what dose convention have to do with the holes in a desk lamp?

Answer 1

I think you mean convection. It is the flow of air currents created by temperature.

Answer 2

I hope you mean "convection" instead of convention.

Because if you mean convention I have no idea what lamp holes would have to do with it.

"Convection" is the process whereby air moves (without a fan is "natural" convection and with a fan is "forced" convection) and causes heat transfer.

In other words the air moves to heat or cool something. When you use a hair dryer on your hair, that is forced convection heating of your hair. When you set a cold drink on the counter, it is warmed by the natural convection of air. When air heats it rises, cools it falls, so that new air takes it's place to be heated or cooled and thus moved. This flow is natural convection.

In a desk lamp, there are usually holes in the bulb cover to allow the air that was heated by the light bulb to move up and out so that new cooler air moves in and a "convection" is established so that air isn't trapped near the bulb to get hotter and hotter until something melts or burns.

So, the holes in a desk lamp allow convection cooling of the lamp so it doesn't overheat.

I guess I could have just put that last sentence but sometimes a big long description like this is helpful. And apparently I was in a big long writing mood.

Answer 3

It maintains a regular current of cool air into the lamp.