text: The word "latent" means "hidden". Latent energy is the energy required for a substance to change its state. Consider water boiling. The temperature will be constant at 100 degrees Celsius; it will not increase even though energy is being absorbed by the water. This energy is latent energy. It is being used to weaken the inter particle forces. Latent energy however does increase kinetic energy of particles. If it did not do so, particles would not be able to overcome the forces of attraction between them and move away from each other. Substances would not be able to change state.