Which lifting mechanism occurs due to heating at the surface?

The lifting mechanism that occurs due to heating at the surface is convective rising. This process is driven by the uneven heating of the Earth's surface, where areas that absorb more heat warm the air directly above them. As the air heats up, it becomes less dense and starts to rise. This rising of warm air creates convection currents, leading to the development of clouds and, potentially, precipitation when the air cools and condenses at higher altitudes.

In contrast, frontal lifting occurs when two air masses of different temperatures and densities meet, causing the warmer air to rise over the cooler air. Mechanical rising is often associated with the effects of topographical features, where air is pushed upwards by physical barriers like hills and mountains, while orographic rising refers specifically to air being lifted as it encounters higher terrain. These mechanisms do not primarily involve surface heating as the main driver of lifting.