What are the three ways heat can be transferred?

Heat transfer occurs through three primary mechanisms: conduction, convection, and radiation.

Conduction is the process where heat is transferred through direct contact between materials. It occurs at the molecular level as faster-moving molecules collide with slower ones, transferring kinetic energy.

Convection involves heat transfer in fluids (liquids and gases) where warmer areas of the fluid rise and cooler areas sink, creating a circulation pattern. This is important in many heating and cooling systems.

Radiation is the transfer of heat in the form of electromagnetic waves. Unlike conduction and convection, radiation doesn't require a medium and can occur through a vacuum, as seen with the Sun warming the Earth.

The choices that include compression or insulation do not accurately depict the modes of heat transfer. Compression relates to pressure changes in gases or fluids and does not actively transfer heat in the same manner as the three correct methods. Insulation is a material's ability to resist heat flow rather than a method of transferring heat. Therefore, the selection of radiation, conduction, and convection accurately encompasses all fundamental ways heat can be transferred.