Remembering the two types:
- Fusion = Freezing/melting (solid-liquid boundary) — think "F for Floor" (the lower level)
- Vaporisation = Very hot (liquid-gas boundary) — think "V for Very high energy"
The equation E = mL: Think "Enormous mass x Latent heat = Enormous energy." Or use the triangle: E on top, m bottom-left, L bottom-right. Cover what you want to find.
Why steam burns more: Steam at 100°C → skin → condenses → releases 2,260,000 J/kg (latent heat) PLUS cools down further. Boiling water only cools down — no latent heat released. So steam is the nastier one.
This memory aid covers Memory Aid 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 8 of 12 in this topic. Use it for quick recall, then test yourself straight afterwards so the memory aid becomes usable in an answer.
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.