31.0k views
1 vote
What are convection currents

User Fredefl
by
8.0k points

2 Answers

4 votes

Answer:

A convection current is the flow of heat within a fluid.

User Tawana
by
7.8k points
2 votes
Breifly, a convection current is a current in a fluid that results from convection.
But, in more detail: Convection is one of the three main types of heat transfer, the other two being conduction and radiation. Unlike the other two, convection can only happen in fluids,- liquids and gases. This is because the molecules have to be free to move.Heat energy can transfer by convection when there is a significant difference in temperature between two parts of a fluid. When this temperature difference exists, hot fluids rise and cold fluids sink, and thencurrents (movements) are created in the fluid.
User Lachlan Cotter
by
8.2k points