## Heat capacity

$\Delta U=q+w$

Clara Cho 2K
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### Heat capacity

The book talks about two different constants for monoatomic molecules and linear molecules.Do we need to know both?

Kassidy Ford 1I
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### Re: Heat capacity

Yes. Ideal gas Monoatomic molecules have a heat capacity of 3/2R while linear molecules will have a heat capacity of 5/2R because they can have more degrees of motion.

Daria MacAuslan 1H
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### Re: Heat capacity

Yes, because both types of molecules have different amount of orientations and states

Sofia Barker 2C
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### Re: Heat capacity

The value of Cv for monoatomic particles is 3/2R, and for 2-atom particles it is 5/2R. So U would equal n(3/2)RT for monoatomic particles and n(5/2)RT for 2-atom particles.

Martina
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### Re: Heat capacity

Monoatomic particles have a heat capacity of 3/2 R. For liner molecules it is 5/2 R because there are more possible positions for the molecule.

Trent Yamamoto 2J
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### Re: Heat capacity

Based on today's lecture, Professor Lavelle said that it will be given either on the equation sheet or in the question

DesireBrown1J
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Joined: Wed Sep 18, 2019 12:18 am

### Re: Heat capacity

On page 251, the textbook says "The heat capacity of a sample of a substance is calculated from its mass and its specific heat capacity by using C=m*Cs". I'm confused on what exactly the book is trying to say with this because mass cancels out anyways in this equation since Cs=C/m.

C=m*Cs
C=m*(C/m)
C=C