Question

Explain why water, with its high specific heat capacity, is utilized for heating systems such as hot-water radiators.

Answer 1

Answer:

Answer in explanation

Explanation:

Water is mainly used as coolant in heating systems like hot-water radiators. The main function of water in such systems, is to absorb as much heat as possible, in order to decrease the temperature of the system and as a result cool it.

The specific heat capacity is the measure of heat energy that is required to raise the temperature of unit mass of a substance through 1 °C. In other words, specific heat capacity quantifies the amount of heat that can be stored by a unit mass of a substance having a degree rise in temperature.

Thus, the more specific heat a substance has, the more heat it can absorb from the hot system. Hence, the specific heat capacity of a coolant must be high.

This is the reason why water, with its high specific heat capacity, is utilized for heating systems, such as radiators.