Sensible heat
# Sensible heat

Sensible heat is heat exchanged by a body or thermodynamic system in which the exchange of heat changes the temperature of the body or system, and some macroscopic variables of the body or system, but leaves unchanged certain other macroscopic variables of the body or system, such as volume or pressure.

## Usage

Thermodynamics :

The classical Carnot heat engine :

Branches

Classical

Statistical

Chemical

Quantum thermodynamics

Equilibrium / Non-equilibrium :

Laws

Zeroth

First

Second

Third :

Systems

Closed system

Open system

Isolated system

State

Equation of state

Ideal gas

Real gas

State of matter

Phase (matter)

Equilibrium

Control volume

Instruments

Processes

Isobaric

Isochoric

Isothermal

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Free expansion

Reversibility

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Cycles

Heat engines

Heat pumps

Thermal efficiency :

System propertiesNote: Conjugate variables in italics

Property diagrams

Intensive and extensive properties

Process functions

Work

Heat

Functions of state

Temperature / Entropy (introduction)

Pressure / Volume

Chemical potential / Particle number

Vapor quality

Reduced properties :

Material properties

Property databases

Specific heat capacity 

$c=$

$T$$\partial S$$N$$\partial T$

Compressibility 

$\beta =-$

$1$$\partial V$$V$$\partial p$

Thermal expansion 

$\alpha =$

$1$$\partial V$$V$$\partial T$ :

Equations

Carnot's theorem

Clausius theorem

Fundamental relation

Ideal gas law

Maxwell relations

Onsager reciprocal relations

Bridgman's equations

Table of thermodynamic equations :

Potentials

Free energy

Free entropy

Internal energy $U(S,V)$Enthalpy $H(S,p)=U+pV$Helmholtz free energy $A(T,V)=U-TS$Gibbs free energy $G(T,p)=H-TS$ :

HistoryCulture

History

General

Entropy

Gas laws

"Perpetual motion" machines

Philosophy

Entropy and time

Entropy and life

Brownian ratchet

Maxwell's demon

Heat death paradox

Loschmidt's paradox

Synergetics

Theories

Caloric theory

Vis viva ("living force")

Mechanical equivalent of heat

Motive power

Key publications

An Experimental Enquiry Concerning ... Heat

On the Equilibrium of Heterogeneous Substances

Reflections on the Motive Power of Fire

Timelines

Thermodynamics

Heat engines

ArtEducation

Maxwell's thermodynamic surface

Entropy as energy dispersal :

Scientists

Bernoulli

Boltzmann

Bridgman

Carathéodory

Carnot

Clapeyron

Clausius

de Donder

Duhem

Gibbs

von Helmholtz

Joule

Kelvin

Lewis

Massieu

Maxwell

von Mayer

Nernst

Onsager

Planck

Rankine

Smeaton

Stahl

Tait

Thompson

van der Waals

Waterston :

Other

Nucleation

Self-assembly

Self-organization

Order and disorder :

Category :

vte :

The term is used in contrast to a latent heat, which is the amount of heat exchanged that is hidden, meaning it occurs without change of temperature. For example, during a phase change such as the melting of ice, the temperature of the system containing the ice and the liquid is constant until all ice has melted. The terms latent and sensible are correlative.

The sensible heat of a thermodynamic process may be calculated as the product of the body's mass (m) with its specific heat capacity (c) and the change in temperature ($\Delta T$):

    $Q_{sensible}=mc\Delta T\,.$

Sensible heat and latent heat are not special forms of energy. Rather, they describe exchanges of heat under conditions specified in terms of their effect on a material or a thermodynamic system.

In the writings of the early scientists who provided the foundations of thermodynamics, sensible heat had a clear meaning in calorimetry. James Prescott Joule characterized it in 1847 as an energy that was indicated by the thermometer.

Both sensible and latent heats are observed in many processes while transporting energy in nature. Latent heat is associated with changes of state, measured at constant temperature, especially the phase changes of atmospheric water vapor, mostly vaporization and condensation, whereas sensible heat directly affects the temperature of the atmosphere.

In meteorology, the term 'sensible heat flux' means the conductive heat flux from the Earth's surface to the atmosphere. It is an important component of Earth's surface energy budget. Sensible heat flux is commonly measured with the eddy covariance method.

