Home
Back
Sensible Heat Formula:
| From: | To: |
The sensible heat formula calculates the amount of heat energy required to change the temperature of a substance without changing its phase. It is a fundamental equation in thermodynamics and heat transfer calculations.
The calculator uses the sensible heat formula:
Where:
Explanation: The formula calculates the thermal energy transferred to or from a substance based on its mass, specific heat capacity, and the temperature difference.
Details: Accurate heat calculations are essential for designing heating and cooling systems, understanding thermal processes in engineering, calculating energy requirements in industrial processes, and solving physics problems involving thermal energy transfer.
Tips: Enter mass in kilograms, specific heat capacity in J/kg·K, and temperature change in Kelvin. All values must be valid (mass > 0, specific heat > 0).
Q1: What is sensible heat vs latent heat?
A: Sensible heat changes temperature without phase change, while latent heat changes phase without temperature change.
Q2: Can this formula be used for cooling calculations?
A: Yes, for cooling processes, ΔT will be negative, resulting in negative Q values indicating heat removal.
Q3: What are typical specific heat values?
A: Water: 4186 J/kg·K, Air: 1005 J/kg·K, Aluminum: 897 J/kg·K, Iron: 449 J/kg·K.
Q4: Why use Kelvin instead of Celsius?
A: Kelvin is used because it's an absolute temperature scale where temperature differences are the same as in Celsius, but it avoids negative values in calculations.
Q5: What are the limitations of this formula?
A: This formula assumes constant specific heat capacity and doesn't account for phase changes, pressure variations, or temperature-dependent properties.