What Has a Higher Specific Heat, Metal Clip or Seat Belt Fabric?

Which has a higher specific heat, the metal clip or the seat belt fabric? Why? The metal clip has a higher specific heat compared to the seat belt fabric. This is because specific heat is the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of a substance by a certain amount, or in simpler terms, how easily a substance can gain heat. In this case, the metal clip, being metal, requires more energy to heat up compared to the seat belt fabric, which is made of cloth.

Specific Heat and its Definition

Specific heat is the amount of heat energy required to raise the temperature of a unit mass of a substance by 1 degree Celsius. It is a property that is specific to each material and is measured in joules per kilogram per degree Celsius (J/kg°C).

Metal Clip vs. Seat Belt Fabric

Metals typically have higher specific heat compared to fabric due to their atomic structure and bonding. The metal clip on the seat belt, being metal, has a higher specific heat compared to the seat belt fabric which is made of cloth. When exposed to heat, the metal clip will require more energy to increase its temperature compared to the seat belt fabric.

The seat belt fabric, being made of cloth, does not heat up as quickly as the metal clip when exposed to sunlight or heat. This is because cloth has a lower specific heat compared to metal, meaning it requires less energy to raise its temperature.

Therefore, in the scenario of getting into a parked car in the summer, the metal clip on the seat belt will feel hotter to the touch compared to the seat belt fabric because it has a higher specific heat and requires more energy to heat up.

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