Which process involves the absorption or release of heat without temperature change?

The process that involves the absorption or release of heat without a change in temperature is indeed the latent heat process. During this type of phase transition, such as when ice melts to become water or when water vapor condenses into liquid water, the heat added or removed goes into changing the state of the substance rather than raising or lowering its temperature.

Latent heat is defined as the heat required to change the phase of a substance at a given temperature and pressure. This means that during the melting or boiling processes, the temperature of the substance remains constant until the entire phase transition is complete. For instance, when ice is heated at 0°C, while it absorbs heat, its temperature does not increase until all of the ice has melted into water.

This characteristic distinguishes latent heat processes from other thermodynamic processes, such as isothermal or adiabatic processes, where temperature changes or conditions are specified. In an isothermal process, the temperature remains constant while heat can still be exchanged, but this does not mean heat is not changing the phase; it typically refers to ideal gases and their associated energy changes. The adiabatic process involves heat transfer being prevented, which can lead to temperature changes. Therefore, the unique aspect of the latent heat process is precisely