School series 70

 How Does a Refrigerator Make Things Cold?

We often say that a refrigerator “makes things cold.”

But that isn't really what it does.

A refrigerator removes heat from inside the compartment and releases that heat into the room.

The process begins with a special fluid called a refrigerant. A compressor circulates it through a series of pipes.

Inside the refrigerator, the refrigerant absorbs heat from the food and air. It then carries that heat outside, where it is released into the surrounding room.

That is why the coils at the back or underneath a refrigerator can feel warm.

The compressor keeps this cycle going continuously:

Absorb heat → move it outside → release it → repeat.

This is also why leaving the refrigerator door open cannot cool your kitchen. The refrigerator removes heat from inside but releases even more heat into the room because the compressor also uses energy.

So the next time you open the refrigerator, remember:

A refrigerator doesn't create cold.
It moves heat from one place to another.