Which term describes heat added to a vapor after a change of state?

The term that describes heat added to a vapor after a change of state is superheat. Superheating occurs when a vapor is heated beyond its boiling point without an increase in pressure. This process results in a vapor that is a gas at a temperature higher than its boiling point, enabling it to absorb additional heat without condensing back into a liquid.

Understanding superheat is essential in various applications, such as refrigeration and air conditioning, where maintaining an efficient operational cycle is necessary. It allows for increased efficiency because it maximizes the energy transfer during the vapor's transition from liquid to gas and beyond, ultimately aiding in the cooling process.

Latent heat refers to the heat absorbed or released during a phase change, such as from liquid to vapor, but does not apply to heat added to a vapor after it has already changed state. Sensible heat is the heat that causes a temperature change in a substance without a change in state, while conduction refers to the transfer of heat through a substance without the movement of the substance itself, neither of which captures the concept of heat being added specifically to a vapor post-phase change as clearly as superheat does.