Specific Heat Capacity Converter

Convert specific heat capacity between J/(kg·K), kJ/(kg·K), cal/(g·°C), and International Btu/(lb·°F).

Convert instantly

Enter a value and choose the units. Your answer updates as you type.

Value

From

Result

0.001 Kilojoule per kilogram kelvin (kJ/(kg·K))

Quick reference

Joule per kilogram kelvin (J/(kg·K))1 base units
Kilojoule per kilogram kelvin (kJ/(kg·K))1000 base units
Calorie per gram Celsius (cal/(g·°C))4184 base units
International Btu per pound Fahrenheit (Btu/(lb·°F))4186.8 base units
Kilocalorie per kilogram kelvin (kcal/(kg·K))4184 base units

About the Specific Heat Capacity Converter

Specific heat capacity is the energy required to raise one unit of mass by one temperature interval. It is used in thermal storage, process design, cooling loads, and material selection. Water is approximately 4,184 J/(kg·K), while the converter handles the exact thermochemical calorie and the International Btu convention for unit conversion.

Enter a measured or tabulated value to compare materials—for example, 1 kJ/(kg·K) equals 0.239006 cal/(g·°C). Use the Temperature Interval Converter for the ΔT in Q = mcΔT, or the Thermal Conductivity Converter when heat transport through a solid also matters.

Frequently asked questions

What is specific heat capacity?

It is the heat energy needed per unit mass for a one-unit temperature interval, commonly J/(kg·K).

Does a temperature interval need an offset here?

No. Specific heat uses temperature differences, so a kelvin and Celsius interval have equal size.

What is the approximate specific heat of water?

Liquid water is commonly approximated as 4,184 J/(kg·K), with actual values varying by temperature and pressure.

Take this calculation further

Browse the converters calculators collection for more tools in this subject.

For a related calculation, use Heat Flux Density Converter to convert heat flux density between W/m², kW/m², W/cm², calories per second per cm², and International Btu per hour per ft². Alternatively, use Thermal Conductivity Converter to convert thermal conductivity between W/(m·K), mW/(m·K), W/(cm·K), kcal/(h·m·°C), and International Btu/(h·ft·°F).

For the underlying method, read A Practical Guide to Thermal Conductivity and Insulation.