Geo-thermal heat pumps are also referred to as geo-________.

• A. exchange
• B. circulation
• C. ground loop
• D. circuits

Answer: (A)

Geothermal heat pumps use the earth as a heat source and sink, and the process is described as geothermal exchange. The term exchange captures the transfer of heat between the ground and the circulating fluid in the system, which is the essence of how these systems work. In winter the loop absorbs heat from the soil, and in summer it releases heat back into the ground. While terms like ground loop describe the physical loop itself or circulation refers to movement, only exchange conveys the heat transfer relationship between the earth and the system. So the common designation is geoexchange (geothermal exchange).