convective
Driven by circulation
Convective describes heat transfer through the movement of fluid—liquid or gas.
Warm air rises, cool air sinks, creating convective currents.
Meteorologists speak of convective storms, where rising warm air generates thunderheads.
Convective cooling moves heat away from a surface as air circulates past it.
The term appears most often in weather forecasting and engineering.
Movement through a system
- turbulenceChaotic flow patterns
- flowUnbroken forward movement
- eddyCircular counter-current
- vortexRotating fluid column
swirl · streamlines · buoyancy · laminar · turbulent · updraft · downdraft · viscosity
Violent weather with lightning
- cumulonimbusTowering storm-producing cloud
- updraftUpward air movement
- downdraftDescending air current
- supercellRotating severe thunderstorm
squall line · mesocyclone · anvil cloud · wind shear · severe weather · tornado · lightning · hail
Volume increase from warming
- heat exchangerTransfers thermal energy between media
- heat sinkDevice absorbing component warmth
- boundary layerViscous region near walls
- thermodynamicsScience of heat-energy relationships
buoyancy · air circulation · conductor · insulator · fluid dynamics · heating element · conduction · cooling
Cooking with dry heat
- bakingCooking with dry heat
- air fryerAppliance crisping food with heat
- even heatingTemperature consistency everywhere
- browningFood darkening when cooked
crisping · hot air · dehydrating · toaster oven · forced air
circulation
Movement through a system
- turbulenceChaotic flow patterns
- flowUnbroken forward movement
- eddyCircular counter-current
vortex · swirl · streamlines · buoyancy · laminar · turbulent · updraft · downdraft · viscosity · hydrodynamics
thunderstorm
Violent weather with lightning
- cumulonimbusTowering storm-producing cloud
- updraftUpward air movement
- downdraftDescending air current
supercell · squall line · mesocyclone · anvil cloud · wind shear · severe weather · tornado · lightning · hail · thunderhead
thermal expansion
Volume increase from warming
- heat exchangerTransfers thermal energy between media
- heat sinkDevice absorbing component warmth
- boundary layerViscous region near walls
thermodynamics · buoyancy · air circulation · conductor · insulator · fluid dynamics · heating element · conduction · cooling
roasting
Cooking with dry heat
- bakingCooking with dry heat
- air fryerAppliance crisping food with heat
- even heatingTemperature consistency everywhere
browning · crisping · hot air · dehydrating · toaster oven · forced air
convectiveradiative
Emitting energy as waves
conductive · radiant · conducted · radiating
convectivestatic
Without motion or change
stagnant · stratified · still · motionless · quiescent
- convection ovenAppliance circulating hot air
- natural convectionHeat transfer via buoyancy
- convection currentsHeat-caused fluid movement
- convection heaterDevice warming via circulation
- convection heatingWarmth via fluid motion
- convection microwaveAppliance combining radiation and circulating heat