Specific Heat Metals
Reference data and engineering information about specific heat metals for thermodynamics applications.
Overview
Specific heat capacity (c_p) is the energy required to raise the temperature of a unit mass of a substance by one degree. Among common engineering metals, values vary widely — from about 0.10 kJ/(kg·K) for heavy noble metals to over 1.8 kJ/(kg·K) for beryllium. Aluminum is often noted for its relatively high specific heat compared with steel, copper, or lead.
Metalloids - also known as semimetals - are elements containing properties both similar and midway between metals and nonmetals.
Key Formulas
The heat energy needed to change the temperature of a mass is:
q = c_p · m · ΔT
where:
- q — heat energy added (kJ)
- c_p — specific heat capacity (kJ/(kg·K))
- m — mass (kg)
- ΔT — temperature change (K or °C)
Unit Conversions
The source unit notes are preserved explicitly here:
| Conversion | Value |
|---|---|
| 1 J/(kg K) | 0.00023884 kcal/(kg degC) |
| 1 J/(kg K) | 0.00023884 Btu/(lbm degF) |
| 1 kJ/(kg·K) | 0.2389 kcal/(kg·°C) |
| 1 kJ/(kg·K) | 0.2389 Btu/(lb·°F) |
| 1 kJ/(kg·K) | 1000 J/(kg·K) |
| 1 Btu/(lb·°F) | 4.1868 kJ/(kg·K) |
| 1 kcal/(kg·°C) | 4.1868 kJ/(kg·K) |
Because a temperature interval of 1 degC equals an interval of 1 K and a Btu/lbm degF has the same heat-capacity magnitude as kcal/kg degC, 1 Btu/(lbm degF) = 1 kcal/(kg degC) = 4.1868 kJ/(kg K).
Specific Heat of Metals
The following 18-row table is a selected summary for quick lookup. The complete original source table is preserved in the restored source table below.
Metal | Specific Heat(kJ/(kg·K)) |
|---|---|
| Aluminum | 0.91 |
| Antimony | 0.21 |
| Beryllium | 1.83 |
| Brass | 0.38 |
| Cadmium | 0.23 |
| Carbon Steel | 0.49 |
| Cast Iron | 0.46 |
| Chromium | 0.46 |
| Cobalt | 0.42 |
| Copper | 0.39 |
| Gold | 0.13 |
| Lead | 0.13 |
| Magnesium | 1.02 |
| Nickel | 0.44 |
| Silver | 0.24 |
| Stainless Steel 304 | 0.5 |
| Titanium | 0.52 |
| Tungsten | 0.13 |
Source: engineeringtoolbox.com
Calculator — Heating Energy
Heat Required to Raise Metal Temperature
Example: 2 kg of carbon steel (c_p = 0.49 kJ/(kg·K)) heated from 20 °C to 100 °C requires q = 0.49 × 2 × 80 = 78.4 kJ.
Example - Heating Carbon Steel
The source example is preserved here as a standalone calculation. Heating 2 kg of carbon steel from 20 degC to 100 degC gives a temperature rise of 80 K. With carbon steel specific heat c_p = 0.49 kJ/(kg K):
The same example is available in the calculator above by using c_p = 0.49, m = 2, and Delta T = 80.
Unit Converter
Metal Specific Heat Unit Converter
Restored Original Source Tables
The following tables are restored from the original source page to preserve the complete reference data.
Metals - Specific Heats
Metal | Specific Heat - cp - (kJ/kgK) |
|---|---|
| Aluminum | 0.91 |
| Antimony | 0.21 |
| Barium | 0.2 |
| Beryllium | 1.83 |
| Bismuth | 0.13 |
| Cadmium | 0.23 |
| Calcium | 0.63 |
| Carbon Steel | 0.49 |
| Cast Iron | 0.46 |
| Cesium | 0.24 |
| Chromium | 0.46 |
| Cobalt | 0.42 |
| Copper | 0.39 |
| Gallium | 0.37 |
| Germanium | 0.32 |
| Gold | 0.13 |
| Hafnium | 0.14 |
| Indium | 0.24 |
| Iridium | 0.13 |
| Iron | 0.45 |
| Lanthanum | 0.195 |
| Lead | 0.13 |
| Lithium | 3.57 |
| Lutetium | 0.15 |
| Magnesium | 1.05 |
| Manganese | 0.48 |
| Mercury | 0.14 |
| Molybdenum | 0.25 |
| Nickel | 0.44 |
| Niobium (Columbium) | 0.27 |
| Osmium | 0.13 |
| Palladium | 0.24 |
| Platinum | 0.13 |
| Plutonium | 0.13 |
| Potassium | 0.75 |
| Rhenium | 0.14 |
| Rhodium | 0.24 |
| Rubidium | 0.36 |
| Ruthenium | 0.24 |
| Scandium | 0.57 |
| Selenium | 0.32 |
| Silicon | 0.71 |
| Silver | 0.23 |
| Sodium | 1.21 |
| Strontium | 0.3 |
| Tantalum | 0.14 |
| Thallium | 0.13 |
| Thorium | 0.13 |
| Tin | 0.21 |
| Titanium | 0.54 |
| Tungsten | 0.13 |
| Uranium | 0.12 |
| Vanadium | 0.39 |
| Yttrium | 0.3 |
| Zinc | 0.39 |
| Zirconium | 0.27 |
| Wrought Iron | 0.5 |
Source: engineeringtoolbox.com
Engineering Notes
- Temperature dependence: Specific heat values increase slightly with temperature. The values listed here are approximate and apply near room temperature (20–25 °C).
- Metalloids / semimetals: Elements such as germanium, antimony, and beryllium exhibit properties between metals and nonmetals. Beryllium's unusually high c_p (1.83 kJ/(kg·K)) reflects its light atomic mass and bonding character.
- Alloy vs. pure metal: Alloy composition and processing affect c_p. Stainless steel (≈0.50) differs from carbon steel (≈0.49); always verify against the specific alloy specification for critical designs.
- Practical implication: Metals with lower c_p heat up and cool down more quickly for a given energy input, which matters in heat-treatment schedules, thermal management, and transient analysis.
Related Source References
The source page cross-references related heat-capacity resources for common solids, liquids, gases and vapors, and specific heat unit conversion. Use those companion tables when the material is not a metal or when data is needed in Btu/(lb °F), kcal/(kg °C), or J/(kg K).
See also tabulated values of specific heat capacity of food and foodstuff, common liquids and fluids, common solids and gases and vapors.