Wind

Wind

is the movement of air from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure. It is the roughly horizontal movement of air (as opposed to an air current) caused by uneven heating of the Earth's surface. The two major influences on the atmospheric circulation are the differential heating between the equator and the poles, and the rotation of the planet (Coriolis effect).

Wind

Air circulation follows a general pattern known as a convection cell. Air flows from the equator to the poles and back again along a lower path resulting in a more even distribution of heat around the world.

The area near the equator receives the most concentrated solar radiation, causing the air above it to heat up rapidly. As it heats up, it expands, becoming less dense and more buoyant. This change in density causes it to rise. Air at the very top of the rising mass cools and is pushed further away as heated air continues to rise from the equator

Wind

The cooler the air gets, the more dense it gets causing it to sink back to earth. As it descends it warms again and displaces the cooler air close to the surface in higher latitudes. This cooler air is forced to flow toward the equator The key factor driving convection is density warm air is less dense and more buoyant than cold air.

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Prevailing Winds

1. 2.

Two factors complicate this general pattern.

Earths rotation The uneven distribution of land and water over the Earths surface

They are constant and predictable and are known as prevailing winds. (fig 4.10 p. 63) This description is theoretical. Two factors can change how prevailing winds blow.. 1. Variation in the earths surface 2. Earths position relative to the sun.

As a result, the movement of air from the equator to the polar regions is broken into three different convection cells for each hemisphere. These include the Trade Winds, the Westerlies, the Polar Easterlies, and the jet streams.

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Coriolis Effect

The tendency for objects or fluids to be deflected to the right of their path of movement in the Northern Hemisphere and to the left in the Southern Hemisphere. This is caused by the rotation of the earth.