What is the term for heat transfer that occurs through the mixing of fluids?

The correct term for heat transfer that occurs through the mixing of fluids is convection. This process involves the movement of fluid, which can be liquids or gases, where warmer, less dense fluid rises while cooler, denser fluid sinks. As the fluids mix, heat is transferred from the warmer regions to the cooler regions, resulting in a uniform temperature distribution over time. This mechanism is significant in various applications, such as heating in homes, cooking, and in natural systems like ocean currents and atmospheric circulation.

Conduction, while a fundamental mode of heat transfer, refers to the transfer of heat through solid materials where energy is passed from one particle to another without any movement of the material itself. Thermal radiation involves the transfer of heat in the form of electromagnetic waves and does not require a medium for the heat to travel through. The term conduction-convection is not recognized as a standard mechanism of heat transfer; it combines the two distinct processes but does not specifically address the mixing of fluids. Thus, convection is the best answer for describing heat transfer through fluid mixing.