What is Enthalpy of vaporization?
The '''Enthalpy of vaporization''', also called the '''latent heat of vaporization'''<ref>A. Kayode Coker, ''Ludwig's Applied Process Design for Chemical and Petrochemical Plants'', Volume 1 (Amsterdam; Boston: Elsevier Gulf Professional Publications, 2007), p. 110</ref> is the change in the [[enthalpy]] needed to change an amount of liquid into a gas. It happens at a given pressure. The enthalpies of vaporization are usually measured at the normal boiling point for that [[substance]].<ref name=Reger431> Daniel Reger; Scott Goode, David Ball, ''Chemistry: Principles and Practice'' (Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole, Cengage Learning, 2010), p. 431</ref> The units are usually [[Joule|J]]/[[Mole (unit)|mol]]. An [[example]] is when the cooling effects of vaporization controls the [[body temperature]] of [[humans]].<ref name=Reger431/> Warm [[weather]] or [[Physical exercise|exercise]] creates heat in the body. This causes the body to [[sweat]] (or perspire). The body feels cooler when the liquid sweat [[evaporate]]s. As the [[humidity]] increases, the rate of evaporation decreases.<ref name=Reger431/> This determines the body's comfort level. == Related pages == * [[Enthalpy of fusion]] == References == {{Reflist}} {{Sci-stub}} {{States of matter}} [[Category:Physics]] [[Category:Chemical processes]]