Science 101: Why does air expand when you heat it, and why does hot air rise?

by: William C. Robertson, Ph.D.

The short answer to the questions in the title are that air doesn't necessarily expand when you heat it, and hot air doesn't always rise. These two commonly misunderstood concepts related to the behavior of gases and how this behavior applies to physical situations, including weather. The article delves more deeply into expanding air and hot air rising.

Details

Type Journal ArticlePub Date 9/1/2006Stock # sc06_044_01_60Volume 044Issue 01

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