heat of condensation
- noun
- Specialized
:
calor de condensación
- When the gas condenses into a liquid, the heat of condensation is what makes the surface warm to the touch.
Examples
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Both of these add additional support, in the same way a bike tire does, where it is needed most, and the inner coil is the cold surface upon which condensation takes place, and the latent heat of condensation is transferred to the fluid being returned to the surface.
Blog text (9) -
And then, knowing the latent heat of condensation, you know how much heat had to be released in order to condense that much vapor to a liquid.
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Relatively low-temperature boiling and steaming are nevertheless rapid methods, thanks to water's density and heat of condensation.
Academic text (1999) -
The heat of condensation is released as the steam turns back into water, warming the surrounding air.
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Understanding the heat of condensation is crucial for predicting how much energy is released during the phase change from gas to liquid.
Synonyms
1
5.0
Heat taken in or given out when a material changes state, such as melting and boiling
Amount of energy absorbed or released when a substance changes state like ice melting
Surface Forms
Morphology
heat + of + condensation
The meaning is directly compositional: it denotes the quantity of heat associated with the process of condensation, formed by the noun 'heat' + 'of' + the process noun 'condensation'. While the full technical specification (per unit mass at boiling point, released heat) is scientific detail, an average B1 learner who knows both constituent words can infer that this refers to heat involved in condensation, so the expression is transparently built from its parts.
Etymology
Heat of condensation comes from the simple image of steam turning into water: when a gas cools and condensation happens, it gives off heat. So the term describes the 'amount of heat' that is released as the gas 'becomes a liquid'.