What is the term used for the transfer of heat through a fluid, such as air or water?

The term for the transfer of heat through a fluid, such as air or water, is convection. This process occurs when warmer parts of a fluid rise while cooler parts sink, creating a circulation pattern. In practical terms, convection is crucial in fire safety contexts, as it helps to explain how heat spreads through the air during a fire in a high-rise building. Understanding convection allows fire safety directors to design effective evacuation strategies and to properly assess and control fire behavior in various environments, particularly in tall structures where airflow can significantly influence fire dynamics.

Conduction refers to heat transfer through direct contact between solids, and radiation involves the transfer of heat through electromagnetic waves without requiring a medium. Flashover describes a rapid transition in a fire where all combustible materials in a room ignite simultaneously. Each of these concepts plays a role in fire dynamics, but convection specifically pertains to heat transfer in fluids.