The latent heat of fusion is the amount of heat energy required to change a substance from a solid to a liquid state, without changing its temperature. Everyday examples include freezing water, melting chocolate, and solidifying butter.
Understanding the latent heat of fusion is crucial in various fields, from food processing to materials science, where phase transitions play a significant role.
The formula for latent heat of fusion (Qf) is given by:
Qf=m⋅Lf
where m is the mass of the substance and Lf is the latent heat of fusion.
Real-Life Examples:
- a. Freezing/Melting of Ice
- b. Solidification of Molten Metal
- c. Butter Solidifying/ Melting
- d. Candle Wax Solidifying/Melting
- e. Chocolate Hardening/Melting
Important Points:
- a. Each substance has its own unique latent heat of fusion.
- b. The temperature remains constant during the phase change.
- c. Energy is absorbed during melting and released during freezing.
Simple Case Study – Freezing Water:
- Scenario: Freezing 1 kg of water into ice.
- Given: m=1 kg, Lf (for water)=334 J/g
- Calculation: Qf=m⋅Lf Qf=1 kg⋅334 J/g
- Result: Qf=334 kJ
