Explained Simply #17 — how does a fridge make cold with electricity?
A compressor squeezes a refrigerant gas; it evaporates inside the fridge and soaks up heat, then dumps that heat out of the coils at the back.
Your fridge doesn't make cold. It MOVES HEAT! ❄️🔥
🧊 Cold just means less heat — so a fridge pumps the heat out of the box.
⚙️ An electric compressor squeezes a special gas (the refrigerant) — squeezed gas gets hot.
🔥 The coils at the back give that heat to your room (that's why the back feels warm).
🤔 So why is it cold inside?
💨 The gas rushes through a tiny hole, spreads out and turns icy cold — like a spray can that feels cold in your hand.
🔁 The icy coils inside soak up the heat from your food, and the gas goes round again and again. The hum you hear = the compressor switching on.
Read the voiceover (transcript)
- Your fridge doesn't make cold! Wait, what?
- It moves heat out of the box.
- A motor squeezes a gas, so it gets hot.
- Coils at the back dump that heat into your room!
- So why cold inside?
- It rushes through a tiny hole and turns icy!
- Then it soaks up the heat inside.
- Next: how an LED makes light. Follow for more!
Related lessons
EP.216 · Explained SimplyExplained Simply #15: what is 5G, really?
EP.208 · Explained SimplyExplained Simply #14: how does a battery store electricity?
EP.200 · Explained SimplyExplained Simply #13: how does a phone camera turn light into a photo?
EP.192 · Explained SimplyWhy do electric cars accelerate so fast?
Get new lessons + early access to the full course
One email when new lessons drop. No spam, unsubscribe any time.
✓ You're on the list! We'll email you when new lessons drop.
By joining you agree to the privacy policy.