How is work done on the refrigerant in the condenser transferred?

The correct answer is that work done on the refrigerant in the condenser is transferred as both latent and sensible heat.

In the condenser, the refrigerant undergoes a phase change from a vapor to a liquid. During this process, latent heat is released because the refrigerant is changing from one state of matter to another, providing the energy necessary for this transition. This phase change is characterized by the release of heat without a change in temperature, which is referred to as latent heat.

At the same time, as the refrigerant loses heat and drops in temperature, the remaining heat being extracted from the refrigerant is considered sensible heat. Sensible heat refers to the heat exchanged that causes a change in temperature but not in phase. Thus, as the refrigerant cools down from its vapor state to a liquid state, both heat transfer mechanisms—latent and sensible—are at work.

Understanding that both types of heat transfer occur in the condenser provides a more comprehensive view of the thermodynamic cycle in heat pumps, where energy transformations are crucial for the system's efficiency and operation.