GCSE PHYSICS - Heat - What is Convection?

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Heat. What is Convection?

Heat can be transferred by convection in liquids and gases.
Particles in the liquid or gas collide with a substance that
has a high temperature and the particles gain kinetic energy.
The particles move to a region which has substance
at a lower temperature and the particles transfer heat
by colliding with the colder substance. In this way
the high temperature substance has heat taken away
from it and gets colder. The low temperature
substance has heat given to it and gets warmer.

The liquid or gas that transfers the heat can circulate
round and round between the hot and cold regions.
The flow of liquid or gas is called a convection current.
Convection currents are caused by changes in density
(continued on the next page).

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