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Conduction is the transfer of heat energy throughout a substance.
When you put a spoon in hot water, the spoons molecules that are in contact with the water move rapidly and collide with the spoon's cooler molecules. Through continuous series of collisions, heat energy transfers throughout the entire spoon.
Some substances conduct heat better than others. Cloth is a poor conductor of heat so it is used to carry hot pans.
Convection is the transfer of heat energy by the movement of a fluid, such as a liquid or gas.
Heat energy flows through a fluid in a pattern called a convection current. Convection currents form because heated fluid expands and is less dense than surrounding, which is cooler. The difference in the density causes warm fluid to rise and cooler fluid to sink. The result is a convection current that moves heat energy through the fluid.
Convection currents cause the rolling motion in boiling water. The heated water molecules at the bottom become less dense and rise to the surface. The cooler denser molecules go to the bottom, heat up, then go back to the surface, and the cycle repeats.
Radiation is the transfer of energy by infrared waves. Radiation makes you warmer, when the infrared waves strike your skin and make your molecules go faster. Radiation is different from convection and conduction because matter is not needed to transfer energy. Radiant energy is the energy that is transferred by radiation. Matter can reflect or absorb radiant energy. The sun's radiant energy on earth is in the form of light.
When radiant energy is absorbed, it is later reradiated as heat. The heat increases the temperature of the atmosphere.
Specific heat can be used to identify a substance. The specific heat of copper is lower than the specific heat of water. When an equal amount of heat is applied to both water and copper, the temperature of the copper will be higher than the water. Another unit to measure heat is the calorie. One calorie is the amount of heat needed to raise the temperature of one gramof water 1 degree Celsius. The calorimeter measures the amount of heat given off when a substance is burned.
Different locations on the earth's surface have different types of climates because of the transfer of heat. Conduction, convection, and radiation take part in determining weather and climate. Some places receive less solar radiation (radiation from the sun) than others. For example, the north and south get less solar radiation than places near the equator, so it is colder in the north. The earth's surface transfers heat to the fluid, air, by conduction. Convection occurs when warm air rises then comes back down as snow or rain. Convection currents in the atmosphere are called convection cells, which cause wind and rain patterns.