Convection current in water heated with a Bunsen burner flame. As the water at the bottom of the beaker heats up, its density decreases. This causes i

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Convection current in water heated with a Bunsen burner flame. As the water at the bottom of the beaker heats up, its density decreases. This causes it rise upward. As it moves upwards and further away from the heat source, it begins to cool. As it cools, the density decreases which causes it to sink back down again. In this way a current is created that circulates the water around the beaker (shown by the coloured dye). Here a layer of hot water has been formed (pink, top), which is slowly cooling and sinking.

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Size: 3425px × 5118px
Photo credit: © MARTYN F. CHILLMAID/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: beaker, bunsen, burner, chemical, chemistry, circulating, cold, convection, cooling, current, currents, densities, density, difference, dye, education, equipment, flame, glass-ware, glassware, heat, heated, heating, hot, laboratory, permanganate, physical, physics, rises, rising, science, surface, tablet, transfer, tripod, warm, warming, water