Consequences of thermal energy transfer — Explain

Explain the different types of thermal energy transfer involved in (a) a fire burning wood or coal, and (b) a car radiator.

(a) In a fire, conduction carries heat through the solid fuel; convection currents carry hot gases and smoke upward away from the flames; and infrared radiation is emitted directly from the flames and embers, warming nearby objects and people. (b) In a car's cooling system, heat is conducted from the hot engine into the coolant and through the radiator's metal tubes/fins; convection (aided by a pump and a fan) circulates the coolant and moves air past the radiator; and the radiator surface also emits some heat as infrared radiation.