What is the specific heat of ice?

The specific heat of ice is indeed approximately 2.135 kJ/kg/°C. Specific heat is a measure of how much energy is required to raise the temperature of a given mass of a substance by one degree Celsius. In the case of ice, this value reflects the energy needed to increase the temperature of solid water (ice) without changing its phase to liquid water.

The specific heat of ice is relatively lower than that of liquid water, which is about 4.186 kJ/kg/°C. This is because the molecular structure of ice holds the molecules in a rigid lattice, which requires less energy to increase the temperature compared to the more fluid structure of liquid water.

Understanding the specific heat of materials is crucial in various applications, including thermal management in engineering, as it informs how much energy will be absorbed or released when the temperature of a substance changes.