Question

High specific latent heat capacity of ice implies that during melting of ice
(A) high amount of heat is absorbed
(B) high amount of heat is released
(C) low amount of heat is absorbed
(D) low amount of heat is released

Answer 1

Hint: Latent heat denotes the amount of heat absorbed or released per gm during change of state. Latent heat of fusion denotes the amount of heat absorbed or released per gm when state changes from solid to liquid or liquid to solid. Latent heat of vaporization denotes the amount of heat absorbed or released per gm when state changes from liquid to gas or gas to liquid. Also, When a solid converts to liquid it absorbs heat and when a liquid converts to gas it absorbs heat.

Complete step by step solution:
When ice melts, the state change is from solid to liquid, this means that ice will absorb heat during the process. The latent heat of fusion denotes the amount of heat released by 1gm water when it converts to ice, or the amount of heat absorbed by 1gm ice when it converts to water.
Hence, high specific latent heat of ice denotes that during melting of ice a high amount of heat is absorbed.

Therefore, the correct answer to the question is option : A

Note: Before attempting to solve the problem, the student needs to be able to understand the meaning of latent heat. At first glance, both option A and B seem correct, since both are correct definitions of latent heat, but on careful reading one can notice that the question states melting of ice, hence heat will be absorbed by ice during the process. This is a common mistake that students can make in this question.