In which method does heat transfer occur by the movement of a liquid or gas?

The correct answer is convection, which is defined as the transfer of heat through the movement of a fluid (liquid or gas). During convection, warmer areas of a fluid rise while cooler areas sink, creating a circulation pattern that effectively transfers heat throughout the fluid. This process is common in natural settings, such as the warming of air in a room or the heating of water on a stove.

Convection is distinct from conduction, where heat transfers through direct contact between materials, and radiation, where heat is transferred through electromagnetic waves without needing a medium. The choice of inspection does not pertain to heat transfer at all; it refers to examining or evaluating something rather than describing a method of heat transfer. Understanding convection is crucial in many applications, particularly in firefighting, where the movement of heat through smoke and flames can significantly affect fire behavior and tactics used to control it.