In refrigeration systems, what happens to heat from the substance being cooled?

In refrigeration systems, the heat from the substance being cooled is primarily extracted from that substance. This process is essential for lowering the temperature of the material being refrigerated. When a refrigerant flows through the system, it absorbs the heat from the substance and carries it away, subsequently releasing it in another part of the system, typically at the condenser.

The extraction process is critical because it allows the refrigerant to change states — from a liquid to a gas as it absorbs heat, and then back to a liquid as it releases the heat at the condenser. This cycle of heat extraction and rejection is what makes refrigeration possible.

While other terms may describe parts of this process, "extracted" specifically emphasizes the action of removing heat from the materials, which is the fundamental operation of any refrigeration cycle.