What is meant by the term specific heat capacity?

Specific heat capacity does tell you how much energy a substance needs to increase their temperature and so substances with a low specific heat capacity (SHC) will increase in temperature more rapidly than those with a higher specific heat capacity. Another way of thinking about it is that low SHC substances have less capacity in their thermal energy store per degree than substances with a higher SHC. It takes less energy to fill it but that means they contain less thermal energy at the same temperature than something with a higher SHC. Because they contain less thermal energy they will also cool faster than something with a higher SHC. The reason metals often feel colder than non-metals is due to the transfer of thermal energy. Because of their atomic structure (metallic bonds) metals contain free electrons. These free electrons transfer thermal energy very rapidly. This means that when you put your hand on a metal surface it is able to quickly transfer the energy away from your hand making it feel colder than if you place your hand on a wooden surface, because it can’t transfer the thermal energy away as quickly.