Which process involves the transfer of heat without any movement of the material?

The process that involves the transfer of heat without any movement of the material is conduction. Conduction occurs when heat energy is transferred through a material without any bulk movement of the material itself. This happens at the molecular level, where fast-moving molecules collide with neighboring slower-moving molecules, thereby transferring energy.

For example, when you place a metal spoon in a hot pot of soup, the heat from the soup is conducted through the spoon to your hand. The spoon itself does not move, but the heat is transferred from the hot soup through the spoon material to your hand.

In contrast, convection involves the movement of fluid (liquid or gas), as the warmer portions of the fluid rise and cooler portions sink, creating a heat transfer cycle. Radiation, on the other hand, is the transfer of heat through electromagnetic waves and can occur in a vacuum, with no medium required for the heat transfer. Evaporation involves a phase change transfer of heat as a liquid turns into vapor and typically involves movement of the liquid. Thus, conduction is the only process listed that transfers heat without involving movement of the material itself.