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What does density have to do with convection currents?

In: Oceanography [Edit categories]

Answer:

Put simply things that are of lower density will float on things that have a higher density.

If you take a fluid (i.e. air or water) and heat it, the portion that is heated usually expands. The same mass takes up more volume and as a consequence the heated portion becomes less dense than the portion that is not heated.

The heated portion therefore floats upwards and this portion has to be replaced by colder fluid as it does so.

This flow is called convection, it is an effect of density variations and the driving energy for the movement is heat.

First answer by Fwmh. Last edit by Mishness. Contributor trust: 2 [recommend contributor ]. Question popularity: 2 [recommend question].

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