Latent Heat

Definition

Latent heat is the energy absorbed or released by a substance during a phase change, such as melting or boiling, that occurs without changing its temperature.

Related terms

Heat Capacity:

The amount of heat needed to raise the temperature of an object by one degree Celsius.

Enthalpy:

A measure of total energy in a thermodynamic system. It includes the internal energy, which is the energy required to create a system, and the amount of energy required to make room for it by displacing its environment and establishing its volume and pressure.

Phase Change:

A transition between solid, liquid and gas phases of matter. It's usually caused by changes in pressure or temperature.