How Heat Moves: Conduction, Convection, and Radiation Explained

Next Generation Science

This educational video provides a clear and structured explanation of thermal energy transfer, breaking it down into three primary mechanisms: conduction, convection, and radiation. Through a mix of real-world footage—such as campfires, cooking, and hot air balloons—and clear animated diagrams, the video illustrates how heat moves through solids, liquids, gases, and empty space. It simplifies complex physics concepts into relatable examples, helping students visualize abstract processes like how a metal handle gets hot or why air conditioners cool a room. The content explores the specific characteristics of each heat transfer method. It defines conduction as heat movement through direct contact in solids, exemplified by a kettle on a stove and melting butter. Convection is explained as the circulation of heat in fluids (liquids and gases), demonstrated by the rising currents in a hot air balloon. Finally, radiation is introduced to explain how heat travels through the vacuum of space via electromagnetic waves, using the sun and radiant heaters as key examples. For educators, this video serves as an excellent foundational resource for physical science units on energy. It effectively scaffolds learning by introducing terms individually before synthesizing them in a final, comprehensive example of a boiling kettle that demonstrates all three types of heat transfer simultaneously. This structure allows teachers to pause and check for understanding after each section, making it a versatile tool for introduction, review, or visual reinforcement of textbook concepts.