What does the term "latent heat" refer to?

Latent heat refers to the amount of heat energy absorbed or released by a substance during a phase change without a change in temperature. This concept is critical in understanding various physical processes, such as the melting of ice into water or the vaporization of water into steam. During these processes, energy is either absorbed (during melting and vaporization) or released (during freezing and condensation), but the temperature of the substance remains constant while the phase transition occurs.

This phenomenon is crucial in many applications, including meteorology, refrigeration, and HVAC systems, where understanding how heat transfer works during phase changes can help optimize performance and energy efficiency. Other choices do not relate to the core concept of latent heat, as they refer to different types of heat interactions or processes.