Specific latent heat

The specific latent heat of a substance is the energy required to change the state of one kilogram of it with no change in temperature.

Specific heat capacity describes the first outcome; specific latent heat describes the second.

Specific latent heat is the energy required to change the state of 1 kg of a substance without changing its temperature. It is measured in joules per kilogram, J/kg.

Specific latent heat instead describes the energy needed to change the state of 1 kg of a substance without a temperature change; its unit is J/kg. For example, a solid can keep receiving energy while it melts even though its temperature stays at its melting point. Thus, an energy transfer does not always produce a temperature rise.