Copy of Winds and Global Winds

Winds and Global Winds - Activity Sheet --125 pts As always, I t’s all about relationships. As you prepare for exam-3, review the content below and formulate relationships between what causes wind, atmospheric pressure, global wind patterns, and how wind patterns shape climate. In many cases, don’t memorize, but explain in your own words and develop a picture in your mind regarding wind processes. . Most importantly, as you learn the concept and relationship, be able to explain the concept using the proper terminology. Please make sure you take a look at the probable exam essay questions at the end of this activity sheet. It’s recommended that you view the global wind lecture in its entirety before answering questions. 1. Are you under pressure? Yes, you are under atmospheric pressure. a. Relationship Question 1. What is atmospheric pressure and how is atmospheric pressure created? Atmospheric pressure is the pressure produce on unit surface due to weight of the atmosphere. It is created due to the weight of atmosphere which gravity pulls down on the surface. It is also called barometric pressure. 2. What is the relationship between earth’s gravity and atmospheric pressure Atmospheric pressure is directly proportional to the gravity of the Earth. If the gravity will increase or decrease then atmospheric pressure will also increase or decrease respectively. 3. What happens to atmospheric pressure as one ascends the atmosphere? If one ascends the atmosphere then atmospheric pressure will decrease for him. Pressure decrease because with increasing altitude the mass of air decrease which is directly related to pressure and he will experience a bouncy pressure of air. a. Explain the differences between the mercurial and aneroid barometer when measuring atmospheric pressure In aneroid barometer the atmospheric pressure is measured by the expansion of a metal but in mercurial barometer the pressure is measured by altitude of the Mercury inside a tube. 4. Why does water take longer to boil in high altitudes (mountains) than when living in a valley --- Explain The boiling point of water is directly related to the pressure. As at higher elevation the atmospheric pressure decrease the boiling point of water decrease. So water boils at lower temperature but to completely cooked the cooking time increase to compensate the low boiling point. 2. Understanding atmospheric pressure a. Relationship Question 1. Explain how a balloon pops as it ascends the atmosphere using the relationship of atmospheric air pressure As a balloon ascends the atmosphere , the pressure due to atmosphere around it begins to decrease because with increasing height the pressure decrease . As the surrounding pressure decrease the balloon begins to expand . The size of balloon increase until it 's breaking point . After it stretches beyond its breaking point it will burst . 2. Atmospheric pressure units can be both in millibars (metric) or PSI (pounds per square inch). What is the typical atmospheric pressure both in millibars and PSI if you were on the beach? Beach refers to the surface sea level. Here the atmospheric pressure is 1013.25millibars or 14.7 PSl 3. Now let’s talk atmospheric pressure just in the Troposphere

a. Draw a picture of boiling water as you would view in a glass pot. 1. One can view rising and falling air parcels within the troposphere by imagining boiling bubbles of water SLOWED way down ---- Explain this concept. We can compare the air parcel movement in atmosphereto the boiling of water. In a glass pot the water at bottomheat up first, the bottom warm water because lighter andmove to the top of the pot. So the pressure decreasesand the cold water from top descend down to the bottom.A circular process continues in the glass pot. It is knownas convection. Like this at the surface the air heats upeasily and start to expand. Air becomes lighter andascends the atmosphere so the atmospheric pressuredecrease in that area. The cold air from the surroundingstart rush there from the high pressure area. So warm airascend and cold air descend the atmosphere 3. We can’t see the rising/falling air parcels in the troposphere, but we feel the effects. a. Relationship Questions 1. What causes “individual” air parcels to rise and fall within the troposphere? Explain unequal heating of the earth’s surface which heats and cools the troposphere (heating of water and land) a. Explain specific heat properties of land (continents) and water (oceans) b. Why does land release/absorb heat faster than water which releases/absorbs heat slower? The unequal heating and cooling of earth's surface.The sun's radiation will warm land much faster than it will warm water.Conversely the absence of the sun will cause land to cool much faster than water.These characteristics are known as specific heat properties. c. Explain why your pool (if you have a pool) is warm at night time? Land is a solid which means that the molecules are all packed tightly together.Energy is able to transfer quicker and release quicker because of the molecules arrangement in the solids.water is a liquid which means its molecules are always moving.This constant movement makes energy take longer to transfer.The molecule arrangement of water causes energy to release and absorb slower than solids d. Explain why a desert environment typically is warm during the day and very cold during the night (huge daily temperature difference unlike a coastal area) When the evening air cools down by the heat of sun , the difference between the air temperature and the pool water changes . Sometimes , the air temperature will drop even lower than the pool water . Since the pool water temperature will not change that much within one or two hours , the cooler air makes the water feel warmer than it was previously. 2. Using rising and falling air parcels: a. Explain the differences between a high pressure and low pressure systems High pressure system is caused when cold air sinks or subsides and Low pressure system is caused when warm air rises b. How does cool air parcels differ from warm air parcels in relation to high

