Final answer:
Specific heat capacity is the energy needed to raise the temperature of 1 gram of a substance by 1°C. Water's high specific heat capacity, which is one of the highest known, resists temperature changes and plays a critical role in the environment and biological processes. Conditions affecting water's specific heat include temperature, pressure, and its physical state.
Step-by-step explanation:
Specific Heat Capacity
The specific heat capacity of a substance is the amount of energy required to raise the temperature of 1 gram of the substance by 1°C.
This is a fundamental property in physics and chemistry that helps explain how substances absorb and transfer heat. Water is known for its high specific heat capacity of 4.184 J/g°C, which makes it resistant to changes in temperature.
This property is crucial for environmental and biological processes, as it helps regulate climate by storing heat and allows warm-blooded animals to maintain a stable body temperature.
Conditions Affecting Specific Heat Capacity of Water
The value of the specific heat capacity of water can change under different conditions. Primarily, it can vary slightly with temperature, although for many practical applications, it is considered constant over a moderate temperature range.
Moreover, pressure and the state of the water (solid, liquid, or gas) can also influence its specific heat.