Final answer:
Heat transfer from a hot cup of water to your hand as you hold it is an example of conduction, a process where thermal energy moves from a warmer object to a cooler one until equilibrium is reached.
Step-by-step explanation:
When you hold a cup of hot water, heat transfer occurs. This phenomenon is known as conduction, where thermal energy moves from the hotter object (the cup of hot water) to the colder one (your hand). In physics, thermal energy is constantly seeking equilibrium, trying to flow from areas of higher temperature to those of lower temperature, until a uniform temperature is achieved. An everyday example of conduction is when a spoon at room temperature is placed in a cup of hot coffee; heat will spontaneously flow from the hotter coffee to the colder spoon, causing the thermal energy to redistribute as the spoon warms and the coffee cools.