convection: Quick Facts

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Photos and Videos

Diagram of a tea kettle on a stove illustrating convection currents in boiling water, with arrows showing warm water rising and cool water sinking as heat is transferred from the flame.

Figure 28: Schematic cross section showing one of various possible models for convection within the Earth.

Convection occurs all around us

What Role Does Convection Play in Plate Tectonics?

How heat is transferred and measured

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Topics

convection current vertical mixing Rayleigh number Bénard cell Advection heat transfer Condensation thermal conduction vaporization

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Key People

Chandrasekhar, Subrahmanyan

Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar

American astronomer