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to convect

to convect

1 8.3
To move air or liquid so heat moves from one place to another
  • verb
  • /kənˈvɛkt/
  • Specialized
translation icon : convectar
  • The atmosphere of Venus convects and thereby establishes a temperature profile defined by the adiabatic lapse rate.

Examples

  • Water, when heated, convects even though it has a much higher density than air.

    Blog text (18)
  • If Venus has a hot, convecting interior, why are there no plates?

    Academic text (1993)
  • A rising air mass is a convecting air mass.

    Blog text (18)
  • The atmosphere is convecting at the same time, but let's keep it simple.

    Blog text (18)
  • The atmosphere of Jupiter convects.

    Blog text (18)
  • The majority of this energy rapidly convects to the troposphere.

    Blog text (18)
  • In turn, some of that absorbed and convected energy is radiated by the atmosphere back to the surface.

    Blog text (18)
  • OK, so the heat goes into the GHG-free atmosphere and convects upwards.

    Blog text (18)
  • Water convects even at extremely high pressures; witness the behavior of water near deep-sea volcanic vents.

    Blog text (18)
  • As the water heated up, it began to convect the warm water to the surface.

Synonyms

to circulate
vsto convect
40 3.9

Move continuously around inside a system, like water or air

involves movement that carries heat through fluid motion rather than mere flow

Antonyms

19 6.8

To stop growing or changing and stay the same, like water in a pond

Surface Forms

convect infinitive
convected past
convected past participle
convecting present participle
convects third person singular

Morphology

convect = convection (opaque) = con + vect

For learners who know the technical noun 'convection', the verb 'convect' is a straightforward back-formation meaning 'move by convection'.

Etymology

The word convect comes from the Latin parts con- 'together' and vect 'to carry', the same idea you find in convey. So, to convect is to 'carry' heat or air as it moves and spreads, which is why we use it for warm air rising and circulating in a room or oven.