What does "conduction" describe in the context of heat transfer?

In the context of heat transfer, conduction describes the process by which heat moves through a material or substance due to direct contact. This means that when two objects of different temperatures come into contact, heat will flow from the hotter object to the cooler one until they reach thermal equilibrium.

For instance, if you touch a hot stove, heat flows from the stove (the hotter object) to your hand (the cooler object). This transfer is facilitated at the molecular level; as molecules in the hotter object vibrate more vigorously, they collide with neighboring molecules in the cooler object, transferring kinetic energy between them.

This principle of heat transfer is distinct from other processes such as convection, which involves the movement of fluids (liquids and gases), and radiation, which involves the transfer of heat through electromagnetic waves without the necessity for a medium. In the case of convection, heat is transferred through the movement of air or liquid, and with radiation, heat can travel through a vacuum, which are not characteristics of conduction. Thus, the description of heat transfer through direct contact with a substance accurately encapsulates the essence of conduction.