Table of Contents
How does convection currents affect heat?
The heat energy can be transferred by the process of convection by the difference occurring in temperature between the two parts of the fluid. Due to this temperature difference, the hot fluids tend to rise, whereas cold fluids tend to sink. This creates a current within the fluid called Convection current.
What is the explanation for feather beds being warm?
Because of the presence of the air spaces in feathers, they are a good insulator of heat, which is the reason why feather beds are warm.
Why the sand is much hotter compared to water in the beach if they are exposed with the same source which is the sun?
Sand is a poor conductor of heat so when the Sun warms the sand, the heat is not distributed evenly, making the surface hot. Also the specific heat of sand is lower than that of water so when both are exposed to the same amount of light, the sand at the surface will have a higher change in temperature.
What do convection currents result in?
Convection currents are the result of differential heating. Lighter (less dense), warm material rises while heavier (more dense) cool material sinks. It is this movement that creates circulation patterns known as convection currents in the atmosphere, in water, and in the mantle of Earth.
How are convection currents set up in air?
When sun rays hit the land the land gets heated up. Then the air nearest to the land gets heated up too and it becomes lighter and rises up. The air from higher altitude which is cooler and thus heavier sinks down to fill the space left by warm air. This cycle repeats and convection currents are set up.
Why does 70 degree air feel warmer than 70 degree water?
Air at 70 degrees fahrenheit feels comfortable principally because it is a poor conductor. Our warmer skin is slow to transfer heat to the air. Water, however, is a better conductor of heat than air, so our warmer bodies in water more readily transfer heat to the water.
Does wood have a low conductivity if it is very hot?
Wood exhibits a low thermal conductivity (high heat-insulating capacity) compared with materials such as metals, marble, glass, and concrete. Moisture reduces the heating value; air-dry wood has about 15 percent less heating value than oven-dry wood.
Does sand have a higher specific heat than water?
Sand also has a relatively low specific heat. Water, on the other hand, has a very high specific heat. It takes a lot more energy to increase the temperature of water than sand.