Which term refers to the energy content associated with phase changes?

Latent heat is the term that specifically refers to the energy absorbed or released by a substance during a phase change without a change in temperature. This concept is essential in thermodynamics, particularly in the analysis of processes like melting, freezing, evaporation, and condensation.

During a phase change, such as when ice melts into water or when water vaporizes into steam, the substance undergoes a transformation that requires energy input or release. The energy involved in these transitions is not reflected in a change in temperature but is crucial for the change of state to occur. For instance, when ice absorbs latent heat, it breaks the bonds that hold its molecules in a solid structure, transitioning it into liquid water.

Other terms listed have distinctions. Specific heat refers to the amount of energy required to change a unit mass of a substance’s temperature by one degree Celsius, rather than addressing phase changes. Enthalpy of vaporization is a specific term describing the latent heat associated with the transition from liquid to vapor phase but does not encompass all phase changes. Condensation heat relates specifically to the release of energy during the condensation phase, making it a subset of latent heat rather than a general term for energy associated with all phase changes.

The concept of latent heat is foundational in understanding energy