Different substances require different amounts of energy to raise their temperatures. For example under normal conditions it takes 14.3 J to raise a gram of hydrogen's temperature by 1 °C; but it takes only 0.129 J to do the same for a gram of gold.
The energy involved is described as a substance's heat capacity. Heat capacity also measures the amount of energy released when matter cools down. So, when a gram of hydrogen cools down by a degree it releases 14.3 J of heat and a gram of gold releases 0.129 J.
List of Substances Arranged by
Decreasing Heat Capacity, cp, at 25 °C
| Substance | Heat Capacity / J g-1 K-1 |
|---|---|
| hydrogen | 14.30 |
| helium | 5.193 |
| ammonia | 4.700 |
| water | 4.181 |
| lithium | 3.582 |
| ethanolamine | 3.201 |
| 1,5-pentanediol | 3.08 |
| ethanol | 2.438 |
| beryllium | 1.825 |
| sodium | 1.228 |
| gypsum | 1.090 |
| nitrogen | 1.040 |
| neon | 1.030 |
| boron | 1.026 |
| magnesium | 1.023 |
| oxygen | 0.918 |
The table above includes the ten chemical elements with the highest heat capacities per gram.
The table below lists the ten chemical elements with the highest heat capacities per mole.
List of Substances Arranged by
Decreasing Heat Capacity, Cp, at 25 °C
| Element | Heat Capacity / J mol-1 K-1 |
|---|---|
| iodine | 54.43 |
| oxygen | 29.38 |
| gadolinium | 37.03 |
| chlorine | 33.95 |
| cesium | 32.21 |
| fluorine | 31.30 |
| rubidium | 31.06 |
| potassium | 29.60 |
| samarium | 29.54 |
| oxygen | 29.38 |
Water's molar heat capacity, 75.33 J mol-1 K-1, is higher than any element's.