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Thermal Physics · Physics

Heat moves by mechanisms—and each has a signature.

Learn how conduction, convection, and radiation differ, and how steady-state problems differ from transient ones.

This topic

Heat Transfer

Identify the dominant heat-transfer mechanism, then reason about rates and qualitative temperature profiles.

Mechanism
Conduction
Conduction transfers energy through a material due to microscopic collisions and interactions.
  • Temperature gradient drives heat flow
  • Thermal conductivity as a material property
  • What “good conductor” means thermally
Start nano-lesson Look for solids and direct contact.
Mechanism
Convection
Convection transfers heat by bulk fluid motion. It can be natural (buoyancy) or forced (fans/pumps).
  • Role of fluid motion and mixing
  • Natural vs forced convection
  • Why convection can be very effective
Start nano-lesson Fluids + motion are the clues.
Mechanism
Radiation
Radiation transfers energy by electromagnetic waves. No medium is required.
  • Emission and absorption depend on surfaces
  • Thermal radiation grows strongly with temperature
  • Every object emits radiation above 0 K
Start nano-lesson Important in vacuum and at high T.
Time behavior
Steady-state vs transient heat flow
Steady-state means temperatures no longer change in time, even though heat can still flow. Transient means time dependence matters.
  • What “steady” means physically
  • Boundary conditions and final temperature profiles
  • Why transients require timescales
Start nano-lesson Ask: does T change with time?
Practice
Practice & Exercises
Practice identifying mechanisms and reasoning about temperature profiles and qualitative rate comparisons.
  • Mechanism identification sets
  • Steady vs transient classification
  • Conceptual rate comparisons (what increases heat loss?)
  • Temperature-profile interpretation prompts
  • Exam-style mixed heat-transfer scenarios
Open practice Start with mechanism selection.