Steaks searing—heat through conduction.Convection is the transfer of one solid body to another
through the intermediary of a fluid—that is, a liquid or a
gas. This is a moderately efficient method of heat transfer,
though in cooking its efficiency depends greatly on the way
the fluid flows around the food. The motion of the fluid is
referred to as convection patterns.
As a general rule, the faster air travels over a given
surface, the more energy it can transfer. Still air will rapidly
give up its energy, but with moving air, the energy supply is
constantly being replenished by new air being cycled over a
substance such as food. Convection ovens, for instance,
have fans that are designed to keep the air inside moving