SPECIFIC HEAT (SP HT)

(1) The ratio of the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of a unit mass of a substance by one unit of temperature to the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of a similar mass of a reference material, usually water, by the same amount. (2) The amount of heat, measured in calories, required to raise the temperature of one gram of a substance by one Celsius degree (1°C); the specific heat of water is 1 calorie.