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Question

Where does the heat energy go when the solid melts but its temperature remains the same?

The correct answer is
It is used to overcome the forces of attraction between the particles.

Melting Heat Energy Absorption Explained

When a solid substance melts, it absorbs heat energy. This process is called fusion.

During melting, the temperature of the substance remains constant. This is because the heat energy absorbed, known as the latent heat of fusion, is not used to increase the kinetic energy of the particles (which would raise the temperature). Instead, this energy is used for a specific purpose.

The heat energy is utilized to overcome the strong forces of attraction holding the particles of the solid in a fixed, rigid structure. By breaking these bonds, the particles gain more freedom to move, transitioning the substance from a solid state to a liquid state.

Therefore, the heat energy absorbed during melting at a constant temperature is used to break the forces of attraction between the particles.

This aligns with Option A: It is used to overcome the forces of attraction between the particles.

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Important Questions from Temperature and heat

  1. A Kelvin thermometer and a Fahrenheit thermometer both give the same reading for a certain sample. What would be the corresponding reading in a Celsius thermometer?

  2. Which of the following gases has highest value of critical temperature ?

  3. For carbon dioxide ($CO_2$), which is commonly used in industrial processes as a supercritical fluid, what is its critical temperature? Above this temperature, $CO_2$ cannot be liquefied regardless of how much pressure is applied, existing only as a supercritical fluid.
  4. A pressure cooker cooks food faster by

  5. The absolute zero temperature is 0 Kelvin. In °C unit, which one of the following is the absolute zero temperature?

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