CONDUCTION
Conduction heating
is the most common way foods are cooked. Conduction is defined as "the
transfer of heat by direct contact of particles of matter." In
simpler terms, conduction occurs when a hot surface comes into contact
with a colder surface. Heat occurs when atoms vibrate against each
other. The vibrating atoms of the hot surface cause the atoms of the
cold surface to vibrate as well, bringing the two surfaces in contact
closer to thermal
equilibrium.
An example of conduction is placing a pot of water on a ceramic heating
plate. The energy flows from the plate to the pot, then
from the pot to the water. How well this energy flows depends on the
container holding the food, and the density of the food. Metal
containers are usually the best conductors of heat because of the way
they are chemically bonded; free moving electrons in the metal allow
the transfer of energy more freely. Solids heat faster than liquids
because their atoms are spaced closer, making it more likely for their
atoms to vibrate against each other.
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