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How do the specific heat capacities of metals compare to the specific heat capacity of water?

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Final answer:

Water has a higher specific heat capacity compared to metals. Specifically, water has a specific heat of about 4.2 J/g °C, while most metals have lower specific heats, usually less than 1 J/g °C.

Step-by-step explanation:

Water has a relatively high specific heat capacity compared to most metals. The specific heat of a substance is the amount of energy required to raise the temperature of 1 gram of the substance by 1°C. Water has a specific heat capacity of about 4.2 J/g °C, while most metals have much lower specific heats, usually less than 1 J/g °C. This means that water can absorb and retain more heat than metals, making it more resistant to temperature changes.

User Sunjay Varma
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The specific heat of metals are lower than that of water. Specific heat capacity is the measurement of how much energy (in J) has to be added to 1 kg of a substance to increase the temperature of that substance by 1oC . ... Water has the highest specific heat capacity of any liquid.
User KDaker
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