar to the kilogram-force meter, but using the Imperial system of units Pound, Foot and Rankine.
  Conversion Factor: 1 lbf•ft/lb/°R = 5.38032 J/kg/K

• Btu / pound / °F (Btu/lb/°F): The amount of heat energy in British Thermal Units needed to raise the temperature of 1 pound of substance by 1 degree Fahrenheit.
  Conversion Factor: 1 Btu(IT)/lb/°F ≈ 4,186.8 J/kg/K; 1 Btu(th)/lb/°F ≈ 4,184 J/kg/K

• Btu (IT) / pound / °C (Btu/lb/°C): Measures the heat energy in British Thermal Units required to raise the temperature of 1 pound of substance by 1 degree Celsius.
  Conversion Factor: 1 Btu(IT)/lb/°C ≈ 2,326 J/kg/K

• CHU / pound / °C (CHU/lb/°C): The amount of energy in Centigrade Heat Units needed to raise the temperature of 1 pound of substance by 1 degree Celsius.
  Conversion Factor: 1 CHU/lb/°C ≈ 4,186.8 J/kg/°C