{"success":true,"version":"v1","request":{"tool":"get_calculator_schema","calculator_id":"specific-heat"},"result":{"entity_type":"calculator","id":"specific-heat","calculator_id":"specific-heat","canonical_url":"https://tttkmbb.com/physics/specific-heat","name":"Specific Heat Calculator","title":"Specific Heat Calculator – Heat Energy Q = m·c·ΔT in Joules, kJ, kcal and kWh","category":"physics","category_name":"Physics","tool_name":"calculate_specific_heat_energy","featured_mcp_tool":false,"description":"Computes the heat energy needed to change the temperature of a mass of material by a given amount from Q = m·c·ΔT, using the specific heat capacity of liquid water (4186 J/(kg·K)) by default.","use_when":"You need how much energy heats or cools a known mass of water, metal or another substance by a given number of degrees, without a phase change.","do_not_use_when":"The substance melts, boils or freezes within the range (latent heat is not included), or you need the final temperature when two bodies are mixed (calorimetry is not implemented).","inputs":[{"name":"mass_kg","label":"Mass","type":"number","unit":"kg","required":true,"exclusive_min":0,"description":"Mass of the substance in kilograms (1 L of water ≈ 1 kg).","example":2},{"name":"specific_heat_j_kg_k","label":"Specific heat capacity","type":"number","unit":"J/(kg·K)","required":false,"default":4186,"exclusive_min":0,"description":"Specific heat capacity: water 4186, ice 2090, steam 2010, aluminium 897, iron 449, copper 385, air ≈ 1005, ethanol 2440.","example":4186},{"name":"temperature_change_k","label":"Temperature change","type":"number","unit":"K","required":true,"description":"Temperature rise in kelvin (identical to the °C difference); negative when the substance cools and releases heat.","example":30}],"outputs":[{"name":"heat_j","label":"Heat energy","type":"number","unit":"J","decimals":4,"description":"Q = m × c × ΔT; negative means heat released."},{"name":"heat_kj","label":"Heat energy","type":"number","unit":"kJ","decimals":6,"description":"Heat in kilojoules."},{"name":"heat_kcal","label":"Heat energy","type":"number","unit":"kcal","decimals":4,"description":"Heat in kilocalories (thermochemical calorie, 4184 J)."},{"name":"heat_kwh","label":"Heat energy","type":"number","unit":"kWh","decimals":6,"description":"Heat in kilowatt-hours (J ÷ 3,600,000)."}],"input_schema":{"type":"object","properties":{"mass_kg":{"description":"Mass of the substance in kilograms (1 L of water ≈ 1 kg). Unit: kg.","type":"number","exclusiveMinimum":0,"examples":[2],"x-unit":"kg"},"specific_heat_j_kg_k":{"description":"Specific heat capacity: water 4186, ice 2090, steam 2010, aluminium 897, iron 449, copper 385, air ≈ 1005, ethanol 2440. Unit: J/(kg·K).","type":"number","exclusiveMinimum":0,"default":4186,"examples":[4186],"x-unit":"J/(kg·K)"},"temperature_change_k":{"description":"Temperature rise in kelvin (identical to the °C difference); negative when the substance cools and releases heat. Unit: K.","type":"number","examples":[30],"x-unit":"K"}},"additionalProperties":false,"required":["mass_kg","temperature_change_k"]},"output_schema":{"type":"object","properties":{"heat_j":{"description":"Q = m × c × ΔT; negative means heat released. Unit: J.","type":"number","x-unit":"J"},"heat_kj":{"description":"Heat in kilojoules. Unit: kJ.","type":"number","x-unit":"kJ"},"heat_kcal":{"description":"Heat in kilocalories (thermochemical calorie, 4184 J). Unit: kcal.","type":"number","x-unit":"kcal"},"heat_kwh":{"description":"Heat in kilowatt-hours (J ÷ 3,600,000). Unit: kWh.","type":"number","x-unit":"kWh"}}},"formula":"heat_j = mass_kg × specific_heat_j_kg_k × temperature_change_k; kJ = J / 1000; kcal = J / 4184; kWh = J / 3,600,000","method":"Assumes a constant specific heat over the temperature range and no phase change; water's value varies by under 1 % between 0 and 100 °C.","sources":[{"name":"HyperPhysics – Specific heat","url":"http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/thermo/spht.html","type":"reference","retrieved_at":"2026-09-23"},{"name":"Wikipedia – Table of specific heat capacities","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Table_of_specific_heat_capacities","type":"reference","retrieved_at":"2026-09-23"},{"name":"NIST Special Publication 811 – Guide for the Use of the SI, Appendix B (conversion factors)","url":"https://www.nist.gov/pml/special-publication-811","type":"standard","retrieved_at":"2026-09-23"}],"freshness":{"type":"static","max_age_seconds":null,"note":"Deterministic formula with fixed constants; results never go stale. Inputs supplied by the caller determine the output."},"examples":[{"name":"Heat 2 kg of water by 30 K","inputs":{"mass_kg":2,"temperature_change_k":30},"expected":{"heat_j":251160,"heat_kj":251.16,"heat_kcal":60.0287,"heat_kwh":0.069767},"url":"https://tttkmbb.com/api/v1/calculate/specific-heat?mass_kg=2&temperature_change_k=30"},{"name":"Heat 0.5 kg of aluminium (897) by 50 K","inputs":{"mass_kg":0.5,"specific_heat_j_kg_k":897,"temperature_change_k":50},"expected":{"heat_j":22425,"heat_kj":22.425,"heat_kcal":5.3597},"url":"https://tttkmbb.com/api/v1/calculate/specific-heat?mass_kg=0.5&specific_heat_j_kg_k=897&temperature_change_k=50"}],"faq":[{"q":"Is a temperature change in °C the same as in K?","a":"Yes. A difference of 30 °C is a difference of 30 K, so ΔT can be entered from Celsius readings directly."},{"q":"How long does heating take with a given heater?","a":"Divide the heat in joules by the heater power in watts: 251,160 J with a 2000 W kettle takes about 126 s at 100 % efficiency."}],"tags":["specific heat","heat energy","q = mcΔt","heating water","thermal energy","calorimetry"],"related":[{"calculator_id":"electric-power","reason":"Energy delivered by an electric heater over time."},{"calculator_id":"energy","reason":"Convert the result between J, kcal, kWh and BTU."},{"calculator_id":"temperature","reason":"Convert temperatures between °C, °F and K."}],"links":{"html":"https://tttkmbb.com/physics/specific-heat","markdown":"https://tttkmbb.com/physics/specific-heat.md","json":"https://tttkmbb.com/physics/specific-heat.json","api":"https://tttkmbb.com/api/v1/calculate/specific-heat","schema":"https://tttkmbb.com/api/v1/calculators/specific-heat","openapi":"https://tttkmbb.com/openapi.json","mcp":"https://tttkmbb.com/mcp"},"version":"v1","updated_at":"2026-09-23"},"timestamp":"2026-09-23T23:23:50Z"}