Question

within a current, air near earths surface is heated, become less dense than the surrounding air, and rises. as the warm air rises, it cools and its increases. the dense air , warms again, and the process repeats. need help? review these concept resources. read about the concept

Explanation:

• Convection current: The process described is characteristic of a convection current. In a convection current, air (or a fluid) is heated, becomes less dense (as density is inversely related to temperature for a given mass - volume relationship \(

ho=\frac{m}{V}\), and when heated, \(V\) increases for a gas at constant pressure), and rises.

• Density: As the warm air rises, it cools. Cooling causes the volume of the air (assuming constant pressure) to decrease (by Charles's law \(V = kT\) for a gas at constant pressure, where \(k\) is a constant and \(T\) is temperature in Kelvin). Since density \(

ho=\frac{m}{V}\), a decrease in \(V\) (with \(m\) constant) leads to an increase in density.

• Sinks: Denser air is heavier than the surrounding warmer air, so it sinks back down towards the Earth's surface.

Answer:

convection, density, sinks