Latent Heat Formula (Trouton's Rule):
From: | To: |
Definition: This calculator estimates the latent heat of vaporization using Trouton's rule, which relates the boiling point to the latent heat.
Purpose: It provides a quick approximation of latent heat for substances when experimental data isn't available.
The calculator uses Trouton's rule formula:
Where:
Explanation: Trouton's rule states that the entropy of vaporization is approximately the same for most liquids at their boiling points, leading to this relationship.
Details: Latent heat is crucial for designing heat transfer systems, distillation processes, and understanding phase change thermodynamics.
Tips: Simply enter the boiling point of the substance in Kelvin. The calculator will use the standard Trouton's rule constant (10.5) and gas constant.
Q1: What is Trouton's rule?
A: It's an empirical rule stating that the entropy of vaporization is approximately 10.5R for many liquids at their boiling points.
Q2: How accurate is this calculation?
A: It provides a rough estimate (within 10-20% accuracy) for non-polar liquids. It's less accurate for polar substances.
Q3: What are the limitations of Trouton's rule?
A: It doesn't work well for strongly hydrogen-bonded liquids (like water) or very low boiling point substances.
Q4: Why is the universal gas constant used?
A: The rule relates to entropy of vaporization, which has fundamental connections to the gas constant in thermodynamics.
Q5: Can I use Celsius instead of Kelvin?
A: No, you must convert to Kelvin first (K = °C + 273.15) as thermodynamic calculations require absolute temperature.