specific heat

noun

: the heat in calories required to raise the temperature of one gram of a substance one degree Celsius

Examples of specific heat in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web However, there were a couple of missing features typically found in slow cookers at a slightly higher price such as an indicator light to confirm the appliance—or specific heat setting—is on. Deanne Revel, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 Sep. 2023 Some spoke with New Scientist, saying that tell-tale signs of superconductivity—including a particular response to a magnetic field or a specific heat capacity—aren’t represented in the data. Darren Orf, Popular Mechanics, 27 July 2023 And the report pins the blame on climate change, saying: While climate change is already increasing the intensity and likelihood of hot days and heatwaves, recently scientists have been studying specific heat events and asking: just how much of an influence did climate change have? Tom Yulsman, Discover Magazine, 10 Feb. 2015 Air, on the other hand, has a low specific heat so its temperature fluctuates, and gets too cold for turtle survival. Jacqueline Litzgus, Discover Magazine, 22 Nov. 2017 Much of the power of extreme event attribution comes from its ability to address the firsthand experience of people suffering through specific heat waves or floods—their hyperlocality. Grace Huckins, Wired, 15 Dec. 2021 But only two states, California and Washington, have specific heat illness prevention standards that include access to drinking water, shade and minimum cool-down rest periods. NBC News, 17 Aug. 2021 However, this specific heat dome is one of the rarest. Jordan Mendoza, USA TODAY, 28 June 2021 July is by far the state's hottest month, boasting virtually all of our statewide and station-specific heat records, and historically accounts for 40% of all 90-degree F days. Paul Douglas, Star Tribune, 7 June 2021

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'specific heat.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1799, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of specific heat was in 1799

Dictionary Entries Near specific heat

Cite this Entry

“Specific heat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/specific%20heat. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

specific heat

noun
: the heat in calories required to raise the temperature of one gram of a substance one degree Celsius

Medical Definition

specific heat

noun
1
: the ratio of the quantity of heat required to raise the temperature of a body one degree to that required to raise the temperature of an equal mass of water one degree
2
: the heat in calories required to raise the temperature of one gram of a substance one degree Celsius

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