Question

how can the temperature of a substance remain the same even if the substance is absorbing thermal engergy

Answer 1

The temperature of a substance remains constant during a phase change even as it absorbs heat, because the energy is used to break intermolecular bonds rather than increase kinetic energy.

Step-by-step explanation:

The temperature of a substance can remain constant even if it is absorbing thermal energy during a phase change. This is because the energy absorbed is used in breaking or forming the intermolecular bonds rather than increasing the kinetic energy of the particles, which usually manifests as a temperature increase. An example of this is when ice at 0°C absorbs energy and becomes water at 0°C. Known as latent heat, the energy absorbed or released during a phase change does not cause a temperature change in the substance. Only after a phase change is complete will additional thermal energy change the temperature of the substance.

Answer 2

Temperature remains constant despite the application of thermal energy because phase change does not occur within the substance. To put it simply, here’s an example: You are drinking an orange juice outside and you decided to grab some ice to cool your juice. The mixture then turns into half ice and half juice with a temperature of exactly 0 degrees. But as you hold your glass, the ice begins to melt but the contents of the glass don’t change temperature. This happens because the thermal energy going into the glass come from the gas outside of the air which is the reason why the ice is melting causing the mixture not to warm up but do the opposite.