How many BTUs are involved in converting 1 pound of liquid water at 212°F to steam?

To determine how many BTUs are involved in converting 1 pound of liquid water at 212°F to steam, it's essential to understand the concept of latent heat. When water transitions from a liquid to a gas (steam), it requires additional energy to break the molecular bonds, a process that does not change the temperature of the water but rather utilizes heat to change its state.

The latent heat of vaporization for water is the amount of energy required to convert 1 pound of water at its boiling point (212°F) to steam at the same temperature without any change in temperature. This value is widely accepted to be approximately 970 BTUs. This means that to convert 1 pound of liquid water at 212°F into steam, 970 BTUs of energy are necessary.

Understanding this process emphasizes the significant energy requirement for phase changes in water, highlighting both the energy efficiency and the physical properties of water in thermodynamic processes.