Answer:
yes it can be attracted without touching The electric force is a non-contact force. Any charged object can exert this force upon other objects - both charged and uncharged objects.
Explanation:
If the heating is done on one small area on the top, there will be convection. If the heating is restricted to a small fraction of the heating area, then within that area the heating will go deeper than anywhere else on the surface. Then unheated area will have a shallower region of high temperature. Then some convection will occur in the deeper layers, causing some motion on top.
This happens quite a bit during welding. Convection is very significant in welding, even when the heating is from the top.
Liquids take the shape of their container.
Like pouring water into a cup would make the water settle into the shape of the cup.