What type of energy is released or absorbed as water changes from one state to another?

The release or absorption of energy when water changes from one state to another, such as solid to liquid (melting) or liquid to gas (evaporation), is referred to as latent heat energy. This energy is specifically associated with phase changes and is not reflected in changes to temperature but rather in the energy required to change the bonds between water molecules.

When water freezes, latent heat is released as the molecules form solid structures; conversely, when ice melts, it absorbs latent heat as molecules transition into the liquid state. Similarly, during evaporation, water absorbs latent heat to transition from liquid to vapor, and during condensation, latent heat is released when vapor changes back to liquid. This characteristic of latent heat is critical in understanding various atmospheric and environmental processes, as it plays a significant role in weather patterns, heat distribution, and energy transfer in nature.

In contrast, kinetic energy refers to the energy of motion, while potential energy relates to stored energy based on an object's position or configuration. Thermal energy concerns the total internal energy of a substance due to the temperature of its molecules. Although thermal energy plays a role during state changes by affecting the temperature, it is the latent heat energy specifically that governs the phase transitions of water.