Which of the following is an example of latent heat?

Latent heat refers to the heat energy that is absorbed or released by a substance during a phase change without a change in temperature. In the context of this question, melting ice into water is an ideal example of latent heat since it involves a change in state from solid (ice) to liquid (water) at a constant temperature.

When ice melts, it absorbs heat from the surroundings, known as the latent heat of fusion, which allows the molecules to break free from their rigid structure without an increase in temperature. This process continues until all the ice has transformed into water; the temperature remains at 0°C during this phase transition.

The other options describe situations where temperature changes occur without a phase change, such as heating water to its boiling point, heating ice to 0°C, or raising the temperature of steam. These processes do not involve the absorption or release of latent heat, as they focus on increasing the thermal energy of the substance rather than changing its state. Thus, melting ice into water correctly illustrates the concept of latent heat.