Which mode of heat transfer occurs when a hot pan transfers heat to a pot through direct contact?

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

Answer: (A)

Heat transfer through direct contact is conduction. When the hot pan touches the pot, energy moves from the hotter surface to the cooler one by molecular interactions and electron movement at the interface, warming the pot. This is why metals, which are good conductors, transfer heat efficiently when in contact. Radiation would heat without touching surfaces, using infrared waves, and convection involves heat carried by moving fluids, not solid-to-solid contact. Absorption describes taking in energy but does not define the mechanism of transfer in this direct-contact scenario.