Intro to Natural Convection — Lesson 1

Have you ever wondered how a hot cup of coffee sitting on a table cools down with time?

The answer can't be forced convection as there is no external forcing applied here. However, as the air close to the top surface of the hot coffee starts heating, gradients of air density develop, and because of gravity, convection currents are formed enabling the transfer of heat. This is referred to as natural convection and it is the driving force behind many engineering applications such as HVAC systems and natural processes such as ocean and atmospheric currents that are responsible for our day-to-day weather.

So, let's dive into the lesson and learn more about natural convection.

Alternate video link.

Here are the handouts for this lesson.