The flow of heat through a liquid is referred to as convection. This process occurs when warmer, less dense areas of a liquid rise, while cooler, denser areas sink, creating a circulation pattern that transfers heat throughout the fluid. This mechanism is essential in various natural phenomena, such as ocean currents and atmospheric patterns, demonstrating how heat is distributed in liquids.
Convection is distinct from conduction, which involves heat transfer through direct contact between materials, and occurs in solids, liquids, and gases. Refraction pertains to the bending of light as it passes through different mediums, while condensation refers to the process of gas transforming into a liquid, making them unrelated to heat transfer in liquids. Thus, the term that captures heat flow in a liquid effectively is convection.