Question

In biology, what does the term "high heat of vaporization" refer to?

A) The amount of heat required to raise the temperature of a substance by 1 degree Celsius
B) The energy needed to convert a liquid into vapor at a constant temperature
C) The ability of a substance to resist changes in pH
D) The measure of the disorder or randomness in a system

Answer 1

In biology, the term 'high heat of vaporization' refers to the energy required to convert a liquid to vapor at its boiling point, a process that is especially energy-intensive for water due to its hydrogen bonding.

Step-by-step explanation:

The term "high heat of vaporization" in biology refers to the energy needed to convert a liquid into vapor at a constant temperature. This process occurs at the boiling point of the liquid, where heat energy is absorbed to overcome the intermolecular forces holding the molecules together in the liquid state and allow them to escape into the gas phase. For water, this requires a particularly high amount of energy due to its extensive hydrogen bonding network, leading to a high heat of vaporization. The heat of vaporization of water is approximately 40.65 kJ/mol, indicating that vaporization is a highly energy-intensive process.