Patterns of Circulation in the Atmosphere

Patterns of Circulation in the Atmosphere

by Robert Bolomey

​Winds

• ​Air flows from place to place

• ​it moves away from high pressure areas to low pressure areas

• ​when there is a difference in pressure and the air begins to move it creates WIND!

• ​The surface of Earth heats unevenly

• ​When air is warmer it is less dense and rises, when air is cooler it is more dense and sinks

• ​when air is less dense it creates low pressure areas

• ​when air is more dense it creates high pressure areas

Multiple Select

What causes wind? Choose the two answers that apply.

• uneven heating of Earth’s surface

• warm air sinking while cold air rises

• air movement from high to low pressure

• air movement from low to high pressure

Multiple Choice

Air moves from an area of __________ pressure to _________ pressure.

• low, high

• high, low

• high, high

• low, low

​Measuring Wind

• ​Wind is a valuable resource and can be used as an energy source

• ​Wind is named using the direction from which it travels and its speed, for instance a north wind travels from north to south

• ​a wind vane is a tool used to help tell the direction of the wind

• ​wind speed can be calculated using an anemometer.

Multiple Select

How are winds named?

• the direction in which they are traveling

• The direction from which they are traveling

• their speed

• t

Open Ended

What benefit does wind have on the human body?

Multiple Choice

Which instrument measures wind speed?

• wind vane

• rain gauge

• anemometer

• speedometer

Multiple Choice

Which instrument measures wind direction?

• wind vane

• rain gauge

• anemometer

• speedometer

Open Ended

Use the image to answer the 2 questions.

​Local Winds

• ​because of the uneven heating of Earth, winds are separated into local and global winds

• ​local winds blow over short distances and affect local weather

• ​2 types sea breezes and land breezes

• ​sea breezes are local winds that blow from cool ocean temperatures under warm land air

• ​land breezes flow from cool land temperatures under warm ocean air

Multiple Choice

What affect does air pressure have on wind movement?

• winds move from high pressure areas to low pressure areas

• winds move from low pressure areas to high pressure areas

• winds move from high pressure areas to other high pressure areas

• winds move from low pressure areas to other low pressure areas

Multiple Choice

What happens to the density of air as it is heated?

• it increases

• it decreases

• it moves faster

• it moves slower

​Global winds

• ​patterns of wind that move all around the globe (EARTH)

• ​occur over a large area

• ​uneven sun rays cause the equator to be warmer while the poles are colder

• ​these differences in temperature cause global winds and convection cells in the atmosphere

• ​air pressure tends to be lower at the equator and greater at the poles

• ​this difference in pressure causes surface wind to move from the poles toward the equator, the opposite is true for wind higher in the atmosphere

Draw

Label most direct sunlight with an M and least direct sunlight with an L. Draw a convection current in the atmosphere north of the equator, uses arrows to show the direction of movement.

​Earth's rotation

• ​If Earth did not rotate, winds would blow in straight lines.

• ​as the wind blows Earth is rotating beneath making the wind "curve"

• ​this curve is called the Coriolis Effect

• ​this causes winds in the Northern Hemisphere to rotate clockwise and winds in the Southern Hemisphere to rotate counter clockwise

Multiple Choice

The Coriolis Effect causes wind to _____

• curve

• travel straight

• travel upward

• travel downward

​Global Wind belts

​

Draw

Circle where warm air is rising. Square where cool air is sinking. Triangle winds rotating clockwise. Check where winds are calm.

​Effects of Global Wind Belts

• ​affects local weather by moving air masses

• ​temperature

• ​rainfall

• ​air pressure

• ​overall moves energy from the equator toward the poles

• ​helps to equalize temperature allowing life to survive in a larger range of area on Earth

Multiple Choice

Which is not an affect of global wind belts?

• air pressure

• rainfall

• temperature

• length of day

​Jet Streams

• ​located about 10km above Earth's surface

• ​generally blow west to east at 200-400 km/h

• ​travel around Earth in wavy lines

• ​used to help predict temperature and precipitation

Draw

underline how jet streams can be used to predict weather.

Draw

circle the correct answer for each.

Multiple Choice

Look at the map below. Predict what will happen in Florida due to the jet stream.

 

• cooler temperature

• sea breeze

• warmer temperature

• land breeze

Multiple Select

Choose the local winds

• land breezes

• sea breezes

• trade winds

• jet streams

• polar easterlies