Directions
There is more than one way to transfer heat!
Convection is a way that heat is transferred through liquids (such as water) and gases (such as air). Let’s put a pot of water on the stove and watch that happen.
As we heat the pot (through conduction), the water molecules on the bottom start moving faster and faster. As the water on the bottom gets hotter, it rises to the top, while cool water sinks to the bottom. The cycle repeats itself over and over. This circulation of hot and cold is called convection.
Look at the diagram that shows this dynamic process of heat transfer. We can see convection at work not only in our kitchens, but also in the ocean and in the atmosphere.