Teacher Demonstration
Use the live model as a shared screen demonstration before students try their own predictions and observations.
Physics / Thermal Physics
Convection Current
Explore Convection Current as an interactive EJS simulation for thermal physics.
1. Watch or Launch
Launch the Interactive
Open the simulation, adjust the controls, and compare what changes on screen before answering the concept-check questions.
2. Big Ideas
Key idea Convection transfers thermal energy through bulk movement of a fluid. Heating and cooling create density differences, causing warmer fluid to rise and cooler fluid to sink.
What Students Can Learn
- Connect temperature difference to density difference in fluids.
- Trace the circulation path of a convection current.
- Distinguish convection from conduction in solids.
- Use arrows, particle motion, or flow patterns as evidence.
Guiding Question
Where does the fluid rise, where does it sink, and what temperature or density difference drives that motion?
3. Try the Investigation
Locate Heating and Cooling
Identify the hot and cold regions before describing the flow.
Trace the Current
Follow one part of the fluid around the circulation path.
Change the Thermal Condition
Adjust the heating or cooling condition if available and compare the strength or direction of the current.
Explain the Loop
Use density differences to explain why the current continues as a loop.
4. Teacher Notes
Lesson Use
Use this as a visual explanation of convection currents in fluids. Ask students to annotate the path using rise, spread, sink, and return.
Discussion Prompts
Ask: Why does the warm region rise? What would happen if the temperature difference were smaller? How is this different from conduction through a solid?
Teaching Moves
Have students first describe the flow without using the word convection. Then introduce the term once they can explain the density-driven circulation.
5. Concept Check
These questions are generated from the topic and the concept illustrated by the simulation. Use them after students have explored the model.
Concept Score
Correct first attempts build a streak and unlock higher point multipliers on this device.
0page points
0current streak
x1multiplier
0best streak
Answer each question once to build your streak.
1. What drives a convection current in a fluid?
2. What should students look for in the model?
3. Why is convection important in thermal physics?
4. What comparison is most useful?
5. What misconception can be challenged?
Expert Challenge
Unlocks after 3 correct concept-check answers on this page.
1. In a convection current interactive, what visible evidence should students trace?
2. What is the best feedback for 'hot fluid sinks because heat is heavy'?
3. What fair comparison tests the heating position or temperature difference?
4. What should students say if the model shows a full circulation loop?
5. What makes a convection explanation expert-level?
7. Learning Pulse
Anonymous activity shows this resource is being discovered, revisited, and used by learners in different places.
--currently viewing
--total page views
Where Recent Learners Are From
Country or region is inferred anonymously from server location headers when available. No names, accounts, or IP addresses are shown.
Detecting locations...
Updating anonymous page activity...