Based on the principles of convection, conduction and thermal radiation, which scenario below is most similar to the following s
ituation? Heat traveling through the ceiling from your bedroom to the attic.
A) Feeling a metal wire get warmer as you roast a marshmallow over a fire.
B) Warm air rising in a room where the air is moving.
C) The sun warming up the roof on a house.
D) Cold water sinking in a pot of water being warmed up on the stove.
The situation (heat going through the ceiling) describes conduction ... heat going from one place to another by soaking through some material.
A). This is the one. Heat goes from from the marshmallow to your hand by soaking through the wire. This is conduction too.
B). No. The heat in the room goes from the floor to the ceiling because the warm air rises and carries it there. This is convection.
C). No. There's nothing for the heat to soak through between the sun and the roof, and nothing that can move from the sun to the roof and bring the heat with it. This is radiation.
D). No. Cold water sinks from the surface to the bottom because warm water rose from the bottom to the surface, taking heat with it. This is convection.