The molar enthalpy of vaporization of water at 100 °C is 40.7 kJ mol⁻¹, whereas the molar enthalpy of fusion at 0 °C is 6.01 kJ mol⁻¹.
A student claims that freezing 1.0 g of liquid water should release nearly as much energy as condensing 1.0 g of steam because both processes involve forming intermolecular hydrogen bonds.
(a) Use appropriate calculations to compare quantitatively the heat released per gram by freezing water at 0 °C and by condensing steam at 100 °C.
(b) Explain, on the basis of molecular interactions and the data provided, why the student’s claim is incorrect.
(c) Describe one real-world application that relies on the large quantity of energy released during the condensation of steam, and explain how the magnitude of this energy change is advantageous in that application.