Definition

Noun The enthalpy change, or heat energy, released when a unit mass of a substance transitions from the liquid phase to the solid phase at its freezing point. It is the latent heat associated with the process of solidification.

Usage

This term is used in scientific contexts, particularly in thermodynamics, physics, chemistry, and materials science, to quantify the energy released during freezing. * The heat of solidification for water is approximately 334 joules per gram. * Calculating the heat of solidification is essential for designing casting processes in metallurgy. * The released heat of solidification can slow the further cooling of a substance.

Advanced Usage

• The heat of solidification is numerically equal in magnitude but opposite in sign (exothermic vs. endothermic) to the heat of fusion required to melt the same mass of the solid.
• In engineering, managing the heat of solidification is critical to control microstructure and prevent defects in solidified materials like metals and alloys.

Variants and Related Words

• Latent heat of solidification: A synonymous term emphasizing the "hidden" energy change during the phase transition at constant temperature.
• Enthalpy of solidification: A more formal thermodynamic term for the same concept.
• Freezing point: The temperature at which solidification occurs under given conditions.
• Solidification: The process of becoming solid.

Synonyms

• Latent heat of freezing

Antonyms

• Heat of fusion: The heat absorbed by a unit mass of solid at its melting point when it melts.

Noun

1. heat liberated by a unit mass of liquid at its freezing point when it solidifies