Illustration of convection currents

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    Convection Currents
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SUMMARY

This discussion clarifies the representation of convection currents, specifically the use of red and blue arrows to indicate warmer and cooler air movements, respectively. It establishes that while heat moves from higher to lower temperatures, the direction of convection currents does not always align with heat transport. The molecular diffusion of heat can occur in various directions, including opposite to the convection arrows. The conversation also distinguishes between diffusion and conduction, confirming that they are indeed the same process in the context of heat transfer.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of convection currents and their representation
  • Knowledge of heat transfer mechanisms: conduction, convection, and diffusion
  • Familiarity with thermodynamics principles
  • Basic grasp of molecular behavior in gases
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  • Research the principles of heat transfer, focusing on conduction and diffusion
  • Explore the differences between convection and conduction in fluid dynamics
  • Study molecular diffusion in gases and its implications for heat transport
  • Examine visual representations of convection currents and their accuracy in scientific communication
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Students of physics, educators in thermodynamics, and professionals in environmental science or meteorology who seek a deeper understanding of heat transfer mechanisms and their visual representations.

Maxo
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When convection currents are illustrated they are often painted as arrows with red and blue color, the red one being the direction of warmer currents and the blue ones being the direction of cooler currents. See for example this picture:
image.png


But how does this go together with the fact that heat is defined as always going from parts of higher temperature to parts of lower temperature? Wouldn't that only be the red arrows then? Does that mean that the currents represented by blue arrows doesn't actually exist?
 
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You are confusing movement of air with transport of heat within air.
 
A.T. said:
You are confusing movement of air with transport of heat within air.

Ok, but wouldn't the transport of heat within air be in the same direction as the red arrows?
 
No, the molecular diffusion of heat will be from warm toward cold, or opposite to the direction of the (convection) arrows.
 
Maxo said:
Ok, but wouldn't the transport of heat within air be in the same direction as the red arrows?
At some points, but it can also be in the opposite direction or perpendicular to it.
 
When talking about transport of heat within air, is that referring to radiation?
 
Maxo said:
When talking about transport of heat within air, is that referring to radiation?
No, diffusion.
 
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A.T. said:
No, diffusion.

Is diffusion the same as conduction?
 

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