Sketch of the scenario for energy release, transport, and conversion in solar flares. Two hot plasma components are present: one is directly heated in the corona, the other is generated by chromospheric evaporation due to energy input by nonthermal particles (particle acceleration is not considered in this sketch) and conduction. At lower and denser atmospheric layers (chromosphere and photosphere) in the loop footpoints, energy is efficiently radiated away by cooler plasma.