Three Types of Heat Transfer

What are the three types of heat transfer? Here of some examples of them.



Conduction Connects

Conduction is a heat transfer that is direct heat. It moves from one particle to another.

When your mom stirs some soup for dinner, its conduction. If her spoon was metal, the heat from the water would turn hotter than a wooden or plastic spoon. The hot liquid heats up the spoon making the atoms and molecules move more rapidly. The rapid atoms make there neighbors move faster too.

Did your mom ever cook fried rice? When she does, did you ever touch the pot? If you did, you know the next thing you said was "ouch". You can feel the heat because the heat automatically transferred from the pot to your hand. This type of heat transfer is known as conduction. Surely we know, conduction doesn't transfer throughout the air, unlike conduction, and doesn't transfer by waves like radiation. Instead it transfers by direct heat. So next time when your mom cooks fried rice again, be sure to put on baking mittens while holding the pan since you don't want to get burned.

Another example of conduction is roasting marshmallows over a campfire. The marshmallow is heating warm in the fire, while you are holding on to the stick. If your stick is a metal one, you will more likely get burned because metal is a "good conductor," when everthing else will not be as hot as the metal, such as a twig.

Convection Carries on

Convection is particles that travel through liquid or gas.

On a cold Winter day, you sit down and have a sip of coffee. Yoouch! When you put your hand above the coffee cup, your hands immediately turn warm and slightly wet. Puzzled, you check the internet to find out what happened. The word, "convection" pops up, and as the internet defines it, it is a types of heat transfer that is transferred by gas, liquid, and air. The hot air rising from your cup of delicous coffee is less dense than the air and condenses into clouds or wind.


Another types of convection is when your in the shower. After you take a warm, soothing shower, they mirrors are all covered with liquid droplets. Because, when you are taking a shower, the water is so warm that it evaporates.

Radiation Flows

Radiation are rays of heat.

The waves are crashing on the sands of the beach, and you are relaxing on a beach chair. The sun is blazing you are starting to sweat. You start thinking, and it's obvious that it's radiation. The rays from the sun are constantly moving through empty space making a perfect day at the beach.

It's Christmas morning, and you tiptoe downstairs to open the presesnts first, when you notice the Christmas tree glowing from the Christmas lights. The lights are also a radiation because it still shows light. You start gazing at the tree until you find out that your younger siblings were there first.


Heat Transfers in Public Places

Mall- Convection is in the air conditioner to make it cooler.
Radiation are in the lamps to make the room brighter!

Movie Theater- There is also convection in the movie theater as well in the conditioner.
The screen to watch the movie is radiation.
The popcorn machine popping the popcorn is radiation and convection.

Park- Radiation comes from the street lights.
(Or the bright, shining sun)




Those are the three types of heat transfer.