What is the term for the process of losing heat to the environment?

The process of losing heat to the environment is best described as heat transfer. This term encompasses all forms of heat movement, including the loss of heat from a body to its surroundings. When an object loses heat, it does so through various mechanisms such as conduction, convection, or radiation, all of which fall under the broader definition of heat transfer.

Heat dissipation specifically refers to the process by which heat is spread out or released, typically in a localized context or within a particular system. While closely related, it does not capture the entire scope of heat being lost to the environment.

Thermal transfer can be considered another general term, but it is not as widely used or precise as heat transfer when discussing the loss of heat specifically.

Heat exchange generally refers to the transfer of heat between two systems or bodies, which can include gaining as well as losing heat, thus making it less specific to the concept of losing heat to the environment.

Therefore, heat transfer is the most encompassing and accurate term to describe the process of losing heat to the environment.