Download Wind

- Describe the relationship between
the warming of the atmosphere of the Earth
by the Sun and convection within the
atmosphere and the oceans which produces
winds and currents.
EXPECTATION
Wind
• The movement of air horizontally across
the Earth’s surface.
• Caused by differences in air pressure.
• The air moves from areas of high pressure
to areas of low pressure.
• The greater the difference in pressure, the
stronger the wind.
Unequal heating
of the Earth’s
surface…
…causes differences in air
pressure.
Air pressure differences can be caused by
these differences in air temperature.
As warm air
rises and cool
air moves in
along the
surface to take
it’s place wind
is created.
Wind & Air Currents
With unequal heating of the air,
warm air rises and cool air sinks.
This creates convection currents.
Convection Current
The creation of wind can happen on a
small scale or a large scale.
• Small scale “Local Winds”
– Changes direction
• Large scale “Global Winds”
– Constant direction
Local winds
Sea
Breeze
Land
Breeze
http://www.classzone.com/books/earth_sci
ence/terc/content/visualizations/es1903/es
1903page01.cfm
Local Wind Animations
http://www.classzone.com/books/earth_science/terc/conten
t/visualizations/es1903/es1903page01.cfm
http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/education/pd/oceans_weathe
r_climate/media/sea_and_land_breeze.swf
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gM0d3fGew0&safety_mode=true&persist_safety_mode=1&safe=active
http://bborucki.com/weather.html
Global Winds
Warm air rises at the equator and
cooler air moves in to take its place.
Global Wind Animations
• http://www.geography.hunter.cuny.edu/tbw/wc.n
otes/7.circ.atm/animations/GlobalWind.html
• http://www.mhhe.com/biosci/genbio/tlw3/eBridge
/Chp29/animations/ch29/global_wind_circulation
.swf
• Link to Local & Global Winds PowerPoint