Thermal inertia

Thermal inertia is a material’s tendency to resist rapid temperature change, chiefly because of its heat capacity and thermal conductivity.

Heat capacity: The heat required to raise a substance’s temperature by a specified amount. A material with greater heat capacity needs more energy for the same temperature rise.
Diurnal temperature variation: The change in air or surface temperature over the course of a day. Daily temperature ranges reveal how strongly ground and nearby materials store heat.
Temperature: A physical quantity that describes the thermal state of matter. Thermal inertia concerns how quickly this quantity changes.
Thermal resistance: A measure of how strongly a material or assembly opposes heat flow. Resistance limits heat transfer; inertia instead describes resistance to rapid temperature change.
Specific heat capacity: The heat required to raise the temperature of a unit mass of a substance by one degree. It measures the energy storage per mass that contributes to thermal inertia.
Urban heat island: The tendency for urban areas to be warmer than surrounding rural areas. Built surfaces store and release heat, helping keep cities warm after sunset.
Heat: Energy transferred between systems because of a temperature difference. Heat flow drives the temperature changes that inertia delays.
Thermal insulation: Materials or methods that reduce heat transfer between regions. Insulation slows heat flow, but does not necessarily provide substantial heat storage.
Thermal diffusivity: A material property describing how quickly temperature changes spread through it. It combines conductivity with heat storage to set the speed of internal temperature response.
Building thermal mass: The heat-storing capacity of a building’s materials and structure. Designers use it to reduce indoor temperature swings and shift heating or cooling demand.

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