Well, solids are solid, you know and there isn't much movement there at all. But, gases can move freely and liquids can move freely, so they act the same when heated or energy has been added to them.
For example, look at these clouds moving around Mt. Fuji. Doesn't it remind you of a river flowing around rocks?
The water doesn't go over the higher rocks, it flows around.
Another common feature gases and liquids share is: when heated the molecules that are the hottest rise up, cool down and sink. Heat up, rise, cool off, sink...and repeat. It's a cycle.
If you look closely at this diagram you can see how the molecules spacing is different due to their being either heated or cooling. At 1) you can see that the energy is exciting the molecules 2) the molecules are less dense and rising 3) the heated molecules are cooling at the top of the pot away from the heat and beginning to shrink and 4) the molecules are cooled, contracted and sinking. And repeat!
Convection can be found in ovens, houses that have multiple stories, oceans, lakes, hot cups of cocoa. When there is a heat source liquids AND gases act the same.
Hot stuff! Cha-cha-cha!
I really liked the picture of mt. fuji and the clouds going around it
ReplyDeleteThat is so cool that the clouds go around mt. Fuji just like water goes around rocks in a stream.
ReplyDeleteThe purple die in the cup of water looks like a nucluer explosion.That is so cool!!!!
ReplyDelete