Final answer:
The statement that sweat evaporation cools the body because it is an endothermic process is true. The enthalpy of vaporization indicates the amount of heat energy needed for evaporation, leading to a cooling effect that helps maintain body temperature homeostasis.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that sweat evaporation cools the body because evaporation is an endothermic process is indeed true. When water in the form of sweat evaporates from the skin, it requires the absorption of energy to break the hydrogen bonds holding the water molecules together in the liquid state. The enthalpy of vaporization (ΔHvap) is the amount of heat energy needed to turn liquid water into water vapor. A positive ΔHvap value, such as the given 44.01 kJ, indicates that the process is endothermic.
During the evaporative cooling effect, the necessary heat is taken from the body, resulting in a cooling sensation. This is an essential mechanism that the body uses to maintain homeostasis of body temperature, particularly during hot weather or while exercising. Sweat evaporation can be affected by environmental conditions such as humidity, where high humidity can inhibit the evaporation rate, potentially leading to a rise in body temperature and leaving unevaporated sweat on the skin.