The specific latent heat can be determined in a similar manner to that of the electrical method used to find the specific heat capacity.
For example, in melting a piece of ice to get the SLH of fusion ($l_f$):
- Measure the mass $m_i$ of the ice
- Measure the initial temperature $T_i$ of the ice
- Turn on the heater for certain amount of time $t$, enough for all the ice to melt
- Turn off the heater
- Measure the final temperature of the melted ice (water)
- The heat energy changes are: $$ \begin{equation}\begin{aligned} Q_{heater}=&Q_{heating\ ice\ from\ T_i\ to\ 0\degree C}+Q_{melting\ ice\ at\ 0\degree C\ to\ water\ at\ 0\degree C}&+Q_{heating\ melted\ ice\ at\ 0\degree C\ to\ T_f}\\ \end{aligned}\end{equation} $$
- Thus: $$ \begin{equation}\begin{aligned} VIt=m_ic_i(0\degree C-T_i)+m_i\color{green}l_{f(ice)}\color{black}+m_ic_w(T_f-0\degree C)\\ \end{aligned}\end{equation} $$
Video for method of mixtures alternative: