4.2.5 Applications of Specific Heat Capacity – Cooking Pot
Cooking Pot
- Different parts of a cooking pot are made up of different material.
- The base of a cooking pot is usually made up of copper because
- copper has low specific heat capacity so that it needs less heat to raise up the temperature.
- copper is a good heat conductor.
- copper has high density. The heavier base can make the pot become more stable.
- The handle of the cooking pot is usually made up of plastic or wood because
- plastic and wood have high specific heat capacity. Their temperature won’t become too high even it absorbs a large amount of heat.
- plastic and wood are good heat insulator.
- plastic and wood have low density hence they do not add much to the total weight of the pot.
- The body of the cooking pot is usually made up of stainless steel because
- steel has low specific heat capacity and hence need less heat to raise up the temperature.
- steel does not react chemically with the food.
Car Engine
- Water is used to cool down the car engine.
- Water is used as the cooling agent in the car cooling system because
- it has a high specific heat capacity. It can absorb a large amount of heat without a high increase in temperature.
- it is cheap and can be obtained easily.
- Water is pumped through the channels in the engine block to absorb heat.
- The hot water flows to the radiator and is cooled by the air flows through the fins of the radiator.
- The cool water flows back to the engine again to capture more heat and this cycle is repeated continuously.
Factories with Low Ceiling
- Some factories without large machinery are constructed with low ceilings to reduce the volume of air inside the building.
- The smaller mass of air will have a smaller heat capacity.
- As a result, less heat needs to be removed to reduce the temperature of the air.
- This will then reduce the air conditioning costs for the factory.
Thermal Radiator
- Thermal radiators are always used in cold country to warm the house.
- Hot water is made to flow through a radiator. The heat given out from the radiator is then warm the air of the house.
- The cold water is then flows back to the water tank. This process is repeated continuously.
- Water is used in the radiator because it has high specific heat capacity.
