Quantifying Heat The Math!
q = mCΔT Equation change in temperature, measured in °C ΔT = Tfinal – Tinitial heat energy – measured in joules (J) heat capacity – how much heat a substance can hold, measured in joules/gramdegrees Celsius mass - measured in grams (g)
Units for heat (q) Most food tells us the amount of energy in units of Calories. . . . Calories are kilocalories (1 Cal = 1000cal) The SI unit for energy is Joules (J) 1 cal = 4.184 J Let’s do some quick conversions.
How can you tell if a process is endothermic or exothermic? q is a positive number Why? The final temperature is higher than the initial temperature- we added heat to the system. ΔT = Tfinal – Tinitial q is a negative number Why? The final temperature is lower than the initial temperature- heat was given off from the system. ΔT = Tfinal – Tinitial Let’s solve some problems!