What term describes the energy that is absorbed or released during a change of physical state, such as melting or boiling, without any accompanying change in temperature?

Explanation

Latent heat refers to the amount of energy that is absorbed or released during a change of physical state, such as when a solid melts into a liquid or a liquid boils into a gas, notably without any accompanying change in the substance’s temperature during that specific transition. This is why water remains at a constant 100 degrees Celsius throughout the entire boiling process at standard pressure, even though heat energy continues to be added, since that added energy is instead being used to convert liquid water into vapor. Latent heat plays an important practical role in various everyday phenomena, including the cooling effect produced as sweat evaporates from skin. Explore more Everyday Science MCQs on mcqstutor to keep practicing.