Heat Transfer Summary

Types of Heat Transfer

Conduction

• Energy transfer through direct contact between solid objects.

• Heat moves from one object to another when they are physically touching.

• Occurs when particles in a solid vibrate.

• Hot particles vibrate vigorously and collide with neighboring particles, transferring energy.

• Conductors transfer energy easily, while insulators do not.

Convection

• Heat transfer through fluids (liquids or gases) via the movement of particles.

• Heated fluid expands, becomes less dense, and rises.

• Cooler, denser fluid sinks, creating convection currents.

• Surface currents are influenced by wind and the Coriolis effect

Radiation

• Heat transfer through electromagnetic waves.

• Does not require particles and can travel through a vacuum.

• All electromagnetic waves transfer energy, can travel through a vacuum, and travel at 300,000,000 m/s.

• Electromagnetic waves form a continuous spectrum with varying wavelengths, frequencies, and energies. Applications include thermal imaging and sunscreen.