What is conduction in the context of heat transfer?

Conduction refers to the transfer of heat through a material without any movement of the material itself, primarily occurring in solids. When objects are in direct contact, kinetic energy is transferred from the hotter object (where particles are moving faster) to the cooler object (with slower-moving particles), resulting in a balance of thermal energy between the two. This process relies on direct contact between molecules; as one molecule vibrates more vigorously due to heat, it collides with neighboring molecules, transferring energy and increasing their temperature.

The other options describe different mechanisms of heat transfer. The transfer of energy through fluid movement relates to convection, where warmer areas of fluid rise and cooler areas sink. The transfer of heat by radiation involves the emission of energy in the form of electromagnetic waves and does not require a medium. Lastly, the transfer of heat through space describes thermal radiation, again not involving contact between materials.