Understanding the Coriolis Effect
Go to: http://www.uwf.edu/atc/projects/coriolis/main.swf
The Coriolis Effect Defined: What in the World is it?
The air mass veers right in the northern hemisphere and to the left in the northern hemisphere.
Warm Air Rises and Cold Air Falls- Why?
Warm air rises and cold air falls because of convention currents. Air warms, expands, become less dense, and rises over the radiator. Then the air cools, contracts, becomes denser, and falls.
What is the general pattern of wind currents on the globe?
Convection currents are the general pattern of wind currents on the globe.
What is a convection current?
A convection current forms in a room when air flows from a hot radiator to a cold, closed window and back.
Global circulation is driven by which two processes?
Uneven solar heating and the rotation of the earth.
Go to: http://www.uwf.edu/atc/projects/coriolis/main.swf
The Coriolis Effect Defined: What in the World is it?
The air mass veers right in the northern hemisphere and to the left in the northern hemisphere.
Warm Air Rises and Cold Air Falls- Why?
Warm air rises and cold air falls because of convention currents. Air warms, expands, become less dense, and rises over the radiator. Then the air cools, contracts, becomes denser, and falls.
What is the general pattern of wind currents on the globe?
Convection currents are the general pattern of wind currents on the globe.
What is a convection current?
A convection current forms in a room when air flows from a hot radiator to a cold, closed window and back.
Global circulation is driven by which two processes?
Uneven solar heating and the rotation of the earth.
Notes:
Density - Temperature and water vapor greatly influence air density. Humid air is less dense than dry air. Warm air is less dense than cold air.
Pressure - air molecules packed tightly
Putting it together:
Hadley Cells - tropical currents that are named after George Hadley. When air rises to the equator it loses moisture from the rainfall and when it has traveled 30 degrees north and 30 degrees south, the air is dense and falls back to the surface.
Ferrel Cells - Named after William Ferrel. Mid circulation cells form a loop of air between the 30 and about the 50 - 60 degree latitude.
Polar Cells - Air that has grown cold over the poles begin blowing toward the equator at the surface, turning at the west. At 50 - 69 degree latitude, the air has taken up enough heat and moisture to ascend.
Horse Latitudes - High atmospheric pressure and little surface wind is the subtropical high, which are dry bands centered around the 30 degree mark of the intersection of the Hadley cells and the Ferrel Cells.
Doldrums - Calm equitorial areas where the surface winds of the two Hadley Cells converge.
Density - Temperature and water vapor greatly influence air density. Humid air is less dense than dry air. Warm air is less dense than cold air.
Pressure - air molecules packed tightly
Putting it together:
Hadley Cells - tropical currents that are named after George Hadley. When air rises to the equator it loses moisture from the rainfall and when it has traveled 30 degrees north and 30 degrees south, the air is dense and falls back to the surface.
Ferrel Cells - Named after William Ferrel. Mid circulation cells form a loop of air between the 30 and about the 50 - 60 degree latitude.
Polar Cells - Air that has grown cold over the poles begin blowing toward the equator at the surface, turning at the west. At 50 - 69 degree latitude, the air has taken up enough heat and moisture to ascend.
Horse Latitudes - High atmospheric pressure and little surface wind is the subtropical high, which are dry bands centered around the 30 degree mark of the intersection of the Hadley cells and the Ferrel Cells.
Doldrums - Calm equitorial areas where the surface winds of the two Hadley Cells converge.