What does heat capacity measure?

Heat capacity measures the amount of energy required to raise the temperature of a substance by one degree Celsius (or one Kelvin). This property is crucial because it indicates how much heat energy a substance can store; different materials have different capacities. For instance, water has a high heat capacity, which means it can absorb a significant amount of heat before experiencing a change in temperature. This property plays a critical role in various real-world applications such as climate regulation, cooking, and materials science. Understanding heat capacity is essential for predicting how substances will respond to added heat, enabling insights into their thermal management and behavior in various environments.