Approximately how many BTU's does it take to melt 1 pound of ice to water at 32°F?

To melt 1 pound of ice to water at 32°F, it requires 144 BTUs. This amount of energy is known as the latent heat of fusion, which is the energy needed to change a substance from a solid state to a liquid state without changing its temperature.

For ice, this process involves breaking the bonds between the water molecules in the solid form, allowing them to move more freely as a liquid. Understanding the concept of latent heat is crucial in refrigeration and HVAC applications, as it plays a significant role in phase changes and energy transfer in various systems. The energy added during melting does not increase the temperature of the ice, but rather facilitates the transition to water. Hence, the amount of energy needed to melt ice is specific and well established in thermodynamics, confirming that 144 BTUs is the correct answer for melting 1 pound of ice at 32°F.