Final answer:
The statement about the heat of vaporization of water being measured on a thermometer is false. Heat of vaporization refers to the energy required to convert liquid water to water vapor and is not measured by a thermometer. Water has a high heat of vaporization because of strong hydrogen bonds requiring considerable energy to break.
Step-by-step explanation:
The heat of vaporization is indeed the energy required for liquid water to change to water vapor, but this energy is not measured on a thermometer. A thermometer measures temperature, not heat energy. The water's heat of vaporization is much higher compared to most other liquids, due to the strong hydrogen bonds between water molecules that require substantial energy to break. Water has a high heat of vaporization of approximately 2,250 J per gram or 40.65 kJ/mol. This energy is necessary to transform one gram of liquid water at its boiling point into water vapor. Even below its boiling point, water can undergo evaporation, releasing water vapor into the air and cooling the surrounding environment. This phenomenon plays a crucial role in biological processes, such as sweating in humans.