Essential idea: Thermal physics deftly demonstrates the links between the macroscopic measurements essential to many

scientific models with the microscopic properties that underlie these models.

3.1 Thermal Concepts

Lesson 4 - Specific Latent Heat
We will learn about:
Changes of State
Changes of State
Each change of state is given a different name.
Changing state requires ENERGY transfer
Gas
o i ling
B

sin g
d e n
Con
e l ting Liquid
M

z i ng
Solid Fre e
Working on
a Definition
Energy is needed to
change phase

• The specific latent
heat of fusion

• The specific latent heat

of vaporization
Do not confuse the two
Specific heat capacity is for temperature change
Specific latent heat is for phase change

For pure substance

Nothing melts during temperature change
Temperature doesn’t change during melting
Why temperature doesn’t change?
Ice Melting – steady at 0oC
Water Boiling – steady at 100oC

Energy is being supplied, but the temperature is not rising.

This energy is breaking intermolecular bonds

During the transition the energy no longer raises the temperature but
instead breaks bonds and separates the particles
Use kinetic theory to explain why the temperature of a substance stays constant during a
phase change.

In other words, Why can’t ice be greater than 0°C at atmospheric pressure?
The Latent Heat
The HIDDEN ENERGY that broke the intermolecular
bonds for it to change state is called:
‘The Latent Heat’

A substance’s Latent Heat is a measure of how much energy is

needed to Melt it or Boil it

Remember: Latent means hidden!

Working on a Definition
Energy needed to change phase

The specific latent heat of fusion of a substance is the heat needed to

change a mass of 1 kg the substance from a solid at its melting point
into liquid at the same temperature.

The specific latent heat of vaporisation of a substance is

the heat needed to change a mass of 1kg the substance from a liquid at
its boiling point into vapour at the same temperature.
Progress check

When a substance changes state, the

temperature increases during the
transition from one state to the other
Progress check

When a substance changes state, the

temperature increases during the
transition from one state to the other
Progress check

When a substance changes state, the

temperature does not change during the
transition from one state to the other
Progress check

When a substance changes state, the

temperature does not change during the
transition from one state to the other
Progress check
When a substance changes state, the temperature does not
change during the transition from one state to the other
This is because:

The energy is used to break intermolecular forces to separate

the molecules
Progress check
When a substance changes state, the temperature does not
change during the transition from one state to the other
This is because:

The energy is used to break intermolecular forces to separate

the molecules
Progress check

The specific latent heat of a substance is

a measure of how much heat energy is
needed to change its state
Progress check

The specific latent heat of a substance is

a measure of how much heat energy is
needed to change its state
Progress check

The specific latent heat of a fusion is the

energy needed for boiling
Progress check

The specific latent heat of a fusion is the

energy needed for boiling
Progress check

The specific latent heat of a vaporisation

is the energy needed for boiling
Progress check

The specific latent heat of a vaporisation

is the energy needed for boiling
Progress check

The specific latent heat of a vaporisation

and fusion are the same size
Progress check

The specific latent heat of a vaporisation

and fusion are the same size
 Do not confuse these concepts
Heat Capacity Specific heat capacity

Latent heat Specific latent heat

Heat Capacity Specific heat capacity

Energy needed to raise “its” ← ….. per kilogram

temperature by 1 Kelvin

Latent heat Specific latent heat

Energy needed to change “its” ← ….. per kilogram

phase
 Melting
The specific latent heat of fusion (melting) of ice at 0 ºC, for
example, is 334000 J.kg-1. This means that to convert 1 kg of ice at 0
ºC to 1 kg of water at 0 ºC, 334000 J of heat must be absorbed by the
ice.

Is melting
Melting
exothermic or
endothermic?
 Freezing
Conversely, when 1 kg of water at 0 ºC freezes to give 1 kg of ice
at 0 ºC, 334000 J of heat will be released to the surroundings.

Is freezing
Freezing
exothermic or
endothermic?
 Vaporization
For water at its normal boiling point of 100 ºC, the latent specific
latent heat of vaporization is 2260000 J.kg-1. This means that to
convert 1 kg of water at 100 ºC to 1 kg of steam at 100 ºC, 2260000 J
of heat must be absorbed by the water.

Is melting
Boiling
exothermic or
endothermic?
 Condensation
Conversely, when 1 kg of steam at 100 ºC condenses to give 1 kg of
water at 100 ºC, 2260 kJ of heat will be released to the surroundings.

Is melting
Condensing
exothermic or
endothermic?
 Specific Latent Heat
The specific latent heat of fusion (melting) of ice at 0 ºC, for
example, is 334000 J.kg-1. This means that to convert 1 kg of ice
at 0 ºC to 1 kg of water at 0 ºC, 334000 J of heat must be
absorbed by the ice.

Melting
Specific Latent Heat is the amount of energy needed to change
the phase if a unit mass of a substance

Q is Energy transfer J
M is Mass kg
L is Specific Latent heat Jkg-1
Specific latent heat of vaporization is 2,300,000 J/kg .
Specific latent heat of fusion is 330,000 J/kg .
1. Calculate the quantity and direction of heat transfer required to:
(a)convert 2 kg of water at 100oC into steam
(b)convert 3kg of water into into ice at 0oC.
2. Calculate the mass of 100oC water that can be converted into steam using
100,000J of energy
EXTRA: Calculate the mass of room temperature 23oC water that can be
converted into steam using 100,000J of energy (c=4200J/kgoC)
Scalding
What causes more damage, the same volume of water at 100°C or
steam at 100°C?

Explain your answer both using scientific language and layman's

language