Heat capacity properties are often prefixed with the term "specific". International standards now recommend that specific heat capacity always refer to division by mass. The units for the specific heat capacity are formula_7. In chemistry, heat capacity is often specified relative to one mole, the unit of amount of substance, and is called the molar heat capacity. It has the unit formula_8. For some considerations it is useful to specify the volume-specific heat capacity, commonly called volumetric heat capacity, which is the heat capacity per unit volume and has SI units formula_9. This is used almost exclusively for liquids and solids, since
Arbitrary unit only serves to compare multiple measurements performed in similar environment, since the ratio between the measurement and the reference is a consistent and dimensionless quantity independent of what actual units are used. Units of such kind are commonly used in fields such as physiology to indicate substance concentration, and spectroscopy to express spectral intensity. When the reference measurement is precisely defined and internationally agreed upon, arbitrary units can also be a unit capable of public comparison. One example of a publicly defined arbitrary unit is the WHO International Unit. Abbreviations for "arbitrary unit" include: arb. unit, arb. u., AU, and