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Wind
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Unequal heating of the atmosphere
Cause: Unequal heating of the atmosphere Effect: Warm air expands, becomes less dense, and rises Effect: Cold more dense air sinks Effect: Dense, cold air has a higher pressure than less dense warm air. Wind blows from areas of higher pressure to areas of lower pressure.
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What is wind? Wind: the horizontal movement of air from an area of high pressure to an area of lower pressure. Winds are caused by differences in air pressure
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Measuring Wind Winds are described by their direction and speed
Wind direction is determined by a wind vane. The name of the wind tells you where the wind is coming from Ex: A south wind blows FROM the south toward the north
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Anemometer-measures wind speed
Anemometer-measures wind speed. Has three or four cups mounted at the ends of spokes that spin on an axle
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Wind-chill factor: the increased cooling a wind can cause
Ex: The temperature outside is 20 degrees Fahrenheit, but with a wind speed of 30 miles per an hour the wind chill factor makes it feel like 1 degree above zero.
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Local Winds Local winds: winds that blow over short distances and are caused by the unequal heating of Earth’s surface within a small area Sea Breeze: Local winds that blow from an ocean or lake Land Breeze: flow of air from land to a body of water
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Coriolis Effect Because Earth is rotating, global winds do not follow a straight path. Coriolis Effect: the way Earth’s rotation makes winds curve As the Earth rotates, the Coriolis effect turns winds in the Northern Hemisphere toward the right. In the Southern Hemisphere, winds curve toward the left.
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Global Wind Belts Trade Winds Doldrums
Regions near the equator with little or no wind, warm air rises Horse Latitudes Calm areas of falling air Trade Winds Blow from the horse latitudes toward the equator Prevailing Westerlies Blow away from the horse latitudes Polar Easterlies Blow cold air away from the poles
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Jet stream: Bands of high speed winds about 10km above Earth’s surface
Jet stream: Bands of high speed winds about 10km above Earth’s surface. They generally blow from west to east.
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