Download Intro to wind

INTRO TO WIND
ANNA WARD ~ RIDGE ROAD MS
WARM UP!!!
Page 24
WEBQUEST FOLLOW-UP
Part 1. Air Masses
1. a. What is an air mass? An air mass is___________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________
b. What is the difference between a “polar” air mass, and a “tropical” air mass? ___________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________
2. a. What causes an air mass to have a high pressure? _________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________
3. a. What causes an air mass to have a low pressure?________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
4. Look at this picture: http://www.physicalgeography.net/fundamentals/images/thermal2.GIF.
Does air move from high pressure to low, or low to high?
_______________________________________________________________.
WEBQUEST: PART 2
HTTP://WW2010.ATMOS.UIUC.EDU/(GH
)/GUIDES/MTR/FW/CRLS.RXML
Part 2. Coriolis Effect
5. a. In the video, why does the ball not roll straight across the merry-go-round?
_____________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________.
b. How is the Earth similar to the merry-go-round? _____________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
c. What happens to objects in the Northern Hemisphere as a result of the
Coriolis Effect? ______________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
d. Wind is an object that is affected by the Coriolis Effect. What happens to
winds in the Northern Hemisphere as a result of the Coriolis Effect? _____________
_____________________________________________________________________________
WEBQUEST FOLLOW-UP
6. Use the animation at the following website to help
you find out how the Coriolis Effect affects wind:
http://www.classzone.com/books/earth_science/ter
c/content/visualizations/es1905/es1905page01.cfm .
a. Which way does the Coriolis Effect deflect wind in
the Northern Hemisphere? _______________________
____________________________________________________
__________________________________________.
WEBQUEST PART 3:
Part 3. Pressure Centers and Weather
7. Go to the website listed here: http://ww2010.atmos.uiuc.edu/(Gh)/wx/surface.rxml . Then, find the picture
that says “Sea Level Pressure with IR satellite”. Click on this figure to bring up a new window. Click on the
button that says “Animate”. Choose “96 frames”. Answer the following questions:
a. This map shows you isobars and cloud cover. What is an isobar? _________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________.
b. Look at the map and find Chicago. Between which two isobars is Chicago? ________________________.
c. Press “Play” on the window, and watch where the clouds travel. Do the clouds tend to be near High
pressure centers (H) or Low pressure centers? ________________________________________________________.
8. This last website will help explain why High pressure centers usually mean good weather, and Low
pressure centers usually mean bad weather:
http://www.usatoday.com/weather/tg/whighlow/whighlow.htm . Go here and read to discover why this is
true, and then answer the following questions:
a. Air descends (comes down) at High pressure areas. Why does descending air not allow for clouds to
form? ______________________________________________________________________________________________.
b. Air ascends (goes up) at Low pressure areas. Why does ascending air allow for clouds to form? _________
______________________________________________________________________________________________.
PART 4 (COMPLETE INDEPENDENTLY)
• This should be attached on a separate sheet of
paper.
JET STREAM (PAGE 44)
•The jet stream is a wind
that flows in the upper
troposphere from west
to east over vast
distances at great
speeds.
JET STREAM: EXPLAINED
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CgMWwx7Cll4
THE JET STREAM (PAGE 24)
• The Jet Stream:
• Wind speeds are very high in the
upper troposphere. This is where you
find the JET STREAM.
• They are fairly narrow zones of very
strong winds
• Move from WEST to EAST
• They influence the majority of
weather patterns
BRAIN POP! VIDEO AND QUIZ
• http://www.brainpop.com/science/weather/wind/
WHAT IS WIND ANYWAY???
PAGE 25
• Wind is the horizontal movement of air
caused by the differences in air pressure.
• Wind moves from HIGH to LOW pressure.
• Also affected by temperature. All winds
result from the uneven heating of the
atmosphere.
EXIT TICKET
1. What is the importance of the jet stream?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Moves weather patterns around the world
Helps eliminate greenhouse gasses
Shifts air movement so that pollen crosses state boundaries
Blocks solar radiation
2. What causes the movement of air we call wind?
a. As Earth rotates, the air above it is pushed in the same direction as
Earth’s rotation.
b. As Earth rotates, the air above it moves in the opposite direction of
Earth’s rotation.
c. As a result of Earth’s surface being heated unevenly, differences in
density and air pressure develop, and air moves from high to low
pressure areas, causing winds.
d. As a result of Earth’s surface being heated unevenly, differences in
density and air pressure develop, and air moves from low to high
pressure areas, causing winds.