land gets heated faster and starts rising.As this hot air rises up, a region of low pressure is created at the surface and air over the sea moves in to this area of low pressure.Hence the direction of the wind is from the sea to the land during the day 2. Why does air move towards the ocean during the night? During night reverse flow of air occurs that is land cools down rapidly and the air above the land becomes cooler.The cold air from the ground flows back to sea during the night as the land gets settled down quickly at night and also the air pressure over the land gets higher than the air above sea, therefore air flows in reverse. 3. Given your answer above, what terms are used to describe the daily wind changes along the coast. Land breeze and Sea breeze 4. The earth is now heated and cooled and we are making wind (in the above answers), let’s add the earth’s rotation to the effects we feel. a. Relationship Questions: 1. How fast does the earth rotate--- per hour (you will be amazed) - The earth rotate 1000 miles per hour and 1.6 million miles a day. 2. Explain why you would be thrown out of a car driving 80 mph that is making a sudden left turn (you are not wearing a seatbelt and there is no right door) - Turning left at speed of 80mph making problem as it is in high speed. may lead to oncoming traffic and cause collision. a. How does your answer in 1 and 2 above relate to the earth's rotation and processes in the atmosphere. Earth rotate on its axis,circulating air is defected towards the right in the northern hemisphere and towards the left in Southern hemisphere. This deflection called coriolis effect.because the earth rotates circulating air is deflected. b. How does the Coriolis Force (CF) relate to answers in 1 and 2 above? Coriolis effect deflection occur due to earth rotation. As the earth moves in circular motion circulating air is deflected from south to north hemisphere. 1. How does the CF affect wind, cloud formations and air planes in both the Northern and Southern hemispheres? Think deflection - It is the result of the earth's rotation on weather patterns and ocean currents.the coriolis effect makes storms swirl clockwise in the southern hemisphere and counterclockwise in the northern hemisphere. 2. Given the CF, how are anticyclones and cyclones related to high and low pressure systems? - A cyclone is a storm or system of winds that rotates around a center of low atmospheric pressure.an anticyclone is a system of winds that rotates around a center of high atmospheric pressure. Both cyclone and anticyclone move around the globe, so air pressure changes.to low and high . 3. If a missile takes off from the surface in the northern hemisphere, does it appear to go straight up from your viewpoint --- Why or why not? - If missile is take off from surface in northern hemisphere it may pulled yo right of the direction of motion by

coriolis force. This causes air being acted on by horizontal pressure forces to turn rightward rather flowing direct towards lower pressure. 4. If the earth is rotating 1000 mi/hr, why are people and buildings not being deflected or thrown off of the earth’s surface??? - We do not feel earth rotating on its axis because earth spins steadily and moves at a constant rate in orbit around the sun.it act as carrying a passenger right along with it. 5. Explain how the CF affects the equatorial zone (Intertropical Convergence Zone) - Cf has extensive application as an index of the importance of clouds for the global heat balance. Cf yields valuable information about cloud dynamics. Cloud forcing can be inferred globally using satellite data on the top of the atmosphere. 6. Explain why the earth’s rotation is counterclockwise, but in the southern hemisphere it’s clockwise??? See if you can figure out this one - Momentum of a rotating body.distance around the outside of a circle. The result of earth's rotation on weather patterns and ocean currents.the coriolis effect makes storms swirl clockwise in the southern hemisphere andcounterclockwise in the northern hemisphere. c. Global winds and the CF 1. The earth’s atmosphere (northern hemisphere) is divided into three major global wind cells. Describe each wind cell (name of cell, location of wind cell) - The wind belts girdling the planet are organized into three cells in each hemisphere- 1.hadley cells. 2.ferrel cells 3.polar cells. These cells are exist in both northern and southern hemispheres. 2. How is the sun’s angle of insolation related to each global wind cell? - The Coriolis effect causes winds to deflect from moving in a straight line.insolation is the amount of incoming solar energy over an area per unit of time.which is unevenly distributed on earth 3. Which global wind cell is primarily responsible for the weather patterns across the USA? - Prevailing westerlies in the northern hemisphere are responsible for many weather movement across the USA and Canada 4. How are the three major global wind cells related to world history regarding the renaissance age? ----explorers traveling by sail across the oceans - These global wind system drives oceans surface currents.as they go around the planet. And caused by unequal heating of the atmosphere. So affecting on Renaissance age of earth. 3. Weather and the CF a. Describe the rotation of an anticyclone and cyclone in the northern hemisphere - ln the Northern hemisphere , anticyclones move clockwise while cyclones move