How is specific heat capacity defined?

Specific heat capacity is defined as the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of one gram of a substance by one degree Celsius. This concept is essential in understanding how different materials respond to heat. Each substance has a unique specific heat capacity, which reflects how much energy it can store and how quickly it can change temperature when heat is added or removed.

For instance, water has a high specific heat capacity, meaning it requires a significant amount of heat to cause a change in temperature. This property plays an important role in various scientific and practical applications, including climate science, cooking, and engineering.

The other definitions provided in the options relate to different heat processes but do not specifically describe specific heat capacity. For example, the heat needed to boil or freeze a substance refers to heat of vaporization and heat of fusion, respectively. The heat absorbed during a chemical reaction pertains to changes in enthalpy rather than specific heat capacity itself.