What type of energy transfer occurs when work is done in the condenser?

The correct choice is that both latent and sensible heat are involved in the energy transfer that occurs when work is done in the condenser of a heat pump.

When a heat pump operates, the refrigerant absorbs heat from the indoor environment and carries it to the condenser, where it releases this heat to the outside. The process of heat rejection involves changes in the phase of the refrigerant as well as temperature changes.

Sensible heat is the energy that causes a change in temperature without a phase change, while latent heat is associated with phase transitions, such as from vapor to liquid. In the condenser, as the refrigerant releases heat, it condenses from a gas to a liquid, which signifies the transfer of latent heat. Simultaneously, there can be temperature changes in the refrigerant itself during this phase change, which involves the transfer of sensible heat as well. Therefore, energy transfer in the condenser encompasses both types of heat, demonstrating the complexity of thermal energy exchange in heat pump systems.