The Convection Zone

At A Glance:

  • Convection is the transfer of heat by the movement of a heated material. This movement of heated air away from a hot object and the flow of cooler air toward that object is called a convection current.
  • Matter is heated from the energy generated by the Radioactive Zone
  • The churning motion carries the energy of the star up towards the atmosphere..
  • It’s about a 1/10 as dense as water

In Depth:

In the presence of the temperature gradients, the hot gas rises to the top carrying the energy with it. As it rises, it cools, loses energy, and eventually begins to sink again. This sets up a flow pattern in which forms convection cells. For example, a hot stove in a room heats the air around it by conduction. This heated air rises, and cooler air rushes to replace it. Then the cooler air near the stove becomes war and rises. The exchange or air current causes the energy to the star's atmosphere.

Back To Interior Core Radiation Zone Convection Zone