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Heat Transfer Styles

Heat, or thermal energy, causes atoms and molecules to move rapidly and give off warmth. Heat can be created when electrical, mechanical or chemical energy is converted to thermal energy. Fire, for example, is created by a chemical reaction that produces thermal energy. Heat moves in waves and can be transferred through three different processes.

Conduction
- Conduction is the process of heat transfer in which two objects come into direct contact. For example; if you place a pot on a hot stove, the pot eventually also becomes hot. If you touch the pot, your hand heats rapidly and burns.
Convection
- Convection is the process of heat transfer in which thermal energy travels through a gas or liquid. For example; if you mix a cup of hot water with a cup of cold water, the result is lukewarm water. This is because the thermal energy from the hot water molecules is dispersed to the cold water until all the atoms and molecules vibrate at the same rate.
Radition
- Radiation is the process by which heat is transferred between to objects that don't touch. For example; the sun and the earth do not touch, but the thermal energy of the sun reaches the earth and heats it. Moreover, since the two planetary bodies are separated by the void of space, the sun does not heat the distance between them.
R-value
- The ability of an object to transfer heat is measured by its R-value. The lower the R-value, the better the object transfers heat. The higher the R-value, the better the object insulates heat.

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