Eli5: Why are space heaters shaped like that? And radiators?
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Not sure what shape specifically, but the answer probably has to do with surface area vs. volume.
Any kind of a heat exchanger, including radiators, transfers heat more efficiently the higher the surface area to volume ratio is. That’s why you see a lot of fins on coolers for example.
The other design feature you might be referring to is the wavy up and down path the pipe takes. That is so if the radiator works on moving a hot fluid, the fluid travels in the space to be heated for a longer duration allowing more time for heat to be transferred from the fluid to the space.
Can’t speak to the “shaped like that” without an example, but in general radiators usually want to maximize their surface area to they may have fins, bends, and folds. Also tend to be near to the floor instead of ceiling because heat rises.
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