Specific Heat of Common Materials – Engineering Reference

Specific heat of products like wet mud, granite, sandy clay, quartz sand and more. Reference table for specific heat capacity (J/kg·°C) of common substances including metals, gases, liquids, and solids.

SubstanceSpecific Heat - cp (J/kg·°C)
Acetals1460
Air, dry (sea level)1005
Agate800
Alcohol, ethyl2440
Alcohol, metyl (wood)2530
Aluminum897
Aluminum bronze436
Alumina, AL2O3718
Ammonia, liquid4700
Ammonia, gas2060
Antimony209
Argon520
Arsenic348
Artificial wool1357
Asbestos816
Asphalt concrete (with aggregate)920
Barium290
Barium chloride380
Barytes460
Basalt860
Beef tallow870
Beryllium1020
Bismuth130
Bitumen1780
Boiler scale800
Bone440
Borax1000
Boron960
Boron nitride720
Brass375
Brick840
Bronze370
Brown iron ore670
Cadmium234
Calcium532
Calcium chloride690
Calcium silicate, CaSiO3710
Cellulose, cotton, wood pulp and regenerated1300 - 1500
Cellulose acetate, molded1260 - 1800
Cellulose acetate, sheet1260 - 2100
Cellulose nitrate, Celluloid1300 - 1700
Chalk750
Chamotte, fireclay800
Charcoal840
Chromium452
Chromium oxide750
Clay, sandy1381
Clay, dry880
Cobalt435
Coke840
Concrete880
Constantan410
Copper385
Cork2000
Diamond (carbon)516
Duralium920
Emery960
Epoxy cast resins1000
Fire brick880
Fluorspar CaF2830
Dichlorodifluoromethane R12, liquid871
Dichlorodifluoromethane R12, vapor595
Ice (0 °C)2093
India rubber1250
Germanium310
Glass, crown670
Glass, pyrex753
Glass-wool840
Gold129
Granite790
Graphite (carbon)717
Gypsum1090
Helium5193
Hydrogen14304
Ice, snow (-5 °C)2090
Indium240
Ingot iron490
Iodine218
Iridium134
Iron449
Lead129
Leather1500
Limestone909
Lithium3582
Lucite1460
Magnesia (Magnesium oxide), MgO874
Magnesium1050
Magnesium alloy1010
Manganese460
Marble880
Mercury140
Mica880
Molybdenum272
Monel metal430
Neon1030
Nickel461
Nitrogen1040
Niobium260
Nylon-61600
Nylon-661700
Olive oil1790
Osmium130
Oxygen918
Palladium240
Paper1336
Paraffin3260
Peat1900
Perlite387
Phenolic cast resins1250 - 1670
Phenol-formaldehyde molding compounds2500 - 6000
Phosphor bronze360
Phosphorus800
Pinchbeck380
Pit coal1020
Plaster1090
Platinum133
Plutonium140
Polycarbonate1170 - 1250
Polyethylene terephthalate1250
Polyimide aromatics1120
Polyisoprene natural rubber1880
Polyisoprene hard rubber1380
Polymethylmethacrylate1500
Polypropylene1920
Polystyrene1300 - 1500
Polytetrafluoroethylene moulding compound1000
Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)1172
Polyurethane cast liquid1800
Polyurethane elastomer1800
Polyvinylchloride PVC840 - 1170
Porcelain1085
Potassium1000
Potassium chloride680
Pyroceram710
Quartz, SiO2730
Quartz glass700
Radium120
Red metal381
Rhenium140
Rhodium240
Rosin1300
Rubidium330
Salt, NaCl880
Sand, quartz830
Sandstone710
Scandium568
Selenium330
Silicon705
Silicon carbide670
Sillimanite1000
Silver235
Slate760
Sodium1260
Soil, dry800
Soil, wet1480
Soot840
Snow2090
Steatite830
Steel490
Sulfur, crystal700
Tantalum138
Tellurium201
Thorium140
Timber, alder1400
Timber, ash1600
Timber, birch1900
Timber, larch1400
Timber, maple1600
Timber, oak2400
Timber, pitchpine1300
Timber, pockwood2500
Timber, red beech1300
Timber, red pine1500
Timber, white pine1500
Timber, walnut1400
Tin228
Titanium523
Tungsten132
Tungsten carbide171
Uranium116
Vanadium500
Water, pure liquid (20 °C)4182
Water, vapor (27 °C)1864
Wax3400
Wet mud2512
Wood1300 - 2400
Zinc388
Zirconium280