Water has a high (large) specific heat, about 1 cal/g-deg C. Specific heat depends upon phase. Ice and steam have lower specific heats than water. Specific heat varies slightly with temperature.

The specific heat is related to another term called the heat capacity. The heat capacity is usually reported as energy/mole-degree K. Heat capacities can be combined with heat of vaporization and heat of fusion to determine the energy required to change a solid to a liquid and a gas.