IICRC Commercial Drying Specialist (CDS) Practice Test

Sensible energy refers to the energy that causes a change in the temperature of a material without changing its state. When sensible energy is added to a material, its temperature increases, which can affect various physical properties of the material itself. This is significant in drying processes because understanding temperature changes helps in determining how effective the drying strategy will be.

For example, in the context of water in building materials, when sensible heat is applied, the temperature of the water increases, leading to an acceleration of evaporation when it is in the vapor state. This is crucial for achieving effective moisture removal during the drying process.

The other options do not accurately capture the specific impact of sensible energy on materials. While changes in state (such as from liquid to gas) involve latent heat rather than sensible heat, combustion is influenced by chemical properties and not by temperature change alone. Energy flow is a separate concept and not directly stopped by sensible energy. Therefore, the primary effect of sensible energy on materials is indeed its ability to cause a temperature change.