Which has the higher specific heat capacity: an object that cools quickly or an object of the same mass that cools more slowly?
If it has a higher specific heat, more heat (Q) must be radiated or conducted away to change its temperature. That will take longer if everything else is the same.
For example water has a pretty high heat capacity. Therefore a tank or pool is a good way to store solar heat during the day for warming the house at night.
The specific heat capacity is a measure of how much heat energy is needed to raise the temperature of a substance by a certain amount. It is usually given in units of J/g°C (joules per gram per degree Celsius).
To determine which object has a higher specific heat capacity, we need to compare the two objects' abilities to absorb and retain heat energy.
An object that cools quickly implies that it loses heat energy rapidly and therefore has a lower specific heat capacity. This is because it requires less heat energy to raise its temperature by a certain amount, as the heat is quickly dissipated.
On the other hand, an object that cools more slowly loses heat energy at a slower rate, indicating a higher specific heat capacity. This means that it requires more heat energy to raise its temperature by a certain amount, as it retains the heat for a longer duration.
In summary, an object that cools more slowly has a higher specific heat capacity than an object of the same mass that cools quickly.