Final answer:
When water boils at 212°F, it only absorbs latent heat, which is the heat energy absorbed or released during a phase change without a change in temperature.
Step-by-step explanation:
The correct answer is 1) latent.
When water boils at 212°F, it is only absorbing latent heat. Latent heat is the heat energy absorbed or released during a phase change without a change in temperature. In the case of water boiling, the liquid water converts into water vapor without any change in temperature. This phase change requires a significant amount of energy, known as the latent heat of vaporization, which is 539 cal/g for water.