Question
A pan of water is boiling but does not change in temperature. The energy that is needed to turn the water into a gas is called the latent __ . What 3 words complete the sentence? Enter your answer
Answer
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Teddy
Professional · Tutor for 6 years
Answer
The three words that complete the sentence are 'latent heat of vaporization'.
Explanation
In thermodynamics, the term "latent heat" is used to describe the energy absorbed or released by a substance during a phase change. This latent heat causes the substance to change its state such as from a solid to a liquid, or in this case, liquid to gas without having an impact on its temperature. Since the water is boiling but not changing temperature, there must be a phase change happening. In order for the water to transition from a liquid state to a gaseous state, it requires additional energy. This extra energy pertains to latent heat and this process specifically, from liquid to gas, is referred to as 'latent heat of vaporization'. So, this latent heat is the energy needed by the water in the pan that’s boiling to change its physical state (from liquid to gas) instead of increasing its temperature.