What defines sensible heat?

Sensible heat refers to the amount of heat absorbed or released by a substance when its temperature changes, without a change in its phase or state of matter. This concept is integral in understanding how temperature influences the thermal properties of substances. When heat is added to or removed from a material, it results in a corresponding increase or decrease in temperature, thereby demonstrating the relationship between heat and temperature change.

The other options hint at different thermal concepts. A change in volume without a change in temperature describes a scenario unrelated to sensible heat but rather may relate to pressure and volume interactions. A change in state, such as melting or boiling, involves latent heat rather than sensible heat, which specifically addresses temperature changes. Finally, the total heat content of a substance takes into account both sensible and latent heat, making it broader than the focused definition of sensible heat.