Answer:
The person standing in front of the wood stove feels warmer a lot quicker than the person standing the same distance from the fire pit because of the way heat is being transferred from the fire to the person.
In the wood stove, thermal energy from the burning wood is transferred to the surrounding air, which is then forced out of the stove by convection. This convection creates a steady flow of hot air that heats up the surrounding space, including the person standing in front of the stove. This is a very efficient method of heating because the hot air is forced to circulate and distribute the heat throughout the space.
In contrast, in the fire pit, the thermal energy from the burning wood is transferred primarily by radiation. This means that the heat from the fire travels through the air in straight lines until it comes into contact with an object, like the person standing in front of the fire pit. While radiation is an effective way of transferring heat, it is not as efficient as convection because it doesn't circulate the hot air throughout the space as efficiently.
Furthermore, the wood stove is enclosed and designed to contain the heat within the stove. This means that less heat is lost to the surrounding environment and more heat is directed towards the person in front of the stove. In contrast, the fire pit is open and exposed, which means that much of the heat is lost to the surrounding environment and less heat is directed towards the person standing in front of the fire pit.
Therefore, the wood stove is a more efficient and effective method of heating because it uses convection to circulate the hot air and contains the heat within the stove, resulting in a faster and more intense warming effect on the person standing in front of it.