What is it called when a substance experiences a change in temperature but not a change in phase?

What is it called when a substance experiences a change in temperature but not a change in phase?

• A. Latent Heat
• B. Specific Heat
• C. Sensible Heat
• D. Heat of Vaporization

Answer: (C)

Sensible heat is the energy exchanged that changes a substance’s temperature without changing its phase. When you add or remove heat within the same phase, the molecules’ average kinetic energy changes, so the temperature shifts. The amount of this heat is given by Q = m c ΔT, where m is mass, c is the substance’s specific heat, and ΔT is the change in temperature. This differs from latent heat, which is involved in a phase change (melting, freezing, boiling) at nearly constant temperature—calculated as Q = m L, with L being the latent heat of fusion or vaporization. Heat of vaporization is a specific latent heat for turning a liquid into a vapor. Specific heat is a property used to compute sensible heat, not the type of heat itself. So the energy causing a temperature change without a phase change falls under sensible heat.

Sensible heat is the energy exchanged that changes a substance’s temperature without changing its phase. When you add or remove heat within the same phase, the molecules’ average kinetic energy changes, so the temperature shifts. The amount of this heat is given by Q = m c ΔT, where m is mass, c is the substance’s specific heat, and ΔT is the change in temperature. This differs from latent heat, which is involved in a phase change (melting, freezing, boiling) at nearly constant temperature—calculated as Q = m L, with L being the latent heat of fusion or vaporization. Heat of vaporization is a specific latent heat for turning a liquid into a vapor. Specific heat is a property used to compute sensible heat, not the type of heat itself. So the energy causing a temperature change without a phase change falls under sensible heat.