Playing the "What if?" Game
Scientists
use computer models to help understand and predict how convection
works under different circumstances. The model consists of
equations that describe how a fluid moves. These equations describe
properties of the fluid and how it's being heated. For example, the
a thick fluid will move differently than a thin fluid, even when
they're heated the same way. Computer models allow scientist to change
the properties of a fluid and see how it reacts differently. Scientists
can play a "what if?" game, determining how the convection currents will
change when the fluid or conditions change.
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