In which scenario is conduction primarily observed?

Conduction is the transfer of heat through a material without any movement of the material itself. It occurs when heat is transferred directly from one molecule to another through contact. In the scenario where a stove warms a pot, heat is transferred directly from the burner to the pot through direct contact, causing the molecules in the metal of the pot to vibrate faster as they absorb energy. This process efficiently warms the pot until it reaches a higher temperature.

In contrast, the other scenarios involve different modes of heat transfer. The rising warm air in a room represents convection, where warm air, which is less dense, rises and is replaced by cooler air. Sunlight warming the ground is an example of radiation, as it involves energy transfer through electromagnetic waves. Finally, the cooling of a hot object in air can involve both convection (as air moves around the object) and radiation (as heat radiates away from the hot surface), but it does not primarily demonstrate conduction since the heat transfer is not occurring through direct contact with a solid medium.