What term describes the amount of heat required to change the temperature of 1 gram of a substance by 1 degree Celsius?

The term that describes the amount of heat required to change the temperature of 1 gram of a substance by 1 degree Celsius is known as specific heat. This property is crucial in understanding how different substances respond to heat. Each substance has a unique specific heat capacity, which reflects how much energy is needed to raise its temperature.

For example, water has a high specific heat compared to metals like iron, meaning it can absorb a significant amount of heat without undergoing a large temperature change. This characteristic of specific heat plays an important role in various natural processes and regulates climate and weather patterns, making it essential in fields ranging from meteorology to environmental science and even culinary arts.

In contrast, latent heat refers to the heat absorbed or released during a phase change of a substance, such as melting or boiling, and sensible heat involves changes in temperature that can be experienced rather than related to phase changes. Thermal mass is a concept that pertains to a material's ability to absorb and store heat but does not describe the heat required to change temperature per unit mass. Thus, specific heat is the accurate term for the amount of heat needed to change the temperature of a substance by a specific degree per unit mass.