What term describes the energy absorbed when a liquid boils?

• A. Sensible heat.
• B. Latent heat of vaporization.
• C. Latent heat of fusion.
• D. Thermal energy.

Answer: (B)

When a liquid boils, energy is absorbed to change the substance from liquid to gas rather than to raise its temperature. This specific energy is latent heat of vaporization. The temperature stays constant during boiling because the added energy goes into breaking intermolecular forces to form vapor.

Sensible heat would raise temperature without a phase change, while latent heat of fusion is for melting a solid into a liquid, and thermal energy is the total energy content, not the energy involved in boiling. So, the energy absorbed during boiling is latent heat of vaporization.