Download Notes on Lab 5.1: When Air Masses Meet

Name: _____________________________________________________ Period:___________ Date: _________________________
Notes on Lab 5.1: When Air Masses Meet
Trials 1 & 2 - Same type of air masses:
When smoke is entered into convection tubes with the same type of air mass (Cold/Cold or
Hot/Hot), the smoke (air) moves: _straight down (if air mass cold) or straight up (if air mass__
warm)_
No
smoke
(air)
moves
across, so
there is
no
current!
Label the convection tubes and draw
arrows showing the direction the smoke
(air) moved.
Cold-Cold: Air moves slowly down into
the convection tube and swirls around the
cold-moist surface
Hot-Hot: Air moves quickly up and out
of the convection tubes – away from the
hot-dry surface
Cold-Moist
Cold-Moist
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
Trial 3 - Different types of air masses:
When smoke is entered into convection tubes with different air masses (Hot/Cold), the smoke (air)
moves: _the hot air mass moves straight up and out of the convection tube, while the cold air _____
__mass moves down and across to fill the void left by the rising hot air. The rising hot air _______
__eventually cools and sinks back down into the cold tube, completing the circle (current!). _____
Label the convection tubes and draw arrows
showing the direction the smoke (air)
moved.
The cold air moves down into the
convection tube and then begins moving
across to the other tube, where the cold air
fills the void left by the rising hot air.
Eventually, the cold air warms and rises.
Smoke
(air)
moves
across, so
there is a
current!
Hot-Dry
Cold-Moist
Hot air
Cold air
rises
sinks
because its density is
because its density is
less
than cold air.
greater
than hot air.
A convection current is formed when two different types of air masses meet
Winds are giant convection currents formed by the uneven heating of the earth’s
surfaces and the earth’s rotation.