What is a common example of convection in daily life?

Boiling water in a pot is a quintessential example of convection in daily life. As the water at the bottom of the pot heats up from the stove, it becomes less dense and rises to the surface. As it ascends, cooler, denser water descends to the bottom to take its place, creating a continuous cycle of movement known as a convection current. This process efficiently distributes heat throughout the pot, leading to uniform heating and boiling.

The other scenarios listed do not exemplify convection. Cooling a metal rod involves conduction as heat transfers from the rod to the surrounding air or surface it touches, differing from the bulk movement of fluid in convection. Heating a rock in sunlight involves radiation, where heat transfers through electromagnetic waves, without the movement of fluid. Stirring a cold drink may aid in mixing, but the act itself does not illustrate convection unless the stirring induces a thermal gradient that creates convection currents. Thus, boiling water in a pot most accurately represents convection due to the movement of fluid and heat transfer involved.