Pot on a stove is what type of heat transfer?

• A. Conduction
• B. Convection
• C. Radiation
• D. Evaporation

Answer: (A)

When a pot sits on a stove, heat moves into the pot mainly by conduction. Conduction is the transfer of thermal energy through direct contact, from the hotter surface (the burner) to the cooler one (the pot), as particles collide and pass energy along. The heat then travels through the pot material to heat the food or liquid inside. There can be some convection inside the liquid as it warms and currents form, and radiant heat from the burner also contributes, but the primary mechanism that heats the pot itself is conduction. Evaporation isn’t a heat-transfer mechanism; it’s a phase change that can occur as liquid turns to vapor.