Which type of heat causes a change of state in a substance?

Latent heat is the type of heat that causes a change of state in a substance without changing its temperature. This heat is absorbed or released during phase transitions such as melting, freezing, vaporization, and condensation. For instance, when ice melts into water, it absorbs latent heat from its environment, allowing the phase change to occur while remaining at 0 degrees Celsius. Similarly, when water vapor condenses into liquid water, latent heat is released.

In contrast, specific heat refers to the amount of heat needed to raise the temperature of a unit mass of a substance by one degree Celsius, which does not involve a change of state. Conduction is a method of heat transfer through direct contact between materials, again not affecting the phase of a substance directly. Sensible heat is the heat that causes a change in temperature but not a change in state. Therefore, latent heat stands apart as the key element that facilitates phase changes while maintaining temperature stability during those transitions.