Convection (Cambridge (CIE) IGCSE Co-ordinated Sciences (Double Award)): Revision Note

Convection

• Convection is the main way that heat travels through liquids and gases

  • Convection only occurs in fluids

  • Convection cannot happen in solids

• In convection, the fluid near to the heat source is heated first

  • This heated fluid then rises and is replaced by cooler fluid

• The cooler fluid is, similarly, heated and then rises, being replaced by cold fluid

  • In this way, a convection current is formed and the entirety of the fluid is heated

Explaining convection

Extended tier only

Density & convection

• Descriptions of convection currents always need to refer to changes in temperature causing changes in density

• The temperature may fall or rise, both can create a convection current 

• When a liquid (or gas) is heated (for example by a radiator near the floor):

• The heated molecules vibrate and push each other apart, making the liquid/gas expand

  • This makes the hot liquid/gas less dense than the surroundings

  • The hot liquid/gas rises, and the cooler (surrounding) liquid/gas moves in to take its place

  • Eventually the hot liquid/gas cools and contracts, increasing in density, and sinks back down again

  • The resulting motion is called a convection current

Simple convection current diagram

When a liquid or gas is heated, it becomes less dense and rises

• When a liquid (or gas) is cooled (for example by an A.C. unit high up on a wall):

  • The molecules lose energy and collide less, making the liquid/gas contract

  • This makes the cold liquid/gas more dense than the surroundings

  • The cold liquid/gas falls, so that warmer, less dense, liquid or gas can move into the space created

  • The warmer liquid/gas gets cooled and also contracts and falls down

  • The resulting motion is called a convection current