What term is used to describe heat absorbed or released during a phase change?

Latent heat is the term used to describe the heat absorbed or released during a phase change. This process occurs without a change in temperature; instead, the heat energy is utilized to change the state of a substance. Common examples include the heat required to melt ice into water or to vaporize water into steam. During these transitions, the temperature of the substance remains constant until the phase change is complete.

In contrast, specific heat refers to the amount of heat required to change the temperature of a unit mass of a substance by one degree Celsius, which does not apply during phase changes. Sensible heat is the heat exchanged by a substance that results in a temperature change, again highlighting that it is not relevant during phase changes. Heat capacity, which refers to the total heat required to change a substance's temperature, encompasses both sensible and latent heat but does not specifically describe the heat involved in phase changes alone. Therefore, latent heat is the precise term recognized for the heat energy involved during these transitions.