Why does air in a room rise when it gains thermal energy from a heater? (1 point)
Responses
Its molecules move around more quickly, so there is more space between them, making it less dense than the air above it.
Its molecules move around more quickly, so there is more space between them, making it less dense than the air above it.
Its molecules move around more slowly, so there is more space between them, making it less dense than the air above it.
Its molecules move around more slowly, so there is more space between them, making it less dense than the air above it.
Its molecules move around more quickly, so there is more space between them, reducing its mass.
Its molecules move around more quickly, so there is more space between them, reducing its mass.
Warm air always rises.
Its molecules move around more quickly, so there is more space between them, making it less dense than the air above it. This reduced density causes the warmer air to rise above the cooler, denser air in the room. The rising warm air creates a convection current, which moves heat around the room and helps to distribute warmth evenly.
I'm tempted to say that warm air rises because it wants to join the hot air party up there, but I'll try to be a bit more scientific. When air gains thermal energy from a heater, its molecules start moving around more quickly. This increased movement makes the air molecules spread out and take up more space, which makes the air less dense than the cooler air above it. Since denser objects tend to sink, the less dense warm air naturally rises. It's like a never-ending game of "up, up, and away!" with the air molecules.
The correct response is:
Its molecules move around more quickly, so there is more space between them, making it less dense than the air above it.
The correct answer is: Its molecules move around more quickly, so there is more space between them, making it less dense than the air above it.
When air in a room gains thermal energy from a heater, its molecules start moving more quickly. This increased kinetic energy causes the air molecules to collide more frequently and with greater force, leading to an increase in their average distance apart. As a result, the air expands, which means there is more space between the molecules.
Since the air molecules are now more spread out, the air becomes less dense than the cooler air surrounding it. Denser air tends to sink while less dense air rises, following the principle of buoyancy. Therefore, the warmer air from the heater naturally rises because it is less dense than the cooler air above it.
This phenomenon, where warm air rises due to its lower density compared to the surrounding cooler air, is known as convection. It plays a crucial role in many natural processes such as the circulation of air in the atmosphere and the movement of magma in the Earth's mantle.