Specific Heats and Individual Gas Constants (2024)

Specific heat at constant volume, specific heat at constant pressure, specific heat ratio and individual gas constant - R - common gases as argon, air, ether, nitrogen and many more.

The specific heat (= specific heat capacity) at constant pressure and constant volume processes, and the ratio of specific heats and individual gas constants - R - for some commonly used "ideal gases", are in the table below (approximate values at 68oF (20oC) and 14.7 psia (1 atm)).

For conversion of units, use the Specific heat online unit converter.

See also tabulated values of specific heat capacity of food and foodstuff, metals and semimetals, common liquids and fluids, common solids and other common substances as well as values of molar heat capacity of common organic substances and inorganic substances.

For full table - rotate the screen!

Gases - Specific Heats and Individual Gas Constants
Gas or VaporFormulaSpecific HeatSpecific Heat RatioIndividual Gas constant
- R -
cp
(kJ/(kg K))
cv
(kJ/(kg K))
cp
(Btu/(lbmoF))
cv
(Btu/(lbmoF))
κ = cp / cvcp - cv
(kJ/(kg K))
cp - cv
(ft lbf/(lbmoR))
Acetone(CH3)2CO1.471.320.350.321.110.15
AcetyleneC2H21.691.370.350.271.2320.31959.34
Air1.010.7180.240.171.400.28753.34
Alcohol (ethanol)C2H5OH1.881.670.450.41.130.22
Alcohol (methanol)CH3OH1.931.530.460.371.260.39
AmmoniaNH32.191.660.520.41.310.5396.5
ArgonAr0.5200.3120.120.071.6670.208
BenzeneC6H61.090.990.260.241.120.1
Blast furnace gas1.030.730.250.171.410.355.05
BromineBr20.250.20.060.051.280.05
ButaneC4H101.671.530.3950.3561.0940.14326.5
Carbon dioxideCO20.8440.6550.210.161.2890.18938.86
Carbon monoxideCO1.020.720.240.171.400.29755.14
Carbon disulphideCS20.670.550.160.131.210.12
ChlorineCl20.480.360.120.091.340.12
ChloroformCHCl30.630.550.150.131.150.08
Coal gas2.141.59
Combustion products10.24
EthaneC2H61.751.480.390.321.1870.27651.5
Ether (diethyl ether)(C2H5)2O2.011.950.480.471.030.06
EthyleneC2H41.531.230.40.331.2400.29655.08
Chlorodifluoromethane, R-22CHClF21.18
HeliumHe5.193.121.250.751.6672.08386.3
HexaneC6H141.06
Hydrochloric acid0.7950.567
HydrogenH214.3210.163.422.431.4054.12765.9
Hydrogen ChlorideHCl0.80.570.1910.1351.410.2342.4
Hydrogen SulfideH2S0.2430.1871.3245.2
HydroxylOH1.761.271.3840.489
KryptonKr0.250.151
MethaneCH42.221.700.590.451.3040.51896.4
Methyl ChlorideCH3Cl0.2400.2001.2030.6
Natural Gas2.341.850.560.441.270.579.1
NeonNe1.030.6181.6670.412
Nitric OxideNO0.9950.7180.230.171.3860.277
NitrogenN21.040.7430.250.181.4000.29754.99
Nitrogen tetroxideN2O44.694.61.121.11.020.09
Nitrous oxideN2O0.880.690.210.171.270.1835.1
OxygenO20.9190.6590.220.161.3950.26048.24
PentaneC5H121.07
PropaneC3H81.671.480.390.341.130.18935.0
Propene (propylene)C3H61.51.310.360.311.150.1836.8
Water Vapor
Steam 1 psia. 120 – 600 oF
H2O1.931.460.460.351.320.462
Steam 14.7 psia. 220 – 600 oFH2O1.971.50.470.361.310.46
Steam 150 psia. 360 – 600 oFH2O2.261.760.540.421.280.5
Sulfur dioxide (Sulphur dioxide)SO20.640.510.150.121.290.1324.1
XenonXe0.160.097
  • κ = cp / cv - the specific heat capacity ratio
  • cp = specific heat in a constant pressure process
  • cv = specific heat in a constant volume process
  • R- Individual Gas constant

For conversion of units, use the Specific heat online unit converter.

See also tabulated values of specific heat of food and foodstuff, metals and semimetals, common liquids and fluids, Common solids and other common substances as well as values of molar heat capacity of common organic substances and inorganic substances.

Related Topics

  • Material Properties

    Properties of gases, fluids and solids. Densities, specific heats, viscosities and more.
  • Thermodynamics

    Work, heat and energy systems.

