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.

Fundmental Facts on Atoms and Molecules

What are atoms and molecules?

Atoms and molecules are everywhere around us! Atoms are too small to see with our eyes, even with a magnifying glass. Sometimes, when a group of atoms form together, they create a molecule. Both atoms molecules always move around us.

How are atoms and molecules different?


Atoms are one single particle. An atom is made of nucleus and several electrons. The number of nucleus and protons are equal in an atom. Though, a molecule is two or more atoms bonded together.





How are atoms and molecules a part of heat transfer?

Sometimes we find ourselves asking ourselves--What is heat? To put it simply, heat is the motion of molecules and atoms. Heat is the kinetic energy of each atom in a sample. Everything has atoms and molecules inside it and the more molecules, the more heat energy. In heat transfer, the molecules are moving very fast, and as you already know, motion means heat. The heat does not stay there for long though, heat transfers from warm to cold, so eventually the heat transfers into the cool air.

Atoms and Molecules in Different Forms



Liquid Form: The molecules move around alot. The reason liquid can't hold the shape is because they bounce off each other and move relativley to each other. Liquids take the shape of the container.


Gas Form: The molecules in the gas state spread out as much as they can. The molecules don't move as quickly as the liquid ones.

Solid Form: In the solid form, they molecules don't bungle around much. The solids don't have a particular pattern for the molecules, though they do keep there shape.



Plasma Form: Plasma molecules do not have a shape, though it still moves around.

Hot! HOt! HOT! Quiz

Quiz for HEAT TRANSFER.




1. What type of heat transfer is your Christmas tree lighting up?



a. radiation
b. electricity
c. magic
d. conduction




2. Convection can be found in which one?





a. your hand stirring hot soup
b. after you take a warm, soothing shower
c. when your at the beach and the sun is shining
d. both a and c




3. Starbucks coffee steaming is what heat transfer?



a. conduction
b. electricity
c. convection
d. radiation






4. Are atoms made up of molecules? or is molecules made up of atoms?





a. atoms are made of molecules
b. molecules are made of atoms
c. both a and b
d. none of them are correct








5. Would you make your bath warmer by adding a bucket of 60 degrees celsius, or a cereal bowl of 90 degrees celsius?





a. cereal bowl of 90 degrees celsius
b. bucket of 60 degrees celsius
c. none will work
d. both will work







6. Popping popcorn, is what kind of heat transfer?




a. convection
b. condensation
c. radiation
d. both a and c






7. When you see floating ice cubes in your soda, would it be a heat transfer? If so, which one?




a. yes, conduction
b. no way!
c. yes, convection
d. yes and no





8. In a public mall, the air conditioner is what type of heat transfer?

a. convection
b. conduction
c. radiation
d. condensation

9. Does heat transfer go warm to cold, or cold to warm?

a. warm to cold
b. cold to warm
c. both ways work
d. doesn't transfer at all