is the number of calories given out by 1 gram of a substance when its
temperature falls 1° C. For experiments on the determination of
specific heat, see Laboratory Manual.

Water has the highest specific heat of any known substance except
hydrogen; that is, it requires more heat to raise the temperature of
water a definite number of degrees than it does to raise the
temperature of an equal amount of any other substance the same number
of degrees. Practically this same thing can be stated in another way:
Water in cooling gives out more heat than any other substance in
cooling through the same number of degrees. For this reason water is
used in foot warmers and in hot-water bags. If a copper lid were used
as a foot warmer, it would give the feet only .095 as much heat as an
equal weight of water; a lead weight only .031 as much heat as water.
Flatirons are made of iron because of the relatively high specific
heat of iron. The flatiron heats slowly and cools slowly, and, because
of its high specific heat, not only supplies the laundress with
considerable heat, but eliminates for her the frequent changing of the
flatiron.

18. Water and Weather. About four times as much heat is required to
heat a given quantity of water one degree as to heat an equal quantity
of earth. In summer, when the rocks and the sand along the shore are
burning hot, the ocean and lakes are pleasantly cool, although the
amount of heat present in the water is as great as that present in the
earth. In winter, long after the rocks and sand have given out their
heat and have become cold, the water continues to give out the vast
store of heat accumulated during the summer. This explains why lands
situated on or near large bodies of water usually have less variation
in temperature than inland regions. In the summer the water cools the