Did you know? How does heat move between objects? Heat moves between objects in three key ways: 1. Radiation - Radiation moves from a heat source through air and space to the surface of a substance. As an example, the heat that the earth receives from the sun. 2. Conduction - Heat transferred from one object to another through physical contact. 3. Convection - The circular motion that happens when warmer air or liquid rises, while the cooler air or liquid drops down. This is why the byproducts of combustion in gas-fired equipment flow up the flue pipe. The convection is sometimes called the chimney effect.