Energy and Heat Transfer in the Atmosphere

Energy

• Energy always travels from high to low

• Things that are warmer have more energy

• If matter has more energy, it is moving faster

• More energy = More space between particles, so it is less dense

  • Less dense things rise up or float

  • More dense things sink

• Heat will keep transferring until equilibrium

Why does air rise?

Warm air = less dense = rises up

Cold air = more dense= sinks

Fluids and gases like to spread out, so they go where there is space.