Specific Latent Heat Of Fusion - GCSE Physics Definition

The specific latent heat of fusion is the amount of heat energy required to change 1 kilogram of a solid into a liquid at its melting point, and to change a liquid into a solid by freezing it, without changing its temperature. The energy needed for particles to break free in a solid to become a liquid, is the same amount of energy needed for particles to form their bonds when turning a liquid into a solid. For instance, if you heat ice exactly to its melting point, the energy used to melt it, without making the water any hotter, is the specific latent heat of fusion. The same energy is needed to turn water into ice. Specific latent heat of vaporisation is usually measured in joules per kilogram (J/kg).