Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA) G3 Practice Exam

What is conduction?

1. The transfer of heat by the movement of fluids

2. The transfer of heat from particle to particle

3. The transfer of heat by electromagnetic waves

4. The transfer of heat through evaporation

The correct answer is: The transfer of heat from particle to particle

Conduction is defined as the transfer of heat through direct contact between materials, where heat moves from particle to particle. When one particle is heated, it vibrates and passes that energy to adjacent particles, causing them to also vibrate and warm up. This process occurs in solids, particularly metals, where particles are closely packed and can easily transfer energy among themselves. The effectiveness of conduction depends on the material's thermal conductivity, with metals being excellent conductors due to their free electrons that facilitate energy transfer. The other options describe different mechanisms of heat transfer. The first option refers to convection, where heat is transferred by the movement of fluids. The third option pertains to radiation, which involves the transfer of heat through electromagnetic waves, and the last option relates to the process of evaporation, where heat is absorbed during the phase change of a substance from liquid to gas. Each of these processes plays a crucial role in thermodynamics, but the specific process of conduction is characterized by the direct transfer of heat between particles in a solid material.