In a refrigeration system, heat is absorbed by which process?

In a refrigeration system, heat is absorbed during the process of vaporization. This is known as the latent heat of vaporization, which refers to the energy required to convert a substance from a liquid to a vapor without a change in temperature.

When refrigerants are used in cooling systems, they absorb heat from the environment as they evaporate, transitioning from a liquid state into a gas. This heat absorption is crucial for the refrigeration cycle, as it enables the system to lower the temperature in the space being cooled. The absorbed heat is then carried away by the refrigerant and released outside when it condenses back into a liquid, completing the cycle.

Other processes like latent heat of fusion (solid to liquid) and latent heat of condensation (gas to liquid) do not involve absorbing heat in the same manner relevant to refrigeration. Latent heat of sublimation (solid to gas) is also not applicable in typical refrigeration processes. Thus, the latent heat of vaporization is the correct process that indicates how heat is absorbed in a refrigeration system.