Question

What happens to the energy that is lost when water freezes?

Answer 1

When water freezes it gives up some of the water's energy. This energy that is given up is the latent heat of freezing. When the water was freezing latent heat of freezing energy was being released. ... When a latent heat process occurs the temperature remains constant.

Answer 2

As we know through the principle of conservation of energy, energy can neither be created nor destroyed. Therefore, the energy removed from the water in order to make it freeze is absorbed by the surroundings. This is why the surroundings in which freezing is taking place are below freezing. This is more easily illustrated in the example of condensation. If you were to hold a plate over a pot of boiling water, some of the water would give its energy to the plate and condense on its surface.