Dive into the 2025 NY Wastewater Exam – Flush Away the Competition with Confidence!

The term that refers to the amount of heat needed to raise the temperature of one gram of water by one degree Celsius is calorie. This unit specifically quantifies the thermal energy exchange during heating and is fundamental in fields like chemistry and biology when calculating energy changes in reactions and processes involving water.

In contrast, joules measure energy in general and can also represent heat, but they are not specifically defined in relation to water in the same way calories are. British Thermal Units (BTUs) are larger units of heat, commonly used in heating and air conditioning applications, and represent the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of one pound of water by one degree Fahrenheit, which is a different scale and context. The term "brittle" does not relate to heat or temperature changes at all, but rather describes the mechanical properties of materials. Thus, calorie is a more precise term for the scenario described in the question.