What type of heat causes a change in temperature of a substance?

Sensible heat refers to the type of heat that affects the temperature of a substance without changing its phase. When you add or remove sensible heat from a substance, you will directly observe a change in temperature, which can be measured with a thermometer. Sensible heat includes the energy that raises or lowers the temperature of a solid, liquid, or gas up until the point of phase change.

This concept is fundamental in HVAC as it relates to the heating and cooling of air or fluids in various systems. For example, when heating water, the increase in temperature as it approaches boiling is due to sensible heat, whereas latent heat would be involved when the water transitions from a liquid to a gas, where the temperature remains constant despite the heat addition during the phase change.

Understanding sensible heat is crucial for HVAC professionals as it directly impacts comfort levels in built environments and determines the required energy inputs for heating and cooling systems.