What formula is used to calculate heat transfer?

The formula used to calculate heat transfer is Q = mcΔT. In this formula, Q represents the amount of heat transferred, m is the mass of the substance, c is the specific heat capacity, and ΔT is the change in temperature. This equation applies when a substance undergoes a temperature change without a phase change, which is common in many thermal processes.

The term specific heat capacity refers to the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of a unit mass of a substance by one degree Celsius. Therefore, this formula effectively quantifies heat transfer by considering both the mass of the material and its capacity to absorb heat, as well as how much the temperature changes during the process.

In contrast, the other options represent different physical concepts that do not apply to heat transfer in the context described. The equation mgh relates to gravitational potential energy, PV corresponds to the ideal gas law, and mRT represents the work done on or by an ideal gas under certain conditions. Each of these serves specific purposes in thermodynamics or mechanics but does not provide a framework for analyzing heat transfer as directly as the chosen formula.