What method allows a hand held to the side of a flame to feel heat?

Radiation is the process that allows a hand held to the side of a flame to feel heat. This method of heat transfer does not require direct contact with the heat source and occurs through the emission of infrared radiation from the flame. When you are near a flame, the heat energy radiates away from the flame in all directions and can be felt on your skin or any objects in proximity.

This is distinct from conduction, which involves direct contact between materials; convection, which occurs in fluids where warmer, less dense areas of that fluid rise and cooler, denser areas sink; and evaporation, which involves the change of a substance from a liquid to a gas and is not related to the transfer of thermal energy through space. Understanding radiation is crucial for safety around fires, as it helps to explain why one can feel heat even at a distance from the flame.