Specific Heat Capacity of Metals – Table

Specific heat capacity measures how much energy (in joules) is needed to raise the temperature of one kilogram of a substance by one degree Celsius. In simpler terms, it tells us how easily a material heats up or cools down. Materials with high specific heat capacity (like water) require more energy to change temperature, making them temperature-stable. Metals typically have lower specific heat capacities than water, which is why they heat up and cool down relatively quickly.

The table below provides specific heat capacity values for common metals in different unit systems, which can be particularly useful when working across different engineering standards or when converting between scientific papers using different conventions.

Common Specific Heat Capacity Conversions:

  • 1 J/g°C = 4186 J/kg·K
  • 1 J/g°C = 0.239 cal/g°C
  • 1 J/g°C = 0.000947 BTU/lb·°F
  • 1 cal/g°C = 4.184 J/g°C
Metal J/(kg·K) J/(g·K) cal/(g·°C) BTU/(lb·°F) kJ/(kg·K)
Aluminum 897 0.897 0.214 0.214 0.897
Antimony 207 0.207 0.049 0.049 0.207
Barium 204 0.204 0.049 0.049 0.204
Beryllium 1825 1.825 0.436 0.436 1.825
Bismuth 122 0.122 0.029 0.029 0.122
Brass 380 0.380 0.091 0.091 0.380
Bronze 355 0.355 0.085 0.085 0.355
Cadmium 230 0.230 0.055 0.055 0.230
Calcium 631 0.631 0.151 0.151 0.631
Carbon Steel 490 0.490 0.117 0.117 0.490
Cast Iron 460 0.460 0.110 0.110 0.460
Cesium 242 0.242 0.058 0.058 0.242
Chromium 448 0.448 0.107 0.107 0.448
Cobalt 421 0.421 0.101 0.101 0.421
Copper 386 0.386 0.092 0.092 0.386
Gallium 371 0.371 0.089 0.089 0.371
Germanium 321 0.321 0.077 0.077 0.321
Gold 129 0.129 0.031 0.031 0.129
Hafnium 144 0.144 0.034 0.034 0.144
Indium 233 0.233 0.056 0.056 0.233
Iridium 131 0.131 0.031 0.031 0.131
Iron 449 0.449 0.107 0.107 0.449
Lanthanum 195 0.195 0.047 0.047 0.195
Lead 129 0.129 0.031 0.031 0.129
Lithium 3582 3.582 0.856 0.856 3.582
Lutetium 154 0.154 0.037 0.037 0.154
Magnesium 1023 1.023 0.244 0.244 1.023
Manganese 479 0.479 0.114 0.114 0.479
Mercury 140 0.140 0.033 0.033 0.140
Molybdenum 251 0.251 0.060 0.060 0.251
Nickel 444 0.444 0.106 0.106 0.444
Niobium (Columbium) 265 0.265 0.063 0.063 0.265
Osmium 130 0.130 0.031 0.031 0.130
Palladium 240 0.240 0.057 0.057 0.240
Platinum 133 0.133 0.032 0.032 0.133
Plutonium 130 0.130 0.031 0.031 0.130
Potassium 757 0.757 0.181 0.181 0.757
Rhenium 137 0.137 0.033 0.033 0.137
Rhodium 243 0.243 0.058 0.058 0.243
Rubidium 363 0.363 0.087 0.087 0.363
Ruthenium 238 0.238 0.057 0.057 0.238
Scandium 568 0.568 0.136 0.136 0.568
Selenium 321 0.321 0.077 0.077 0.321
Silicon 712 0.712 0.170 0.170 0.712
Silver 235 0.235 0.056 0.056 0.235
Sodium 1230 1.230 0.294 0.294 1.230
Stainless Steel (304) 500 0.500 0.119 0.119 0.500
Strontium 301 0.301 0.072 0.072 0.301
Tantalum 140 0.140 0.033 0.033 0.140
Thallium 129 0.129 0.031 0.031 0.129
Thorium 118 0.118 0.028 0.028 0.118
Tin 227 0.227 0.054 0.054 0.227
Titanium 523 0.523 0.125 0.125 0.523
Tungsten 134 0.134 0.032 0.032 0.134
Uranium 116 0.116 0.028 0.028 0.116
Vanadium 489 0.489 0.117 0.117 0.489
Wrought Iron 460 0.460 0.110 0.110 0.460
Yttrium 298 0.298 0.071 0.071 0.298
Zinc 388 0.388 0.093 0.093 0.388
Zirconium 278 0.278 0.066 0.066 0.278

Notes on Unit Conversions

  • J/(kg·K): Joules per kilogram per Kelvin – SI unit
  • J/(g·K): Joules per gram per Kelvin
  • cal/(g·°C): Calories per gram per degree Celsius
  • BTU/(lb·°F): British Thermal Units per pound per degree Fahrenheit
  • kJ/(kg·K): Kilojoules per kilogram per Kelvin

The values are provided at room temperature (~25°C) and may vary slightly with temperature. For precise engineering applications, please reference material specifications for the exact temperature range of interest.

Conclusion:

We hope you found this article and chart of heat capacity of metals valuable to your understanding and/or projects. If you have any other questions in relation to what metals will work best for your needs please reach out to our product experts, and engineers.. Also be sure to check out MISUMI USA’s full industrial manfacturing parts and components product line, including – aluminum extrusion, bearings, bushings, and more.

The MechBlog is focused on bringing the best knowledge possible in an easily understandable to accessable manner possible – and, if you found this article helpful be sure to check out our other metal resource based articles on: aluminum, steel, copper, and more. And, a related article on Thermal Expansion Coefficient of Materials Chart.

Author: Scott Bredemann | Updated: 04/03/2025

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