What is Convection?

What are some basic definitions for conduction, convection, radiation?

• What are some basic definitions for: conduction convection radiation?

• Answer:

  Firstly, all of these are methods of transferring heat from one place to another. Conduction is when heat is transferred across a solid by particle vibrations. For example, if you have a metal rod and heat one end, the particles at that end gain more kinetic energy (they vibrate), as they vibrate that make the particles next to them vibrate and so this continues until the heat is spread evenly across the metal rod. Convection only applies to gases and liquids. This is slightly more complex. If you heat the bottom of a liquid, the warm water floats to the top and a convection current begins. A convection current is like a cycle basically, hot water goes to the surface of the liquid and when it cools it returns to the bottom again only to be heated once more and returned to the surface. This is why if you measure the temperature of a liquid it is different at the top and the bottom. The same thing applies to gases Radiation: The best example of this is in a vacuum such as space. This is how the sun's heat reaches us. Radiation is when heat is emitted as radiation (as a wave like light). The heat is carried by the waves away from the source. I hope this helped! I tried to make it simple so you could understand because actually these concepts can be much more complex in particular the radiation one. OR CONVECTION-circulation of heat; thermal conduction, transmission of heat by circulatory movement in a fluid or gas that results in areas of different temperatures and distinctive densities which rise and fall in reaction to gravity (Physics); conveying, act of transmitting, act of transporting; (Meteorology) upright movement of heat in enormous motion inside the atmosphere CONDUCTION-act of conducting or conveying (i.e. water through a pipe or electricity through a wire) RADIATION-energy radiated in the form of waves or particles; process of emitting energy in electromagnetic waves or moving particles; act of emitting, act of beaming or glowing. Thanks.