Which energy transfer is associated with the melting of ice?

Which energy transfer is associated with the melting of ice?

• A. Release of energy.
• B. No energy transfer.
• C. Absorption of energy (latent heat of fusion).
• D. Energy transfer depends on color.

Answer: (C)

Melting ice is an endothermic process: energy must be supplied to overcome the forces holding the solid together so the molecules can move apart into a liquid. This energy goes into changing the arrangement of the molecules rather than increasing their speed, which is why it’s called latent heat of fusion. As melting occurs, energy is absorbed from the surroundings, and the temperature of the ice-water system stays around 0°C until all the ice has melted. Only after that does additional energy raise the liquid’s temperature. The other statements don’t fit: releasing energy would happen during freezing, no energy transfer wouldn’t allow melting, and color has no role in this energy transfer.

Melting ice is an endothermic process: energy must be supplied to overcome the forces holding the solid together so the molecules can move apart into a liquid. This energy goes into changing the arrangement of the molecules rather than increasing their speed, which is why it’s called latent heat of fusion. As melting occurs, energy is absorbed from the surroundings, and the temperature of the ice-water system stays around 0°C until all the ice has melted. Only after that does additional energy raise the liquid’s temperature. The other statements don’t fit: releasing energy would happen during freezing, no energy transfer wouldn’t allow melting, and color has no role in this energy transfer.