Thermal Expansion and Modes of Heat Transfer

Why materials expand when heated, and the three ways heat can travel.

Thermal Expansion

Most materials expand when heated: linear (length), areal (area), and volumetric (volume) expansion.

Modes of Heat Transfer

ModeHow Heat Travels
ConductionThrough direct contact, without matter moving
ConvectionThrough the actual movement of a fluid
RadiationThrough electromagnetic waves — needs no medium
Lesson 22 of 31
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