What is the definition of specific heat capacity?

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Specific heat capacity tells you how resistant a material is to temperature change per unit mass. It’s the amount of heat needed to raise the temperature of one unit mass by one degree. In formula form, the heat added equals the mass times the specific heat capacity times the change in temperature (Q = m c ΔT). This value is an intensive property of the material and helps you compare how different substances store thermal energy. For example, water has a high c, so it takes a lot of energy to raise its temperature, while metals with lower c heat up more quickly.

The other ideas don’t define this property. The rate at which heat moves between objects describes heat transfer rate, not how much energy is needed per degree per mass. The maximum heat a system can store isn’t a standard definition for specific heat capacity. And the temperature at which a substance changes phase is its phase transition or melting/boiling point, not its specific heat.