Specific heat is defined as the amount of heat required to change the temperature of a unit mass of a substance by one degree Celsius. It is an intrinsic property of materials, which means it typically does not change with the quantity or volume of the material itself.
To understand this better, let’s consider that specific heat depends on the nature of the material rather than its volume. For instance, whether you have a small amount or a large amount of water, the specific heat of water remains approximately 4.18 J/g°C. This holds true under normal conditions and when the substance is in its same phase (solid, liquid, or gas).
However, it’s important to note that while specific heat itself does not change with volume, the total heat capacity of a substance does increase with an increase in volume. Heat capacity takes into account the mass of the substance as well as its specific heat. Therefore, if you double the amount of water, you will need twice as much heat to achieve the same temperature change, but the specific heat per gram does not change.
In conclusion, the specific heat of a substance is a constant property for that particular material and does not change with the volume of the substance.