Question

is specific heat (heat capacity) and latent heat the same ???

Answer 1

no it is not the same

Answer 2

Specific heat: = energy required to change a unit mass of a material by 1°C. Units: energy per unit mass per degree.Latent heat = energy required to change the state (gas, liquid, solid) of a unit mass of material. Units: energy per unit mass.

Both specific heat and latent heat are properties of a given material. In other words, every time the material is heated/cooled, no matter how quickly or by what heating process, the same amount of heat is transferred to reach the same state.

Change in energy of a substance:

To raise/lower its temperature:
DE = CpM DT

To change its state:
DE = LM

where 
DE = change in energy
DT = temperature change
M = mass
Cp = specific heat
L = latent heat

Energy must be added

to increase the temperatureto melt it