Question

Thermal capacity of a body depends on:
(This question has multiple correct options)
(A). The heat given
(B). The temperature raised
(C). The mass of the body
(D). The material of the body

Answer 1

Hint: The thermal capacity of a body is the heat energy that has to be absorbed or released by a body for a unit increase or decrease in its temperature respectively. Hence, it can also be said to be a product of the mass and the specific heat capacity of the body.
Formula used:
The thermal capacity $C$ of a body is given by
$C=\dfrac{H}{\Delta T}$
where $H$ is the heat absorbed or released by the body and $\Delta T$ is the change in temperature of the body.
The specific heat capacity $S$ of a body of mass $M$ is given by
$S=\dfrac{H}{M\Delta T}$
where $H$ is the heat absorbed or released by the body and $\Delta T$ is the change in temperature of the body.

Complete step by step answer:
The thermal capacity of a body is a measure of the thermal energy that has to be supplied or removed from it to bring about a unit change in its temperature. The more, the thermal capacity of the body, the greater is the amount of heat that must be given or removed from the body to bring about the unit change in its temperature. Hence, mathematically,
The thermal capacity $C$ of a body is given by
$C=\dfrac{H}{\Delta T}$ --(1)
where $H$ is the heat absorbed or released by the body and $\Delta T$ is the change in temperature of the body.
Also, the specific heat capacity of a material is the amount of heat that has to be given or removed from a body of unit mass made of that material to bring about a unit change in its temperature. It is an inherent characteristic property of the material. Hence, mathematically,

The specific heat capacity $S$ of a body of mass $M$ is given by
$S=\dfrac{H}{M\Delta T}$ ---(2)
where $H$ is the heat absorbed or released by the body and $\Delta T$ is the change in temperature of the body.
Putting (1) in (2), we get,
$S=\dfrac{C}{M}$
$\therefore C=MS$ --(3)
Hence, as we see from equation (3), the heat capacity of a body depends upon its mass and the specific heat capacity of its material. Hence, it depends upon the mass of the body and the material of the body.
Hence, the correct options are C) The mass of the body and D) The material of the body.

Note: Students often get confused between the heat capacity and the specific heat capacity. However, by keeping equation (3) in mind, students can get a clear understanding of the difference between the two. If the student would have got confused between the specific heat capacity and the heat capacity, they would have only marked Do as the correct answer and thought that there is no dependence upon the mass of the body anywhere in the picture. However, as we see in the answer explained above, that is not true.