Endless Facts, One Snippet at a Time
Latent Heat: The Hidden Energy of Phase Changes
- Latent heat is the hidden energy absorbed or released during a change of state.
- It doesn’t change temperature—it changes the phase, like ice melting to water.
- Melting ice absorbs latent heat, even though its temperature stays at 0°C.
- Steam condensing releases latent heat, warming the surroundings without changing temperature.
- This explains why sweating cools you—evaporation pulls latent heat from your skin.
- Latent heat fuels storms, as water vapor releases energy when it condenses into clouds.
- Freezing food works slowly because heat must be removed even at a steady temperature.
- Engineers harness latent heat in refrigeration and air conditioning systems.
- The large latent heat of water makes it a key player in Earth’s climate balance.
- Latent heat is the quiet engine behind weather, cooling, and everyday phase changes.