Which type of heat transfer occurs without changing the physical state of a substance?

Sensible heat transfer refers to the process where heat is added to or removed from a substance without causing any change in its physical state. This occurs when a substance, such as water, is heated or cooled, leading to a temperature change while remaining in the same state (liquid, solid, or gas).

For example, when water is heated on a stove, it warms up but doesn't boil unless it reaches its boiling point. This temperature change signifies sensible heat transfer.

In contrast, latent heat transfer involves a change in the physical state of a substance, such as water turning into steam or ice melting into water. This process happens at constant temperature and pressure, which differentiates it from sensible heat transfer.

Although conduction and convection are methods of heat transfer, they do not directly define the type of heat change related to physical states. Conduction transfers heat through direct contact, and convection involves the movement of fluids. However, neither specifically deals with the preservation of physical state while experiencing a temperature change, making sensible heat the unique focus of this question.