The hot coils in an electric baseboard heat the surrounding air using _____.
To determine what the hot coils in an electric baseboard use to heat the surrounding air, we need to understand how electric baseboard heaters work. Electric baseboard heaters use convection to heat the air in a room. When the heater is turned on, electric current runs through a series of metal coils or elements inside the heater, known as the heating element. The heating element then heats up, transfering heat to the surrounding air through a process called convection.
Convection is the movement of heat through a fluid, in this case, the air. As the heating element becomes hot, air in contact with the coils is heated through direct contact. The hot air then rises, creating a convection current. This movement causes cooler air in the room to be pulled towards the baseboard heater. As this cooler air comes into contact with the hot coils, it too becomes heated, creating a continuous cycle of convection and heating the surrounding air in the room.
Therefore, the hot coils in an electric baseboard heat the surrounding air using convection.