Heat, Latent

LATENT HEAT IS energy in the form of heat released or absorbed by a substance during a phase change of the substance. The amount of latent heat involved with condensation/evaporation and freezing/melting are different under different temperatures and pressures. As temperature increases, latent heat of vaporization decreases, but that of fusion increases. Water is not the only substance that has three different phases at a normal temperature range in the universe, but it is the most abundant substance like this on Earth. A larger amount of latent heat is involved with the phase change of water. Through this transfer of latent heat, the water cycle determines surface and [Page 500]atmospheric conditions, as well as atmospheric circulation. Evaporative cooling and condensation heating moderate the surface temperature. ...