Name: Earth Science Pd:

Wind Computer Activity

Go to the website http://www.uwf.edu/atc/projects/coriolis/main.swf and navigate the interactive diagrams to answer the questions below.

The Coriolis Effect Defined

  1. How does the earth’s rotation influence the speed the speed of land at the poles and equator?
  1. How does this phenomenon influence the motion of air surrounding the solid earth?

Warm Air Rises…

  1. What is a convection current? Explain the process of a convection current.
  1. According to the convection model, why would air rise at the equator?
  1. According to the convection model, what would happen to air at the poles?
  1. What two factors influence the global circulation of wind?
  1. However, the earth’s global system is NOT a perfect convection model. How does the earth’s rotation influence global winds?

Putting It All Together

  1. Explain the six cell circulation model.
  1. In looking at the arrows on each cell, which direction is wind deflected in the southern hemisphere? Which direction is wind deflected in the northern hemisphere?
  1. Where are Hadley Cells located and how does air move throughout these cells?
  1. Where are Ferrel Cells located and how does air move throughout these cells?
  1. Where are Polar Cells located and how does air move throughout these cells?
  1. Where are horse latitudes located? Describe the air movement at horse latitudes.
  1. Where are doldrums located? Describe the air movement at doldrums.
  1. What influence do global winds have on the surface currents of oceans?

Do You Get It?

Lastly, complete the quiz until you achieve a perfect 6 out of 6. Have your work checked for accuracy.

Local Winds

Directions: Use the interactive links to answer the questions below.

Sea Breezes and Land Breezes – Coastal Winds

  1. Why are breezes commonly found along shorelines?
  1. What type of breeze occurs during the daytime? Why does this breeze occur?
  1. What type of breeze occurs overnight? Why does this breeze occur?
  1. Which surface temperature tends to fluctuate greatly during the course of the day? Land or Ocean? Why do you think this is the case?
  1. Around what two times during the day will there be little wind as the sea breezes and land breezes switch?

Jet Streams

  1. What is the jet stream and where is it located in the atmosphere (click on underlined word jet stream)?
  1. What factor about the earth produces the jet stream?
  1. How does momentum influence the formation of the jet stream?
  1. What disrupts the flow of warm equatorial air to the polar regions?
  1. How are polar jet streams (the jet stream through the northern U.S.) created?