Final answer:
The lady would have felt the temperature of the cookies through radiation, which is the emission of energy via electromagnetic waves, such as infrared radiation from the warm cookies.
Step-by-step explanation:
The thermal energy transfer that would have allowed the lady to check the temperature of the cookies by holding her hand just above them is known as radiation. Unlike conduction and convection which require matter to transfer heat, radiation is the transfer of energy by electromagnetic waves and can occur through empty space. Therefore, even without touching the cookies, the warmth she feels is due to the infrared radiation emitted by the cookies. In a similar context, when discussing the conversion of work into thermal energy, if a woman were to rub her hands back and forth with a certain force and frequency, she would experience an increase in temperature due to the energy produced by the frictional force exerted during the rubbing motion.