Which description correctly defines the unit of specific heat capacity?

• A. The amount of heat required to raise the temperature of 1 gram of a substance by 1 degree Celsius
• B. The amount of heat required to raise the temperature of 1 mole of a substance by 1 degree
• C. The amount of heat required to change the temperature by 1 degree per liter
• D. The amount of heat required to raise the temperature by 1 degree in 1 kilogram of solvent

Answer: (A)

Specific heat capacity tells you how much heat is needed to raise the temperature of a given mass by 1 degree. By definition, c = q/(m ΔT). If you fix the mass to 1 gram and the temperature change to 1 degree Celsius, the heat you must add equals the value of the specific heat capacity itself. That is why the description describing the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of 1 gram by 1°C matches the unit of specific heat capacity, which is typically expressed as joules per gram per degree Celsius (J/(g·°C)), or equivalently per kilogram per degree Celsius (J/(kg·°C)) when using 1 kilogram as the reference mass. Other formulations describe molar heat capacity (per mole) or volumetric forms (per liter), which are related concepts but not the standard gram-based unit.