Which device directly transfers heating energy to a space by radiation or gravity convection?

• A. Terminal Heating Device
• B. Radiant Heater
• C. Boiler
• D. Heat Exchanger

Answer: (A)

When heat is delivered directly into the occupied space, the device at the end of the system that releases that energy is a terminal heating device. These devices sit in the space and transfer heat to the room by either radiation or natural (gravity-driven) convection. Boilers and heat exchangers generate or move heat but do not put it directly into the room—they heat a medium (air or water) that then heats the space through terminal devices. A radiant heater is a specific type of terminal heating device that emits heat by radiation, but the broad category that directly supplies warmth to the space is the terminal heating device.