Heat Transfer

Conduction

• Conduction is the transfer of heat between objects or substances that are in direct contact with each other.
• Heat can make atoms vibrate, or set electrons in motion.
• The heat is transferred when the vibration or motion communicates to neighboring atoms.
• Ex. Burning hand on stove and leaving a spoon in soup and the spoon gets ho

Convection

• Convection is the transfer of heat by movement through a medium, like air or a liquid.
• It is the primary method of heat transfer through gases and liquids.
• As a gas or liquid medium is heated, it warms, expands, and rises because it is less dense.
• Ex. Water boiling in a pan and a hot-air balloon

Radiation

• Radiation is the transfer of energy along electromagnetic waves, like light waves and radio waves.
• When a wave comes into contact with an object, the energy is transferred to the object in the form of heat.
• Of the three methods of heat transfer, radiation is the only one that can travel through empty spaces.
• Ex. Camp fire and a nuclear reactor