Final answer:
Phase changes, where materials absorb or release energy without temperature change, can be utilized in thermal energy storage, cooling packs, heat pumps, and refrigeration systems to regulate temperature efficiently.
Step-by-step explanation:
During a change of state, a material may absorb or release energy instead of changing temperature. This phenomenon is particularly useful in various practical applications because it can be used to regulate temperature in a controlled way. The process of a substance changing from one state to another involves latent heat, which is the heat absorbed or released during a phase change where the temperature of the substance doesn't change.
One way this characteristic of phase changes can be used to solve problems is by creating efficient thermal energy storage systems. For example, substances with a high latent heat of fusion can be used in building materials to provide temperature regulation. During the daytime, these materials absorb heat, which prevents the building from getting too hot. At night, the heat is slowly released, helping to keep the building warm.
Another example is in the creation of cooling packs. These make use of endothermic reactions, which absorb heat, providing localized coldness without a change in temperature of the substance itself. This principle is also utilized in heat pumps and refrigeration systems, which rely on phase changes of refrigerants to absorb and release heat to cool and warm spaces as needed.