If you turn on the burner on a gas stove under a pan of cold water, energy moves from the burner to the pan of
water. What is this type of energy transfer called? How does this energy move?
Yeeeet
Radiation, convection, conduction are the three types of energy transfer. This is conduction where the heat produced by the gas flame heats the metal pan.
The type of energy transfer in this scenario is known as thermal or heat transfer. Heat is the form of energy that moves between the burner and the pan of cold water. This movement occurs through the process of conduction.
Conduction is the transfer of heat energy between objects that are in direct contact with each other. In this case, as the burner heats up, it transfers the heat energy to the pan through direct contact. The molecules in the pan begin to vibrate more rapidly, transferring this thermal energy throughout the pan. This process continues until the water molecules closest to the pan start gaining enough energy to break their bonds and start vaporizing, which leads to the water gradually boiling.
The type of energy transfer you are referring to is called heat transfer. Heat transfer occurs when there is a temperature difference between two objects, and energy is transferred as heat from the hotter object to the colder object.
In the case of turning on the burner on a gas stove under a pan of cold water, the burner emits heat energy. This heat energy is transferred to the pan by a process called conduction. Conduction is the transfer of heat energy through direct contact between objects or substances. In this case, the burner and the bottom of the pan are in direct contact, allowing for the transfer of heat energy from the burner to the pan.
The pan, being the colder object, absorbs the heat energy from the burner. As the molecules of water in the pan gain energy, they start to move more rapidly, causing them to collide and transfer energy to neighboring molecules through conduction. This process continues, transferring heat energy throughout the pan, until the water reaches a higher temperature.
It's important to note that convection and radiation can also play a role in the overall heat transfer process. Convection is the transfer of heat energy through the movement of fluids, such as liquids or gases, while radiation is the transfer of heat energy through electromagnetic waves. In the case of heating a pan of water on a gas stove, convection might occur as the heated water creates convection currents within the pan, and radiation may be responsible for some minor heat loss to the surrounding environment.