When heat is transferred from a hot object to a cold object, what phenomenon occurs?

When heat is transferred from a hot object to a cold object, the phenomenon that occurs is the transfer of energy from higher temperature to lower temperature until thermal equilibrium is achieved. This means that the heat transfer will persist until both objects reach the same temperature, at which point there is no longer a temperature difference to drive the transfer of heat.

This process is governed by the second law of thermodynamics, which states that heat naturally flows from a hotter body to a cooler one. The continuation of heat transfer is a fundamental principle in thermodynamics, illustrating the tendency toward equilibrium in energy distribution. Therefore, the correct understanding of this phenomenon is that heat transfer continues until the temperatures of both bodies equalize, leading to thermal equilibrium.