During the cooling cycle, the outdoor coil functions as what component?

During the cooling cycle, the outdoor coil functions as what component?

• A. Evaporator
• B. Condenser
• C. Metering device
• D. Compressor

Answer: (B)

During cooling, the outdoor coil acts as the condenser. The refrigerant is compressed into a high‑pressure, high‑temperature gas and travels to the outdoor coil. There, the outdoor air is blown across the coil, and the refrigerant rejects heat to the outside air, condensing into a high‑pressure liquid. That liquid then passes through the metering device to drop its pressure before returning to the indoor evaporator to absorb heat from inside. The outdoor coil’s role in cooling is heat rejection, not heat absorption. (In heating mode, such as on a heat pump, the roles can reverse and the outdoor coil may act as the evaporator.)

During cooling, the outdoor coil acts as the condenser. The refrigerant is compressed into a high‑pressure, high‑temperature gas and travels to the outdoor coil. There, the outdoor air is blown across the coil, and the refrigerant rejects heat to the outside air, condensing into a high‑pressure liquid. That liquid then passes through the metering device to drop its pressure before returning to the indoor evaporator to absorb heat from inside. The outdoor coil’s role in cooling is heat rejection, not heat absorption. (In heating mode, such as on a heat pump, the roles can reverse and the outdoor coil may act as the evaporator.)