Heat of vaporization

Definition

Heat of vaporization is the amount of energy required to convert 1 gram of a liquid into a gas at its boiling point. It is a crucial property for understanding the phase transitions and thermal regulation in biological systems.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Water has a high heat of vaporization, which helps with temperature regulation in living organisms.
2. The heat of vaporization for water is approximately 540 calories per gram at 100°C.
3. This property is essential for processes like sweating and transpiration, where it helps cool organisms.
4. Hydrogen bonding in water contributes to its high heat of vaporization, requiring more energy to break these bonds during phase transition.
5. In biological contexts, the heat of vaporization is vital for maintaining homeostasis by dissipating excess body heat.

Review Questions

• What is the significance of water's high heat of vaporization in biological systems?
• How does hydrogen bonding affect the heat of vaporization in water?
• Why is the heat of vaporization important for processes like sweating and transpiration?

Related terms

Specific Heat Capacity:

The amount of energy required to raise the temperature of 1 gram of a substance by 1 degree Celsius.

Evaporation:

The process by which molecules at the surface of a liquid absorb enough energy to change into the gaseous state.

Latent Heat: The amount of heat absorbed or released during a phase change without changing temperature.