1.5 Convection Flashcards
What are fluids?
Gases and liquids
What happens when a fluid is heated and why?
It expands because the particles are colliding harder
What happens when the fluid expands?
It becomes less dense and rises
What replaces the warm fluid in a convection current?
Cooler, denser fluid
What happens to the warm fluid after it rises?
It loses energy so the particles collide less so the fluid contracts and sinks as it is more dense
What is the purpose of a convection current?
To transfer energy throughout the fluid
Why doesn’t convection occur in solids?
Because the particles are held in fixed positions and aren’t able to flow
Name a small scale convection current
•heating water in a beaker
Name a large scale convection current
•heating the air above land and sea
Why should you keep a lid on beakers for experiments?
To keep the hot air from evaporating
What is responsible for offshore and onshore breezes?
Convection currents
Why does a fluid become less dense when it is heated?
Because it expands and there is the same mass in a bigger volume
Where does convection occur?
In fluids
