What energy exchange occurs when converting 1 pound of saturated liquid ammonia to saturated gas?

When converting 1 pound of saturated liquid ammonia to saturated gas, the energy exchange that takes place is referred to as the enthalpy of vaporization. This is the amount of energy required to change a substance from a liquid to a gas at a constant temperature and pressure.

For ammonia at its saturation point, the energy required for this process is approximately 970 BTUs per pound. This high value indicates that ammonia has a significant amount of latent heat, which is typical for many refrigerants due to their low boiling points and ability to absorb large amounts of heat during phase changes.

The value of 561 BTUs does not represent the correct amount of energy needed for the phase change from saturated liquid to saturated gas for ammonia, indicating it is not the enthalpy of vaporization in this case.

By ensuring that the conversion process and its thermodynamic properties are understood, it becomes clear that the correct understanding of phase changes and the energy required is essential in applications such as refrigeration, where ammonia is commonly used.