What type of heat is primarily involved in the evaporation process of refrigerants?

The evaporation process of refrigerants involves latent heat, which is the energy required for a substance to change from one phase to another without a change in temperature. During evaporation, refrigerants absorb heat from their surroundings, which allows them to transition from a liquid state to a gaseous state. This absorption of latent heat is crucial for the cooling effect in refrigeration and air conditioning systems, as it effectively removes heat from the environment, creating a cooling effect in the space being conditioned.

In contrast, sensible heat refers to the heat that causes a change in temperature but not in phase. Thermal energy is a more general term that encompasses both sensible and latent heat but does not specifically address the phase change aspects. Mechanical energy relates to the work done by a system and is not involved in the phase change process of refrigerants. Thus, the correct answer highlights the specific energy form essential for the evaporation phase of refrigerants.