What is the difference between convergent and convective lifting?

Question

No wikipedia entries please.

Answer 1

Convergent lifting is when air molecules are forced upwards due to the increase on molecules moving into one defined area.  This is usually associated with a layer that has one area that is warm and one area that is cold.  In order to balance out this difference. air is moved horizontally within the layer in the form of wind.  When two or more wind fields converge, the air will start to pile up and some will be forced upward from the surface.

Convective lifting is due to vertical instability.  Convective current will form in order to transport the the building heat energy at the surface upwards and to bring down cooler air aloft.  

You can think of it in this way.  Convergent lifting is mainly the result of horizontal transport in of heat energy in order to achive balance in a layer of air.  Convective lifting is mainly the result of vertical transport of heat energy in order to achive balance in a column of air  

Answer 2

Convergence -

broad lifting of an entire layer of air

Convection -

upward moving thermals

Answer 3

If there is a low pressure area over a place,winds from the surrounding areas converge at the centre of the low pressure area and are forced up as they cannot go anywhere else.This is an example of convergent lifting.

If a place is over-heated by the sun's radiation,the air over that place becomes warm and light and goes up due to buoyancy.This is called convective lifting.There are two types;the lifting due to buoyancy is called 'free convection'.If wind meets a mountain barrier,it will be forced up by the mountain.This type of lifting is called 'forced convection'.