Lesson Plan

• Describe how conduction, convection, and radiation each contribute to heat transfer in a fire and a car radiator.
• Explain the interactions between the three modes and predict consequences when one mode is reduced.
• Apply the Stefan‑Boltzmann law and convective heat‑transfer equation to estimate heat loss in each case.
• Analyze real‑world strategies for controlling heat transfer (e.g., fire‑fighting, radiator fan failure).
• Evaluate design modifications that optimise the balance of heat‑transfer modes.

• Projector or interactive whiteboard
• Slide deck with fire and car‑radiator diagrams
• Printed worksheet with case‑study questions
• Thermal‑imaging video or simulation (optional)
• Calculator or spreadsheet for quick calculations
• Whiteboard and markers

Begin with a short video clip of a campfire followed by a car parked with its engine running, prompting students to observe the visible heat effects. Ask learners to recall the three modes of thermal energy transfer studied previously and to predict which will dominate in each scenario. Explain that today they will investigate how conduction, convection, and radiation act together and how engineers exploit or mitigate these interactions. Success will be measured by their ability to explain the combined effects and perform simple heat‑loss calculations.

1. Do‑Now (5'): Quick quiz on definitions of conduction, convection, and radiation; teacher reviews answers.
2. Mini‑lecture (10'): Review key equations (Fourier’s law, Newton’s cooling law, Stefan‑Boltzmann) with emphasis on combined systems.
3. Case Study A – Fire (15'): Guided analysis of the fire diagram; pairs label where each mode occurs and list consequences; teacher circulates.
4. Quantitative activity (10'): Students calculate radiative power of a coal ember using the given values and compare with an estimated convective loss.
5. Case Study B – Car Radiator (15'): Group task to identify heat‑transfer paths, discuss fan‑failure effects, and complete a comparison table.
6. Design challenge (10'): Small groups propose one modification to improve radiator cooling or fire safety and justify it using mode‑interaction concepts.
7. Check for understanding (5'): Whole‑class exit ticket – write one sentence describing how the three modes interact in either case study.

Summarise that in both the fire and the car radiator the three heat‑transfer modes operate simultaneously, but their relative importance shifts with temperature and airflow. Collect the exit tickets to gauge understanding and assign a brief homework: calculate the radiative loss for a radiator surface at a different temperature using the Stefan‑Boltzmann equation. Remind students that mastering these interactions is essential for safety engineering and energy‑efficient design.