10A wind/ocean currents notes
THERMAL ENERGY (HEAT)
Infrared radiation from the Sun is absorbed by the Earth and is released as HEAT.
THERMAL ENERGY TRANSFER
Transfered in three ways: Radiation, Conduction, and Convection.
- Travels in Electromagnetic waves, also known as INFRARED RADIATION.
- Transferred to heat energy.
- Solids conduct more heat; Liquids conduct less heat. (AIR is a poor conductor)
- WARM AIR RISES ; COLD AIR SINKS.
WIND AND AIR PRESSURE:
GLOBAL WINDS:
PREVAILING WINDS:
OCEAN CURRENTS:
- Counter clockwise in Southern Hemisphere
- Heat from the sun causes differences in the density of the water.
- Different winds cause currents to flow in different directions.
DEEP OCEAN CURRENTS:
- Cooler saltier water is more dense causing it to sink.
- The water is then pushed around the globe until it warms up.
CORIOLIS EFFECT:
Infrared radiation from the Sun is absorbed by the Earth and is released as HEAT.
- Heat - Energy that makes molecules move.
- Temperature - Measurement of the motion of molecules.
- Transferred from a HOTTER substance to a COLDER substance.
THERMAL ENERGY TRANSFER
Transfered in three ways: Radiation, Conduction, and Convection.
- Radiation:
- Travels in Electromagnetic waves, also known as INFRARED RADIATION.
- Transferred to heat energy.
- Conduction:
- Solids conduct more heat; Liquids conduct less heat. (AIR is a poor conductor)
- Convection:
- WARM AIR RISES ; COLD AIR SINKS.
WIND AND AIR PRESSURE:
- Infrared radiation from the Sun is absorbed by the surface.
- Surface converts infrared radiation into Thermal energy.
- Thermal energy heats up the air at the surface causing temperature.
- Warm air is less dense than cold air. Since air is a fluid the warm air is pushed up by the cold air.
- Convection: warm air to rises and cold air to sinks. (a cycle)
- When warm air rises it creates a low pressure area.
- When cool air sinks it creates a high pressure area (tea bag lab)
- Air will be pushed away from the high pressure area to the low pressure area.
- The horizontal movement of air is called WIND. Winds can be local or cover large areas of land.
GLOBAL WINDS:
- The air around the equator is heated the most.
- It starts raising up through the troposphere.
- When it hits the top of the troposphere it moves laterally (north and south).
PREVAILING WINDS:
- Winds above the surface of Earth that flow in a specific direction all year round.
- Jet streams are fast-moving, narrow bands of air that circle the earth.
- A jet stream is usually about 11 km above the earth.
OCEAN CURRENTS:
- Ocean water contains stream like movements of water called ocean currents.
- Currents are created by global winds, salinity, and convection.
- Currents are driven by the Earth’s rotation and continental deflection.
- Current move:
- Counter clockwise in Southern Hemisphere
- CONVECTION CELLS:
- Heat from the sun causes differences in the density of the water.
- GLOBAL WINDS:
- Different winds cause currents to flow in different directions.
DEEP OCEAN CURRENTS:
- SALINITY:
- Cooler saltier water is more dense causing it to sink.
- The water is then pushed around the globe until it warms up.
CORIOLIS EFFECT:
- The force due to the Earth's rotation that cause objects in motion to veer to the right in the Northern Hemisphere and to the left in the Southern Hemisphere.