Related Documents

  • Air - Specific Heat Ratio

    Specific Heat Ratio of air at temperatures ranging -40 - 1000 degC (-40 - 1500 degF) at standard atmospheric pressure - Imperial and SI Units.
  • Air - Specific Heat vs. Temperature at Constant Pressure

    Online calculator with figures and tables showing specific heat (Cp and Cv) of dry air vs. temperature and pressure. SI and imperial units.
  • Argon - Thermophysical Properties

    Chemical, Physical and Thermal Properties of Argon.
  • Compression and Expansion of Gases

    Isothermal and isentropic gas compression and expansion processes.
  • Ethane - Density and Specific Weight vs. Temperature and Pressure

    Online calculator, figures and tables showing density and specific weight of ethane, C2H6, at varying temperature and pressure - Imperial and SI Units.
  • Gases - Dynamic Viscosities

    Absolute (dynamic) viscosities of some common gases.
  • Gases - Molar Specific Heats

    Molar specific heats for some common gases at constant volume.
  • Gases - Ratios of Specific Heat

    Ratios of specific heat for gases with constant pressure and volume processes.
  • Heat Capacity

    The amount of heat required to change the temperature of a substance by one degree.
  • Heat, Work and Energy

    Heat vs. work vs. energy.
  • Liquids and Fluids - Specific Heats

    Specific heats for some common liquids and fluids - acetone, oil, paraffin, water and many more.
  • Molecular Weight of Substances

    Definition and molecular weight (molar mass) of some common substances.
  • Nitrogen - Thermophysical Properties

    Chemical, Physical and Thermal Properties of Nitrogen - N2.
  • Nitrogen Gas - Specific Heat vs. Temperature

    Specific heat of Nitrogen Gas - N2 - at temperatures ranging 175 - 6000 K
  • Non-ideal gas - Van der Waal's Equation and Constants

    The van der Waals constants for more than 200 gases used to correct for non-ideal behavior of gases caused by intermolecular forces and the volume occupied by the gas particles.
  • Solids - Specific Heats

    Common solids - like brick, cement, glass and many more - and their specific heats - in Imperial and SI units.
  • Specific Heat - Online Unit Converter

    Online specific heat converter with the most commonly used units.
  • Sulfur Dioxide Liquid - Thermal Properties

    Density, specific heat, thermal conductivity and more.
  • The Ideal Gas Law

    The relationship between volume, pressure, temperature and quantity of a gas, including definition of gas density.
  • Total and Partial Pressure - Dalton's Law of Partial Pressures

    How to calculate total pressure and partial pressures for gas mixtures from Ideal Gas Law.

Search

Search is the most efficient way to navigate the Engineering ToolBox.

  • Popular internal searches in the Engineering ToolBox

Engineering ToolBox - SketchUp Extension - Online 3D modeling!

Add standard and customized parametric components - like flange beams, lumbers, piping, stairs and more - to your Sketchup model with the Engineering ToolBox - SketchUp Extension - enabled for use with older versions of the amazing SketchUp Make and the newer "up to date" SketchUp Pro. Add the Engineering ToolBox extension to your SketchUp Make/Pro from the Extension Warehouse!

Translate this Page

Translate this page to Your Own Language.

About the Engineering ToolBox!

Privacy Policy

We don't collect information from our users. More about

  • the Engineering ToolBox Privacy Policy

We use a third-party to provide monetization technologies for our site. You can review their privacy and cookie policy here.

You can change your privacy settings by clicking the following button: .

Advertise in the ToolBox

If you want to promote your products or services in the Engineering ToolBox - please use Google Adwords. You can target the Engineering ToolBox by using AdWords Managed Placements.

Citation

This page can be cited as

  • The Engineering ToolBox (2003). Gases - Specific Heats and Individual Gas Constants. [online] Available at: https://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/specific-heat-capacity-gases-d_159.html [Accessed Day Month Year].

Modify the access date according your visit.

Specific Heats and Individual Gas Constants (2024)
Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Melvina Ondricka

Last Updated:

Views: 5481

Rating: 4.8 / 5 (48 voted)

Reviews: 95% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Melvina Ondricka

Birthday: 2000-12-23

Address: Suite 382 139 Shaniqua Locks, Paulaborough, UT 90498

Phone: +636383657021

Job: Dynamic Government Specialist

Hobby: Kite flying, Watching movies, Knitting, Model building, Reading, Wood carving, Paintball

Introduction: My name is Melvina Ondricka, I am a helpful, fancy, friendly, innocent, outstanding, courageous, thoughtful person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.