What is the specific heat for ice compared to water and steam?

The specific heat capacity of a substance is a measure of how much energy is required to raise the temperature of a unit mass of that substance by one degree Celsius.

For water, the specific heat capacity is typically defined as 1 cal/g°C, which is a standard reference point for thermodynamic calculations. This value reflects the relatively high energy required to change the temperature of water compared to many other substances.

Steam, which is vaporized water, has a lower specific heat capacity than liquid water because it is in a gaseous state. The specific heat of steam is about 0.5 cal/g°C, meaning it requires less energy to raise the temperature of steam by the same amount compared to water.

Ice has an even lower specific heat capacity, around 0.5 cal/g°C as well. This indicates that ice—the solid form of water—requires less energy to change its temperature than liquid water.

Thus, the correct choice accurately represents the specific heat values for water, steam, and ice, with water being highest, followed by steam and ice, both at a lower level.