Heat Transfer

Heat is transfered via solid material (conduction), liquids and gases (convection), and
electromagnetical waves (radiation). Heat is usually transfered in a combination of these three types
and seldomly occurs on its own. For example, the thermal environment of a building is influenced by
heat fluxes through the ground (conduction), and the building envelope (mostly convection and
radiation).

For Conduction

1. You can warm your back muscles with a heating pad.

2. The heat from a hot liquid makes the cup itself hot.
3. Sand can conduct heat. Walking on the beach on a hot summer day will warm your feet.

4. When ironing a skirt, the iron is hot and the heat is transferred to the skirt.

5. A metal spoon becomes hot from the boiling water inside the pot.
6. After a car is turned on, the engine becomes hot. The hood will become warm as heat is
conducted from the engine to the hood.

7. Trying to cross the street barefoot in the summer may result in heat being conducted from the
asphalt to your feet.

8. If you stoke your log fire in the fireplace with a poker and leave the poker in the fire, it will
become very hot.
9. A cube of ice is placed into the hand of a man. Over time, heat conducted from the man's
hand to the ice cube will cause the ice to melt.

Convection

10. boiling water - When water boils, the heat passes from the burner into the pot, heating the
water at the bottom. This hot water rises and cooler water moves down to replace it, causing a
circular motion.

11. radiator - A radiator puts warm air out at

the top and draws in cooler air at the bottom.
12. steaming cup of hot tea - The steam you see when drinking a cup of hot tea indicates that
heat is being transferred into the air.

13. The formation of sea and land breeze form the classic examples of convection. Going by
the definition of convection, the molecules at a higher temperature displace the ones at a lower
temperature.
14. The human heart is a pump and blood circulation in the human body is an example of forced
convection. The heat which is generated by the cells in the body is transferred to air or water
which is flowing over the skin.

15. Air conditioner.

On a hot summer day, air-conditioners are used constantly. The process of cooling air in air-
conditioners employs the very principle of convection. The air which is cold is released by the
air-conditioners. Now, this cold air is denser than the warm air, and, hence, it sinks. The warm
air, being less dense, rises and is drawn in by the air-conditioner. As a result, a convection
current is set up and the room is cooled.
16. Refrigerator
The working principle employed by the refrigerators is very much similar to that of the air-
conditioners. The freezer, in case of refrigerators, is placed at the top. As mentioned above, the
warm air, being less dense, rises up and, hence, it is cooled down by the freezer. Now, this cool
air, being denser, sinks and, therefore, keeps the lower part of the fridge cool.

17. Hot Air Popper

The hot air popper has a fan, vent, and a heating element. When the popper is turned on, the
fan is employed to blow air on the heating element through the vent. The heating element, in
turn, warms the air; which then rises. 
18. Hot Air Balloon
The reason why hot air balloons are able to rise up is because of the principle of convection.
You might have seen the heater at the base of the balloon. This heater heats up the air, which
moves upwards.

19. The transmission of electromagnetic waves through the microwave oven.

20. The light emitted by an incandescent lamp.