Radiative and convective heat transfer

Radiative heat transfer involves the transfer of energy through electromagnetic waves, like sunlight warming your skin, without needing a medium. Convection, on the other hand, is the movement of heat through fluids (liquids or gases) caused by temperature-induced density differences—think of warm air rising or boiling water circulating. Both processes transfer heat but operate through different mechanisms: radiation travels through space directly, while convection relies on fluid movement to carry heat from one place to another.