2007-10-01 08:50:20 · 6 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Weather
The sun heats the earth's surface. The surface then releases heat upwards into the atmosphere.
Viola...convection.
2007-10-01 09:06:33 · answer #1 · answered by Mr. Me 7 · 4⤊ 0⤋
Convection ( http://www.srh.noaa.gov/srh/jetstream/atmos/heat.htm )
Convection is the transfer of heat energy in a fluid. This type of heating is most commonly seen in the kitchen when you see liquid boiling.
Air in the atmosphere acts as a fluid. The sun's radiation strikes the ground, thus warming the rocks. As the rock's temperature rises due to conduction, heat energy is released into the atmosphere, forming a bubble of air which is warmer than the surrounding air. This bubble of air rises into the atmosphere. As it rises, the bubble cools with the heat contained in the bubble moving into the atmosphere.
As the hot air mass rises, the air is replaced by the surrounding cooler, more dense air, what we feel as wind. These movements of air masses can be small in a certain region, such as local cumulus clouds, or large cycles in the troposphere, covering large sections of the earth. Convection currents are responsible for many weather patterns in the troposphere.
2007-10-01 16:02:03 · answer #2 · answered by NWS Storm Spotter 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Convection is a mode of heat ransfer. In Meteorology,convection refers to the ascent of an air parcel.This is due to the fact that a sample of air is given a motion upwards either by virtue of its buoyancy or by other external forces.
This process may therefore be either free or forced one.The upward motion is a free one if it is entirely due to buoyancy in an unstable atmosphere.
On the other hand,the motion is a forced one if the air stream ascends while crossing a mountain barrier or when a warm airmass is undercut by a cold airmass and is forced aloft.
Buoyancy is the result of air layers being subjected to intense isolational heating (by solar radiation)close to the ground.
2007-10-02 04:54:19 · answer #3 · answered by Arasan 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Convection currents are caused by warm air rising and cooler air flowing in underneath. The warm air is less dense and therefore rises. Convection is caused by uneven heating of the earths surface.
2007-10-01 15:54:19 · answer #4 · answered by science teacher 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Convection comes from evaporation gases that come through the air into the clouds!
2007-10-01 15:53:27 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
wikipedia
2007-10-01 15:59:02 · answer #6 · answered by lt snow 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