Latent Heat and Change of State The latent heat of a substance is the energy that is absorbed or released during a phase transition without changing the tem...
Latent Heat and Change of State
The latent heat of a substance is the energy that is absorbed or released during a phase transition without changing the temperature of the substance. Phase transitions involve a change in the arrangement of particles within a substance, such as solid to liquid or liquid to gas.
Examples:
The latent heat of fusion for water is the energy required to convert water from a solid to a liquid at a constant temperature.
The latent heat of vaporization for water is the energy required to convert water from a liquid to a gas at a constant temperature.
The latent heat of freezing for water is the energy required to convert water from a solid to a liquid at a constant pressure.
Key Points:
Latent heat is independent of temperature.
The latent heat of a substance can be negative.
Latent heat is always greater than the heat capacity of the substance.
Latent heat is involved in processes such as melting, freezing, evaporation, and condensation