Advertisement

NOW YOU KNOW

Share via

When it’s cold outside, we turn on the heat in our houses, and soon we’re warm and cozy. But just how does it work?

A stove or heater raises the temperature of the air around it. The hot air expands, so it is lighter than the colder air. The heated air rises, and cooler air replaces it.

The movement of heated air away from a hot object and the flow of cooler air toward that object is called a convection current. The movement of the air carries heat to all parts of a room.

Advertisement

Source: The World Book Encyclopedia

Can your class come up with an interesting but little-known piece of information from an academic subject? Send it in to Now You Know, along with the source of your information. We will print the best submissions and credit the class and school.

Advertisement