What is the Difference Between Latent Heat and Specific Heat?
🆚 Go to Comparative Table 🆚The main difference between latent heat and specific heat lies in the way they affect the temperature of a substance. Here's a breakdown of the two concepts:
- Specific Heat: This refers to the amount of energy required to raise the temperature of 1 gram of a substance by 1 degree Celsius. It is a measure of the energy needed to heat a specific mass of a substance and is usually recorded in units like Joules per gram per degree Celsius (J/g°C) or calories per gram per degree Celsius (cal/g°C).
- Latent Heat: This is the energy absorbed or released by a substance during a phase change, such as melting, freezing, or evaporating, without causing a change in temperature. Latent heat is specific to the phase change, and the energy is used to break intermolecular bonds during the phase transition.
In summary, specific heat is related to the energy needed to change the temperature of a substance, while latent heat is related to the energy absorbed or released during a phase change without causing a temperature change.
Comparative Table: Latent Heat vs Specific Heat
The main difference between latent heat and specific heat lies in the processes they describe. Here is a table summarizing the differences between the two:
| Parameter | Latent Heat | Specific Heat |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Energy absorbed or released during a phase change (e.g., melting, boiling) | Amount of heat required to change the temperature of a substance by one degree |
| Measurement Phase | During phase change (e.g., solid to liquid, liquid to gas) | At constant pressure and for a quantity of 1 gram |
| Units | Joules per kilogram (J/kg) | Joules per gram per degree Celsius (J/g°C) |
| Applications | Phase changes, melting, boiling, fusion, vaporization | Temperature control, energy transfer, melting, boiling |
In summary, latent heat is associated with the energy exchanged during phase changes (e.g., melting, boiling), while specific heat is related to the amount of heat required to change the temperature of a substance by one degree.
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- Heat vs Temperature
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- Work vs Heat
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- Free Energy vs Enthalpy
- Heat Flow vs Heat Flux
- Thermal Conductivity vs Heat Transfer Coefficient
- Conduction vs Convection
- Kinetic Energy vs Temperature