# [A-level]Latent Heat Question, Help!

1. Jan 12, 2010

### Boogeyman

1. The problem statement, all variables and given/known data
The specific latent heat of vaporization of water at 28$$\circ$$C is 2.3 x 106JKg-1. It has been estimated that 1.2 x 1012 m3 of water is evaporated per day from the Earth's surface.

Given that the density of water is 1 x 103 kgm-3calculate the energy required to evaporate this volume of water.

3. The attempt at a solution

I'm thinking since the water is just evaporating and not boiling, the energy needed would be the heat required to just evaporate the water:

EH=mwater x latent heat
=2.67 x 1018J

But this is wrong. I realize I have not used the density of water but I do not know how to apply it. Is this question asking me to find the increase in internal energy?

In any case the volume of water is 1.02 x 109m3.

2. Jan 12, 2010

### rock.freak667

What did you use for the mass of water? You need to find the mass using mwater=ρV

3. Jan 12, 2010

### Boogeyman

I cannot believe I made such a silly mistake. For some reason I always saw the volume as the mass.

Anyways I got the correct answer now. Thanks.