What Type of Heat Transfer?
Heat, as a form of energy, can be transferred from one object to another. Heat always
moves from a warmer object to a cooler object. Conduction, convection, and radiation
are the different ways that heat transfer occurs. Conduction is the transfer of heat by
the direct contact of atoms and molecules, usually in solids. Convection is the transfer
of heat through the motion of gases and liquids such as air and water. Finally, radiation
is heat transfer that involves energy waves and no direct contact or
movement of atoms.
Example: You are cooking dinner for your family. You decide to
make them spaghetti and start to boil water. The image to the right
shows how the pot is heated, and how the heat is transferred
throughout the water in the pot to make the water boil. What type of
heat transfer is this?
Answer: This is __________________ because it is the transfer of
heat through the motion of a liquid.
1.) You are outside on the playground at lunch. You start to feel very
warm due to heat from the sun. What type of heat transfer is this?
Answer: This is ___________________ because it is the transfer of heat
through ___________________________________________________.
2.) There is a snowstorm in Tahoe and there is a lot of snow on the
ground. Bob is shoveling snow and takes off one glove to feel the metal
handle of the shovel. His hand immediately feels cold. What type of heat
transfer is this?
Answer: This is __________________ because it is the transfer of heat
through ___________________________________________________.
3.) The Earth’s mantle is made of liquid molten material. The inner part
of the mantle is hotter than the outer part. Therefore, currents carry
molten material up to the Earth’s surface. Then, they cool off so much
they sink back down to the warmer area. What type of heat transfer is
this?
Answer: This is ___________________because it is the transfer
of heat through _______________________________________.
4.) When you are sitting on a bench after school, there is a cool
breeze that blows in from the ocean. This is called a sea breeze.
The reason a sea breeze builds up in the afternoon is because
the sea is cooler than land, and therefore wind currents are
created. What type of heat transfer is this?
Answer: This is ____________________ because it is the
transfer of heat through ________________________________.
What Type of Heat Transfer?
5.) Jasmine is sitting by a campfire at night with her family She feels a
tremendous amount of heat coming from the fire. What type of heat
transfer is this?
Answer: _________________________________________________
________________________________________________________.
6.) You order a hot chocolate at a nearby coffee shop. When you take the
first sip, the hot chocolate is so hot that you burn your tongue. What type
of heat transfer is this?
Answer: ___________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________.
7.) Cold water in the Earth’s oceans sinks to the bottom of the ocean, while warm water
in the ocean rises to the surface of the ocean. This motion creates ocean currents.
What type of heat transfer is this?
Answer: _____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________.
8.) On the weekend, you decide to watch a movie and make popcorn.
You put a bag of popcorn in the microwave, and turn it on. You hear the
popping of your popcorn and when you take out the bag, it is ready to eat
and very hot! What type of heat transfer is this?
Answer: ___________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________.
9.) At the beach last summer you had to run across the sand because it
was so hot on your bare feet!! Ouch! What type of heat transfer is this?
Answer: _______________________________________________
______________________________________________________.
10.) While cooking your family spaghetti,you leave the spoon you have
been cooking with in the spaghetti sauce. When you come back, it has
gotten quite hot!! What type of heat transfer is this?
Answer: _____________________________________________
____________________________________________________.