Year 9 Science · Unit 3 · Lesson 9

Specific Heat Capacity

Foundation Worksheet

Name

Date

Class

Learning Goals

Define specific heat capacity and state its unit (J/kg·°C).
Explain why water heats and cools more slowly than metals.
Compare materials based on their specific heat capacity values.

Warm Up

True or False? Fix the false ones

Circle T or F for each statement. If the statement is false, rewrite it correctly on the line below.

Water heats up faster than sand because it has a very high specific heat capacity.

Correct it:

Coastal cities like Sydney tend to have milder temperatures than inland cities because the ocean has a high specific heat capacity.

Correct it:

A material with a low specific heat capacity needs very little energy to increase its temperature by 1°C per kilogram.

Correct it:

A steel BBQ plate heats up slowly because steel has a very high specific heat capacity.

Correct it:

Your Turn

Sort it!

Use the specific heat capacity (SHC) values in the table below to sort each material into the correct category box. Then answer the questions underneath.

Material	SHC (J/kg·°C)
Water	4200
Sand	800
Copper	385
Glass	840
Iron	450
Concrete	880

Water Sand Copper Glass Iron Concrete

Heats quickly (low SHC)

Heats slowly (high SHC)

Show What You Know

1. On a sunny day at Bondi Beach, why does the sand feel much hotter than the ocean water, even though both have been in the sun for the same amount of time?

Recall 2 marks

2. Of the six materials in the table, which one would you choose to make a saucepan? Give one reason using specific heat capacity.

Recall 2 marks

Wrap Up

In one sentence, what was the main idea of this lesson?