Answer: B - an electric stove heating an iron pan
The correct answer is B. an electric stove heating an iron pan.
Conduction is a mode of heat transfer that occurs when heat energy is transmitted through direct contact between two objects or substances with different temperatures. In this process, heat flows from the object with a higher temperature to the object with a lower temperature until thermal equilibrium is reached. The transfer of heat energy occurs at the molecular level as particles in the hotter region collide with adjacent particles in the cooler region, transferring kinetic energy in the process.
In the case of an electric stove heating an iron pan (option B), the heat is generated by the electric coil of the stove. As the coil heats up, it comes into direct contact with the bottom surface of the iron pan. The heat energy is then transferred from the hot coil to the cooler pan through conduction. The iron pan, being a good conductor of heat, allows the heat to flow efficiently through its material, evenly heating its contents.
The other options do not exemplify conduction:
A. Sunlight heating a floor is an example of heat transfer by radiation, where electromagnetic waves (infrared radiation) transfer heat energy without the need for a physical medium.
C. A wood stove heating nearby objects through electromagnetic waves is also an example of heat transfer by radiation.
D. An electric heater heating air, which rises and is replaced with cooler air, is an example of heat transfer by convection. In convection, heat transfer occurs through the movement of fluids (in this case, air) driven by differences in temperature and density.
