Heat, Sensible

IF THE MOVEMENT of energy to or from a substance can be sensed (for example, with a thermometer) as a rise or fall in temperature, then it is referred to as [Page 501]sensible heat. By contrast, if the movement of energy to or from a substance has a different result, such as evaporation, there will be no change in temperature. In this case, the energy is held dormant in the substance for release should the substance revert to its initial state (for example, via condensation). For this reason it is called latent heat. Changes in the sensible heat content of a substance (such as air) result in temperature changes, but latent heat movements (such as by evaporation) do not. The rate of sensible heat flow ...