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Energy is
associated with the phase of matter, i.e. solid-liquid-vapor.
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To change the
phase of a substance energy must either be added or taken away from the
substance.
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For example, to
turn liquid water into solid water (ice) you must take energy away from the
liquid. You do this every day in
your refrigerator.
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Another example
is the boiling of water. You
fill a pan with liquid water and put it on the stove burner. The burner is transferring heat to
the pan and the pan to the water via conduction. The temperature of the liquid water in the pan increases
to 100 C. At this point any
additional energy that is added to the liquid water does not increase the
temperature. Instead, the
additional energy is used to change the liquid into vapor (change the phase).
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Q: Why would
latent heat be an important source of energy in the atmosphere?
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A: When water in
the atmosphere, be it solid, liquid or vapor, changes phase, energy must
either be taken from the atmosphere or added to the atmosphere.
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