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Latent Heat






This page is part of Matter in our Surroundings Class 9 notes for Chemistry.Topics covered in this page are
Table of Content

Latent heat:

  • The heat energy which has to be supplied to change the state of a substance is called its latent heat.
  • Latent heat does not raise (or increase) the temperature. But latent heat has always to be supplied to change the state of a substance .The word ‘latent’ means ‘hidden’.
  • The latent heat which we supply is used up in overcoming the forces of attraction between the particles of substance during the change of state. Latent heat does not increase the kinetic energy of the particles of the substance, so the temperature of a substance does not rise during the change of state.

Latent heat is of two types:

  1. Latent heat of fusion
  2. Latent heat of vaporization.

Latent Heat of Fusion (solid to liquid change):

  • The heat which is going into ice but not increasing its temperature, is the energy required to change the state of ice from solid to liquid (water). This is known as the latent heat of fusion of ice (or latent heat of melting of ice).
  • The latent heat  of fusion (or melting) of a solid is the quantity of heat in joules required to convert 1 kilogram of the solid (at its melting point) to liquid, without any change in temperature.
  • The latent heat of fusion of ice is 3.34×105 joules per kilogram (or 3.34 ×105 j/kg).

Latent Heat of Vaporization (liquid to gas change):

  • The latent heat of vaporisation of a liquid is the quantity of heat in joules required to convert 1 kilogram of the liquid (at its boiling point) to vapour or gas, without any change in temperature.
  • The latent heat of vaporization of water is 22.5×105 joules per kilogram (or 22.5×105 j/kg).
  • Note: It has been found that the burns caused by steam are much more severe than those caused by boiling water though both of them are at the same temperature of 100 °C. This is due to the fact that steam contains more heat, in the form of latent heat, than boiling water.

Test your Knowlegde

Fill in the blanks
16) Latent heat does not raise (or increase) the __________________.
17) The __________________   of a solid is the quantity of heat  in joules required to convert 1 kilogram of the solid (at its melting point) to liquid, without any change in temperature.
18) The latent heat of fusion  of ice is _____ joules per kilogram
19) The __________________  of a liquid is the quantity of heat in joules required to convert 1 kilogram of the liquid (at its boiling point) to vapour or gas, without any change in temperature.
20) The latent heat of vaporization of water is __________ joules per kilogram

Answer

1)minimum
16) temperature
17) Latent heat of Fusion
18)3.34x105
19)Latent heat of vaporisation
20) 22.5x105



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