Find the latent heat of vaporization

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around finding the latent heat of vaporization for water at two specific temperatures, 15 °C and 115 °C, as part of an assignment in an introductory Food Engineering course. Participants explore the necessary information and assumptions required to approach the problem.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Assumption checking, Conceptual clarification

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • The original poster attempts to clarify the requirements of the assignment, expressing uncertainty about the need for additional information or assumptions. They mention equations related to latent heat and question the relevance of phase changes at the specified temperatures.
  • Some participants suggest using steam tables to find the necessary values for the calculations, while others question the appropriateness of using saturated versus superheated conditions for the given temperatures.

Discussion Status

The discussion is ongoing, with participants exploring different interpretations of the problem and the use of steam tables. Some guidance has been offered regarding the use of specific heat and temperature changes, but there is no explicit consensus on how to proceed with the calculations.

Contextual Notes

Participants note potential confusion regarding the phase of water at 15 °C and the implications for using steam tables. There is also mention of the original poster's lack of confidence in their mathematical and physics skills, which may affect their approach to the problem.

mibson
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Simple Q - Latent Heat of vaporization H20 @15 C and 115 C

sorry , I have reposted in the homework help section...

I am not good a math and physics and I am taking a intro Food Engineering course. My question on my assignment states " Find the latent heat of vaporization for water at 15 °C and 115 °C"

I know it is very simple but it seems like there is info left out for us to assume? or perhaps this is just found looking in tables. I am just not sure the correct answer.

Thanks for any help!

Mibson
 
Last edited:
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Homework Statement



I am not good a math and physics and I am taking a intro Food Engineering course. My question on my assignment states " Find the latent heat of vaporization for water at 15 °C and 115 °C"

I know it is very simple but it seems like there is info left out for us to assume? or perhaps this is just found looking in tables. I am just not sure the correct answer. I have search online and keep finding the equation Q = mL

Thanks for any help!

Mibson

Homework Equations



I know the equations in my notes but I don't think this even requires a calculation.

The molecular formula of water is H20 so perhaps I need the molecular mass of H and O thus 1.00794 and 2x(15.9994) = 33.00674 ; is this g/mol (its been 10 years since I took chemistry)

Latent Heat of Vaporization = Hg - Hf = Hfg (this is in my notes)

What I don't understand is that I thought the Latent Heat of Vaporization is for when a phase change is happening and I thought phase changes occur at ~0C and ~100C

Also in my notes it says Hg - Hf = Hfg = 2373.06 kJ/kg,


The Attempt at a Solution



I have read my notes 4 times and been doing this simple question for over two hours. It seems to me like the prof has not stated things we must assume to answer the question.

Perhaps it is just 2272 J/g?
 
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Well there really isn't much to assume. Things you know is the molecular formula of water, and you can easily find it's specific heat & heat of vaporization.

What formula do you think you will need to use in order to calculate it's latent heat of vaporization?
 
Last edited:
The molecular formula of water is H20 so perhaps I need the molecular mass of H and O thus 1.00794 and 2x(15.9994) = 33.00674 ; is this g/mol (its been 10 years since I took chemistry)

Latent Heat of Vaporization = Hg - Hf = Hfg (this is in my notes)

What I don't understand is that I thought the Latent Heat of Vaporization is for when a phase change is happening and I thought phase changes occur at ~0C and ~100C

Also in my notes it says Hg - Hf = Hfg = 2373.06 kJ/kg,

Thanks for the help!
 
Last edited:
It sounds like this may be something you need a steam table for (hg, hf, and hfg are out of a steam table). Do you have one?

IIRC, you can also use Hfg and add to it the h required to change the temperature from 15->100C (for the first part...). This would be based on Cp * dT (specific heat times temperature difference).

At some temperatures and pressures, water can exist in more than one phase. If it is evaporationg, it is changing from a liquid to a gas, and as you know air at normal everyday temperatures is capable of holding a certain amount of water vapor.
 
I have a steam table but don't undertand it completely. I have to chose one of two tabs : staturated OR superheated/subcooled ; The only one where temperature is the only input is the saturated one but I don't see how there would only be steam at 15C perhaps at 115C it will all be steam. Basically using the "staturated" tab does not make a lot of sense to me as I don't see how the h2o at 15C would be saturated steam...
 

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