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Understanding Specific Heat — Reading Comprehension

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Grades

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MS-PS3
HS-PS3
RI.6.3
RI.7.1

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This passage, 'Understanding Specific Heat,' explains the concept of specific heat to middle school students in an accessible way. It defines specific heat as the amount of energy needed to raise the temperature of a substance by one degree Celsius and compares how materials like water and metal respond to heat. The passage connects specific heat to real-life examples, such as beach sand heating quickly and water helping regulate coastal temperatures. It also explores how this concept is useful in engineering and climate science. The passage supports NGSS MS-PS1-4 and Common Core standards like RI.6.1 and RI.6.4. With 8 multiple choice comprehension questions, a fun fact, and everyday examples, it's a valuable cross-curricular resource for science and literacy integration.

CONTENT PREVIEW

"Carbon forms exchanged between land, air, and ocean in coastal regions" by Simone Alin (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration), Hunter Hadaway (University of Washington Center for Environmental Visualization) and Katja Fennel (Dalhousie University) / Wikimedia Commons.

Have you ever wondered why sand feels hot quickly at the beach, while water stays cool longer? The reason has to do with something called specific heat.

Specific heat is the amount of heat energy needed to raise the temperature of a substance by one degree Celsius. Different materials have different specific heats. This means some substances heat up quickly, while others take more time and energy to get warm.

Water has a high specific heat. It takes a lot of energy to change its temperature. That’s why ocean water stays cooler during the day and warmer at night compared to land. On the other hand, metals like iron or copper have a low specific heat. They heat up and cool down very quickly. This is why a metal spoon in hot soup becomes warm so fast.

Understanding specific heat is important in many areas of science and engineering. For example, engineers must choose materials based on how well they handle heat. If something needs to stay cool, a material with high specific heat may be the best choice.

Specific heat also plays a big role in weather and climate. Large bodies of water help regulate temperature in nearby areas, keeping coastal regions from getting too hot or too cold.

In summary, specific heat is a property that tells us how quickly a substance heats up or cools down. Water has high specific heat, so it changes temperature slowly. Metals have low specific heat, so they change temperature quickly. This concept helps us better understand how heat moves in the world around us.

Fun Fact: Your body is made up of about 60% water, which helps keep your temperature steady—thanks to water’s high specific heat!

What is the main idea of the passage?

Water boils at 100°CHeat makes metal meltSpecific heat explains how substances warm or coolThe beach is hotter than the ocean

What does “specific heat” mean?

The temperature at which water freezesThe amount of heat needed to melt a materialThe energy needed to raise a substance’s temperature by one degree CelsiusThe time it takes to boil water

Which material has a high specific heat?

SandWaterMetalPlastic

Why does water stay cooler longer at the beach?

It is farther from the sunIt has low specific heatIt reflects heatIt has high specific heat

What happens to materials with low specific heat?

They heat and cool slowlyThey melt easilyThey stay the same temperatureThey heat and cool quickly

Why is specific heat important in engineering?

It helps materials resist rustIt tells how much a material weighsIt helps engineers choose materials for heating or coolingIt shows how shiny a material is

How does water’s specific heat affect climate?

It makes deserts colderIt helps control temperatures near oceansIt causes more rainfallIt makes wind move faster

What is true about metals and specific heat?

They have a high specific heatThey freeze at low temperaturesThey cool down slowlyThey heat up quickly