BSC 2010C Chapter 2: Bio Notes - Evaporative Cooling
Document Summary
Evaporative cooling is a process by which a liquid, such as water, absorbs heat energy from its surroundings as it evaporates. The energy required to change the state of a liquid into a gas is known as the latent heat of vaporization. In the case of water, this is 40. 7 kj/mol at standard conditions. Evaporative cooling is an important process in biology because it is used by many organisms to regulate their body temperature. For example, sweating is a mechanism used by humans and other animals to cool themselves down when they become overheated. When sweat evaporates from the skin surface, it absorbs heat energy from the body, thereby reducing its temperature. Plants also use evaporative cooling to regulate their temperature. During transpiration, water evaporates from the surfaces of leaves and stems, which can help to reduce the temperature of the plant and prevent damage from overheating.
