Specific surface area (SSA) is a property of solids defined as the total surface area (SA) of a material per unit mass, (with units of m/kg or m/g). Alternatively, it may be defined as SA per solid or bulk volume (units of m/m or m).
It is a physical value that can be used to determine the type and properties of a material (e.g. soil or snow). It has a particular importance for adsorption, heterogeneous catalysis, and reactions on surfaces.