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Difficulty: EasyHeat Transfer: Convection

In a typical vehicle cooling system, a mechanical water pump continuously circulates liquid coolant. The coolant absorbs heat from the engine and is pushed through hoses to the radiator to be cooled. Which of the following best describes this process of transferring heat via a mechanically moved fluid?

  1. A
    Conduction
  2. B
    Natural convection
  3. Forced convectionAnswer
  4. D
    Radiation

Answer

Forced convection
Convection is the transfer of heat by the bulk movement of a fluid (liquid or gas). Because an external mechanical device (the water pump) is actively forcing the coolant to circulate, this specific process is definitively classified as forced convection.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the state of the medium transferring the heat.
The medium carrying the heat away is a liquid coolant, which is a fluid.
Heat transfer involving the bulk movement of a liquid or gas is classified as convection.
2
Determine what causes the fluid to move.
The problem states that a mechanical water pump is circulating the coolant.
When an external mechanical device, such as a pump or fan, drives fluid movement, the specific process is forced convection rather than natural convection.

Key Concept

Forced vs. Natural Convection
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Topics

Heat Transfer: Convection

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