What does the term "latent heat" refer to?

Latent heat refers to the heat energy required to change the phase of a substance without changing its temperature. This means that when a substance transitions from solid to liquid (melting) or from liquid to gas (vaporization), it absorbs or releases a specific amount of heat, known as latent heat. During these phase changes, the energy is used to break the bonds between molecules instead of increasing their temperature.

For instance, when ice melts into water, it absorbs heat from the surroundings; however, the temperature of the ice-water mixture remains constant until all the ice has melted. Similarly, when water boils to become steam, it requires additional heat for the phase transition, even though the temperature remains stable at the boiling point. Latent heat plays a crucial role in various industrial applications, including power generation and refrigeration, where phase changes are fundamental to the processes involved.