Quick reference table
Common specific heat capacity conversions
| From | To |
|---|---|
| 1 kJ/(kg·K) | 0.2388458966 BTU/(lb·°F) |
| 1 cal/(g·°C) | 4,184 J/(kg·K) |
| 1 J/(g·K) | 1 kJ/(kg·K) |
| 1 kcal/(kg·K) | 4.184 kJ/(kg·K) |
How to convert specific heat capacity
Specific heat capacity is how much energy it takes to raise one kilogram of a material by one degree. Water's is about 4.18 kJ/(kg·K), which is why it stores heat so well.
Every specific heat capacity unit is a fixed multiple of one base unit, the J/(kg·K). To convert a value, multiply it by the size of the starting unit and divide by the size of the target unit. For example, to convert kJ/(kg·K) to BTU/(lb·°F), multiply by 0.2388458966. To go the other way, divide by 0.2388458966.
The converter above does this for you and shows the exact formula under the result.
Worked examples
Kilojoules per kilogram-kelvin to BTU per pound-degree F
| Kilojoules per kilogram-kelvin (kJ/(kg·K)) | BTU per pound-degree F (BTU/(lb·°F)) |
|---|---|
| 1 kJ/(kg·K) | 0.2388458966 BTU/(lb·°F) |
| 2 kJ/(kg·K) | 0.4776917933 BTU/(lb·°F) |
| 5 kJ/(kg·K) | 1.194229483 BTU/(lb·°F) |
| 10 kJ/(kg·K) | 2.388458966 BTU/(lb·°F) |
| 25 kJ/(kg·K) | 5.971147416 BTU/(lb·°F) |
| 50 kJ/(kg·K) | 11.94229483 BTU/(lb·°F) |
| 100 kJ/(kg·K) | 23.88458966 BTU/(lb·°F) |
| 1,000 kJ/(kg·K) | 238.8458966 BTU/(lb·°F) |
Calories per gram-degree C to Joules per kilogram-kelvin
| Calories per gram-degree C (cal/(g·°C)) | Joules per kilogram-kelvin (J/(kg·K)) |
|---|---|
| 1 cal/(g·°C) | 4,184 J/(kg·K) |
| 2 cal/(g·°C) | 8,368 J/(kg·K) |
| 5 cal/(g·°C) | 20,920 J/(kg·K) |
| 10 cal/(g·°C) | 41,840 J/(kg·K) |
| 25 cal/(g·°C) | 104,600 J/(kg·K) |
| 50 cal/(g·°C) | 209,200 J/(kg·K) |
| 100 cal/(g·°C) | 418,400 J/(kg·K) |
| 1,000 cal/(g·°C) | 4,184,000 J/(kg·K) |
Specific heat capacity units explained
| Unit | Symbol | Equals |
|---|---|---|
| Joules per kilogram-kelvin | J/(kg·K) | 1 J/(kg·K) = 1 J/(kg·K) |
| Kilojoules per kilogram-kelvin | kJ/(kg·K) | 1 kJ/(kg·K) = 1,000 J/(kg·K) |
| Joules per gram-kelvin | J/(g·K) | 1 J/(g·K) = 1,000 J/(kg·K) |
| Calories per gram-degree C | cal/(g·°C) | 1 cal/(g·°C) = 4,184 J/(kg·K) |
| Kilocalories per kilogram-kelvin | kcal/(kg·K) | 1 kcal/(kg·K) = 4,184 J/(kg·K) |
| BTU per pound-degree F | BTU/(lb·°F) | 1 BTU/(lb·°F) = 4,186.8 J/(kg·K) |
Popular conversions: j/kg k to cal/g c.
Frequently asked questions
What is the specific heat of water?
About 4,184 J/(kg·K), or 1 cal/(g·°C) by the definition of the calorie.
How do I convert kJ/(kg·K) to BTU/(lb·°F)?
Multiply the value in kJ/(kg·K) by 0.2388458966 to get BTU/(lb·°F). For example, 10 kJ/(kg·K) = 2.388458966 BTU/(lb·°F).
How many BTU/(lb·°F) is 1 kJ/(kg·K)?
1 kJ/(kg·K) = 0.2388458966 BTU/(lb·°F), and 1 BTU/(lb·°F) = 4.1868 kJ/(kg·K).
Does this specific heat capacity converter work offline?
Yes. After the page has loaded once, all calculations run in your browser, so it keeps working without an internet connection.