Editing Volumetric heat capacity (section)

==Definition==
The volumetric heat capacity is defined as
:<math>s(T) = \frac{C(T)}{V(T)} = \frac{1}{V(T)} \lim_{\Delta T \to 0}\frac{\Delta Q(T)}{\Delta T}</math>

where <math>V(T)</math> is the volume of the sample at temperature <math>T</math>, and <math>\Delta Q(T)</math> is the amount of heat energy needed to raise the temperature of the sample from <math>T</math> to <math>T + \Delta T</math>.  This parameter is an intensive property of the substance.

Since both the heat capacity of an object and its volume may vary with temperature, in unrelated ways, the volumetric heat capacity is usually a function of temperature too.  It is equal to the specific heat <math>c(T)</math> of the substance times its [[density]] (mass per volume) <math>\rho(T)</math>, both measured at the temperature <math>T</math>.  Its SI unit is joule per kelvin per cubic meter (J⋅K<sup>−1</sup>⋅m<sup>−3</sup>).

This quantity is used almost exclusively for liquids and solids, since for gases it may be confused with the "specific heat capacity at constant volume", which generally has very different values.  International standards now recommend that "specific heat capacity" always refer to capacity per unit of mass.<ref>{{SIbrochure8th}}</ref> Therefore, the word "volumetric" should always be used for this quantity.