1. What is Heat of Transformation?

Heat of transformation refers to the energy absorbed or released during a phase change of a substance at constant temperature. This includes latent heat of fusion (melting/freezing) and latent heat of vaporization (evaporation/condensation).

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the heat of transformation formula:

Where:

• \( Q \) — Heat energy (Joules)
• \( m \) — Mass of the substance (grams)
• \( L \) — Latent heat of transformation (J/g)

Explanation: The formula calculates the amount of heat energy required for a phase change without temperature change.

3. Importance of Heat Calculation

Details: Calculating heat of transformation is essential in thermodynamics, HVAC systems, material science, and various engineering applications where phase changes occur.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter mass in grams and latent heat in J/g. Both values must be positive numbers. The calculator will compute the total heat energy in Joules.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What's the difference between latent heat and specific heat?
A: Latent heat is for phase changes at constant temperature, while specific heat is for temperature changes without phase change.

Q2: What are typical values for latent heat?
A: Water has latent heat of fusion ≈334 J/g and latent heat of vaporization ≈2260 J/g at standard conditions.

Q3: Can this calculator be used for both melting and boiling?
A: Yes, just use the appropriate latent heat value for the specific phase change.

Q4: Why are the units in J/g instead of J/kg?
A: The calculator uses J/g for consistency with common measurements, but you can convert from J/kg by dividing by 1000.

Q5: Is heat of transformation always positive?
A: Energy absorbed during melting/vaporization is positive, while energy released during freezing/condensation is negative.