Heat Transfer Notes
Conduction- directly touching
Example: pot on a stove; a spoon in a cup of hot liquid; foot on
the hot concrete
Convection- hot air or liquid rises and cooler air sinks
Example: boiling water; oven; air popper; warmer water on top
of the ocean
Radiation- heat is produced outward with waves
Example: Sun; microwave
Insulators- poor conductors of heat/keeps the temperature of
something more consistent for longer
Example: water; wood; plastic; Styrofoam
*House insulation keeps a home cooler in summer and warmer
in winter; a jacket helps insulate your body from the cold in
winter
Conductors- conducts heat well (metal)
Hotter air expands and becomes less dense (rises)
Cooler air contracts and becomes more dense (sinks)