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It takes 970 B.T.U.s to change one pound of water to steam at any temperature. When water evaporates from your skin, from a glass or swimming pool at room temperature it takes with it 970 B.T.U.s per pound of water. It is not necessary for water to be heated to 212F to evaporate. Whenever water evaporates (turns into a gas) it takes with it 970 B.T.U.s per pound. If you want to boil water, it takes one B.T.U. for each degree F you raise the temperature of water till you get to 212F. At 212F, at sea level, water will not get hotter than 212F until every last bit of it has turned into a gas.

The heat to transform liquid water to gas water is called the heat of vaporization, or the latent heat of evaporation. The heat to liquify water is called the heat of crystalization.

Because the water's heat of vaporization is so high, water has cooling power. Outdoor misters are based on this principle. They spray a super fine mist of water into the air. Because the water in this super fine mist has a very large surface area, it evaporates at normal ambient tempemeratures. Air is hydroscopic. That means air naturally absorbs water. The less water or humidity there is in the air, the faster this process takes place.

Whenever matter changes state from solid to liquid or liquid to gas, it takes heat to break the chemical bonds.

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15y ago

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