In an experiment to find specific latent heat of fusion of ice, you might:
- Use a known mass of ice at 0°C in an insulated container
- Supply a known electrical power (P = IV) for a measured time
- Energy supplied: E = P × t (in Joules)
- All this energy goes into melting the ice (temperature stays at 0°C)
- Calculate: L = E / m
Sources of error: Heat loss to surroundings (use insulation), not all ice melting. To correct, run a "blank" experiment with no heater to measure melting from room-temperature heat alone.
Cooling curves: You can also determine L from cooling — the flat section on a cooling curve is where energy is released as a liquid freezes. Time × power = E = mL gives you L.
This higher tier covers Higher Tier: Calculating Latent Heat from Experimental Data within Specific Latent Heat for GCSE Physics. Revise Specific Latent Heat in Particle Model for GCSE Physics with 13 exam-style questions and 30 flashcards. This is a high-frequency topic, so it is worth revising until the explanation feels precise and repeatable. It is section 9 of 12 in this topic. This section is most useful once the core foundation idea is secure, because it adds the detail that pushes answers higher.
Practice questions for Specific Latent Heat
What is specific latent heat?
During a state change, energy is being supplied to a substance but the temperature does not change. Explain where this energy goes.