Sensible Heat

Sensible heat is the energy that changes a substance's temperature without changing its phase, and which can be 'sensed' by a thermometer. It equals mass times specific heat capacity times the temperature change.

Heating water from 20 to 90 degrees adds sensible heat: the temperature rises measurably. Sensible heat contrasts with latent heat, where energy drives a phase change at constant temperature. Most heating, cooling and heat-recovery calculations distinguish the two, because the sensible portion is recoverable down to the local ambient or process temperature while latent heat in vapours can be captured only by condensing.

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