Difference Between Conduction, Convection and Radiation - Mechanical Education

Difference Between Conduction, Convection and Radiation:

Conduction, Convection, and Radiation are three different types of  heat transfer process. This process are simple and we observe all this three process in every day to day life.

Conduction:

Conduction is one kind of heat transfer process, in this type of heat transfer process the heat from one object to another object get transferred only when there is direct contact between them.

The heat gets transferred through molecules by supplying the heat from high-temperature molecule to low-temperature molecule, this process occurs only when the objects are physically connected to each other.

This type of process takes place only in solid bodies.

Example:

We can observe this kind of process by keeping a high-temperature body in contact with the low-temperature body, the heat from high-temperature molecules gets in contact with low-temperature molecules and helps to transfer the heat from one body to another.

This type of process is slow due to the molecules present in a solid body does not move fast.

Convection:

Convection is a type of heat transfer process which takes places only in liquids and gases.

In this type of process, the heat from one molecule to another gets faster than conduction process due to the free moving molecules present in it.

Convection process can be easily understood by observing when water gets heated.

Example:

When we heat the water the bottom portion of water molecules get heated and moves to the top portion and cold molecules replaces the older portion of hot molecules, this process goes on to transfer the heat.

Radiation:

Radiation is another type of heat transfer process, in this process, the object can be heated without any contact between the hot object and cold object, heat can be transferred from the air and strikes the object to heat it.

Radiation is a fast process due to it can heat the object directly with out any molecule moment.

Nowadays with the help of this process, we are able to collect a huge amount of heat from the sun and converted into required energy.

Example:

Solar power, solar distillations etc.