Question

Paula is camping with her family. After their parents light a fire, Paula and her sister stand nearby to warm their hands. Her sister thinks that conduction warms their hands. Paula disagrees. Explain all methods of heat transfer taking place as they warm their hands.

Answer 1

Paula and her sister warm their hands by convection and radiation

Step-by-step explanation:

Here we have Paula and her sister heating their hands with the flames of the fire their parents lit

There are three major forms of heat transfer

1. Conduction

2. Convection

3. Radiation

Of the above three processes, conduction heat transfer is the only heat transfer process that occurs by direct contact with a hot surface.

Since Paula and her sister are standing nearby, rather than in direct contact, they can therefore, the heat transfer process they warm their hands with is either convection heat transfer or radiation heat transfer

Convection heat transfer is by the transfer of heat by a fluid medium which was in contact with the hot surface while

Radiation is the transfer of heat by electromagnetic waves from a hot surface such s a fire to a cooler surface

Therefore, Paula and her sister warm their hands by convection and radiation.