Question

Is heat capacity (C) extensive or intensive? What about specific heat (c) ? Explain briefly.

Short answer

Heat capacity is an extensive property

Specific heat is an intensive property.

Step-by-step solution

Given Information

Heat Capacity C and

Specific Heat c.

Explanation

On the basis of physical properties of matter, it can be classified into two parts

1. Intensive property: It does not depend on the quantity which means the intensive property does not vary when the mass changes.
2.Extensive property: It depends on the quantity of matter which means the extensive property varies when the mass changes.

Specific heat capacity is an intensive property. Specific heat capacity is given by $c=\frac{C}{m}$

Where c is specific heat capacity, C is the heat capacity, m is the mass.

Here both C and m are extensive properties.
The ratio of two extensive property is intensive property.
This means Heat capacity is an extensive property.

The amount of heat capacity is given by$C_v=\frac{dU}{dT}$

Where, U is the internal energy and T is the temperature.
U is an extensive property and T is an intensive property.

The ratio of extensive to intensive results in extensive property.