Talk:Heat capacities of the elements (data page)

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This page is intended as an authoritative data collection with citation of sources, that may be cited as a central reference by other articles (such as for the chemical elements). Femto 11:41, 16 May 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Page name

Shouldn't this be Specific_heat_capacity? These numbers are energy per mass per temperature rather than energy per mass (Heat_capacity). --Phoenix Hacker 23:59, 12 November 2005 (UTC)

The terms don't seem to be all that clearly defined in the first place. Energy change per temperature change is the definition of heat capacity, which then needs to be specified (hence 'specific', which it really isn't) to refer to an object as a whole, some mass, a number of particles, etc. Since this page also refers to dimensionless moles, and not only to mass which is usually meant by 'specific heat', the general term seems appropriate. The CRC Handbook for example titles its table "Heat Capacity of the Elements", then says "this table gives the specific heat capacity [...] and the molar heat capacity". Femto 10:36, 13 November 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Atomic VS Standard State

Sorry to be a sock puppet, or whatever, but:

Do the numbers in this table refer to atomic heat capacities, or the heat capacities of the elements in their standard state? (i.e is the capacity given of H that of hydrogen gas, H₂, or atomic hydrogen?) I'd suggest that if it's the former, then perhaps the atomic heat capacity could be added as well - useful for us fudging chemical engineers using Kopp's Rule. :P

-matt

See the notes, "All values refer to 25 °C and to the thermodynamically stable standard state at that temperature unless noted." Where necessary, the molar formula (e.g. hydrogen H₂) is given in the table headings. Femto 15:03, 30 September 2006 (UTC)