What does sensible heat refer to?

Sensible heat refers to the thermal energy that can be sensed or measured by a change in temperature. When heat is added to a substance and results in a measurable increase in temperature, it is classified as sensible heat. This is quantifiable using a thermometer, which indicates the temperature rise of the substance as energy is added or removed.

In practical terms, when you heat water on a stove, the increase in temperature you observe is due to the sensible heat being applied. This concept is distinct from latent heat, which involves energy absorbed or released during phase changes without a temperature change.

Heat that cannot be measured, heat from a chemical reaction, and heat that is stored in water do not encompass the fundamental definition of sensible heat, as they either refer to thermal energy that is undetectable by temperature change or refer to different processes or states of energy in various contexts.