What is the term for the energy transfer that occurs when heat moves from a hotter object to a cooler object?

The term for the energy transfer that occurs when heat moves from a hotter object to a cooler object is conduction. This process involves the transfer of thermal energy through direct contact between materials. When molecules in a hotter object vibrate more rapidly due to their higher energy, they collide with neighboring, less energetic molecules in a cooler object, thereby transferring some of their energy and increasing the temperature of the cooler object. This is a fundamental way in which heat is exchanged, especially in solids, where the closely packed molecules facilitate the transfer of heat through direct interactions.

In contrast, convection refers to the transfer of heat through the movement of fluids (liquids or gases), where warmer areas of a fluid rise while cooler areas sink, creating a circulation pattern. Radiation involves the transfer of heat in the form of electromagnetic waves, such as infrared radiation from a warm surface to cooler surroundings, and does not require any medium. Insulation is a material or method used to reduce the rate of heat transfer, but it does not define the process of heat transfer itself. Thus, conduction is the correct term for this specific type of energy transfer.