Name the three modes of heat transfer and a brief description for each.

• A. Conduction - heat transfer through solids
• B. Convection - heat transfer via fluid movement
• C. Radiation - electromagnetic heat transfer from a surface
• D. Evaporation - not a mode of heat transfer

Answer: (D)

Heat moves in three basic ways: conduction, convection, and radiation. Conduction is heat transfer through a solid or between touching objects as particles and electrons transfer energy from regions of higher temperature to lower temperature. Convection happens when a fluid—air or liquid—moves, carrying heat with the moving bodies of the fluid; this can occur naturally from density differences or be helped by fans or pumps. Radiation transfers heat through electromagnetic waves and can occur through empty space, so a hot object can warm another object without direct contact or a surrounding medium. Evaporation isn’t a separate mode of heat transfer; it’s a phase-change process where liquid turns to vapor and uses latent heat, which can affect temperature, but the actual movement of heat is still described by conduction, convection, or radiation depending on the situation.