Question

What are convection currents and what causes them?

Answer 1

Hint: Warm material that is lighter (less dense) rises, while cooler material that is heavier (more dense) sinks. Convection currents are circulation patterns that occur in the atmosphere, ocean, and the Earth's mantle as a result of this movement.

Complete answer:
Convection current is a mechanism in which energy is transferred from one location to another. Convection heat transfer is another name for it.Convection currents transmit fluid or gas particles from one location to another. These are formed as a result of changes in the densities and temperatures of a particular gas or fluid.

The heat energy can be transmitted by convection, which is caused by a temperature differential between the two portions of the fluid. Hot fluids tend to rise, whereas cold fluids tend to sink, due to the temperature differential. Convection current is created inside the fluid as a result of this.

Convection currents move the mantle beneath the earth's surface. These currents are primarily created by an extremely hot substance present in the deepest section of the mantle that rises, cools, and descends repeatedly, repeating the heating and rising process.
Three factors contribute to set convection currents in motion: heating and cooling of the fluid, changes in the fluid’s density, and force of gravity.

Note: Convection currents are responsible for the movement of the tectonic plates that make up the earth's crust, not the entire planet. The process of convection occurs only in fluids, such as liquids and gases. This occurs because molecules in liquids and gases are free to move about.