What causes heat loss by conduction?

Heat loss by conduction occurs when heat is transferred from a warmer object to a colder one through direct contact. This process is rooted in the transfer of energy between the molecules of the two objects. When a warm surface comes into contact with a colder surface, the faster-moving molecules in the warmer object collide with the slower-moving molecules in the colder object. This interaction causes the warmer object's molecules to lose energy and the colder object's molecules to gain energy, resulting in heat transfer.

In this context, direct contact with cold surfaces is the primary mechanism for conduction. Other factors, like air movement or evaporation, can indeed contribute to heat loss, but they operate through different mechanisms (convection and evaporation, respectively) rather than conduction. Proximity to windows may also result in heat loss, primarily through radiation or convection rather than conduction. Thus, the correct understanding of heat loss by conduction centers specifically on direct contact with colder surfaces.