MCAT General Chemistry Test 2025 – 400 Free Practice Questions to Pass the Exam

The formula that describes the relationship involving specific heat capacity is expressed as \( q = mc\Delta T \). In this equation:

- \( q \) represents the heat energy gained or lost by a substance.

- \( m \) stands for the mass of the substance.

- \( c \) is the specific heat capacity of the substance, which is defined as the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of one gram of the substance by one degree Celsius (or one Kelvin).

- \( \Delta T \) is the change in temperature of the substance, calculated as the final temperature minus the initial temperature.

This formula is foundational in thermodynamics, particularly when discussing heat transfer in materials. It allows you to calculate how much energy is needed to change the temperature of a given mass of a substance, highlighting the direct relationship between energy change, mass, specific heat, and temperature change.

The other options present different concepts: \( q = C\Delta T \) is more general and refers to heat transfer when \( C \) is a more generic heat capacity; \( q = nRT \) relates to ideal gas behavior in contexts of changes in state or conditions for gases; and \( q = \Delta H \) pertains to enthal