What is the primary method of heat transfer when touching a hot stove?

The primary method of heat transfer when touching a hot stove is conduction. This process involves the transfer of thermal energy through direct contact between materials. When you touch the stove, the heat from the stovetop is transferred directly to your skin through molecular collisions, resulting in an increase in temperature of your skin.

In conduction, the heat moves from the hotter object (the stove) to the cooler object (your skin) until there is thermal equilibrium. This is why physical contact with a hot object can lead to burns or discomfort; the heat is rapidly conducted into your skin.

Convection refers to the transfer of heat through fluids (gases or liquids) where warmer areas of a liquid or gas rise and cooler areas sink. Radiation is the transfer of heat through electromagnetic waves, such as heat from the sun. Evaporation is the process of a liquid turning into vapor, which is not applicable in this scenario. Each of these other methods of heat transfer plays a role in different contexts, but when it comes to direct contact with a hot surface, conduction is the method at work.