1. What is Latent Heat of Fusion?

The latent heat of fusion is the amount of heat energy required to change a substance from solid to liquid phase at constant temperature and pressure. It's a characteristic property of materials.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the latent heat of fusion formula:

Where:

• \( L_f \) — Latent heat of fusion (J/kg)
• \( Q \) — Heat energy (J)
• \( m \) — Mass of substance (kg)

Explanation: The formula calculates the energy per unit mass needed for phase transition from solid to liquid.

3. Importance of Latent Heat Calculation

Details: Understanding latent heat is crucial in thermodynamics, material science, and engineering applications like refrigeration, metallurgy, and climate science.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter heat energy in joules (J) and mass in kilograms (kg). Both values must be positive numbers.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What's the difference between latent heat of fusion and vaporization?
A: Fusion is for solid-liquid transition, while vaporization is for liquid-gas transition. Vaporization typically requires more energy.

Q2: What are typical latent heat values for common substances?
A: Water: 334 kJ/kg, Lead: 23 kJ/kg, Iron: 272 kJ/kg. Values vary significantly between materials.

Q3: Does latent heat depend on temperature?
A: It varies slightly with pressure and temperature, but is generally treated as constant for a given substance.

Q4: Why is latent heat important in weather patterns?
A: It's crucial for understanding energy transfer in phase changes of water, affecting cloud formation and precipitation.

Q5: How is this different from specific heat capacity?
A: Specific heat relates to temperature change, while latent heat relates to phase change at constant temperature.