What is a common example of convection in everyday life?

Boiling water serves as a classic example of convection. When water is heated in a pot, the heat from the burner warms the water at the bottom first. As this water heats up, it becomes less dense and rises to the surface. Conversely, the cooler, denser water at the surface moves down to replace it. This movement creates a continuous cycle known as a convection current, which effectively distributes the heat throughout the water until it reaches a uniform temperature and ultimately begins to boil.

In contrast, options like heating a metal rod primarily involve conduction rather than convection, as the heat transfer occurs through direct contact between the heat source and the rod. Burning wood involves combustion, which produces heat and light but does not inherently illustrate the principles of convection in a fluid medium. Lastly, stirring paint is more associated with mechanical mixing and does not describe a natural convection process, as it entails the action of agitating rather than the passive movement of fluid driven by temperature differences.