THE 3 forms of heat loss from an object or surface at earth's surface are...

[Climate Realist]

Convection occurs when the ground heats a packet of air by conduction and continual rising of the air as it expands. This must be the major form of heat loss from the ground over large parts of the earths surface.

And Derek, it is both heat loss and heat transfer. Heat loss from the ground as it is transferred to the rising and expanding air, which transfers heat to the upper atmosphere as it rises and expands. The ground loses heat and convection transfers the heat to the upper atmosphere.

A fridge works by compressing a gas which due to the pressure increase, gives off heat. This gas is then expanded which then cools and is passed through a heat exchanger inside the fridge to remove heat from the contents. Much in the same way that air expands as it heats, rises, loses heat to the upper atmosphere which then radiates this heat to space, then the air cools, becomes more dense and sinks to the bottom of the atmosphere.

Yes, fridges use phase changes as well and therefore latent heat plays a part, but I think as latent heat is only involved in the case of phase changes (solid to liquid to gas etc), that you have confused yourself somewhat and that as latent heat can only be a factor during phase changes and in the case of the earth where water is present, then convection has to be the major player. Convection and radiation occur everywhere! Convection is the reason why the earths atmosphere stays warm at night, due to the slowness of convection. Latent heat due to changes in the state of water has to be a lesser player.