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Air Pressure and Wind. Chapter 19 . What is Air Pressure?. Air pressure weight of air above Exerted in all directions (up, down, and sideways). Measuring Air Pressure. Unit: called the millibar Barometer: device used for measuring air pressure. Types of barometers Mercury - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
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Air Pressure and WindChapter 19
What is Air Pressure? Air pressure weight of air
above
Exerted in all directions (up, down, and sideways)
Measuring Air Pressure
Unit: called the millibar
Barometer: device used for measuring air pressure
Types of barometers Mercury
When air pressure increases, the mercury in the tube rises
When air pressure decreases, the mercury in the tube goes down
Aneroid recording mechanism
providing a continuous record of pressure change over time
Wind The result of horizontal
differences in air pressure Air flows from areas of
high to low. The unequal heating of
Earth’s surface generates pressure differences.
Solar energy is the ultimate energy source for most wind.
Three Factors that Combine to Control Wind
Pressure Differences Coriolis Effect Friction
Pressure Differences Wind is created from differences in pressure.
The greater the difference the greater the wind speed.
Shown using isobars: Lines on a map
that connect places of equal air pressure
Closely spaced isobars indicate high winds.
Isobars Closely spaced isobars:
indicate a steep pressure gradient and high winds.
Widely spaced isobars: indicate a weak pressure gradient and light winds.
Coriolis Effect The Coriolis effect
describes how Earth’s rotation affects moving objects.
Northern Hemisphere Deflected to right
Southern Hemisphere Deflected to the left
Strongest at the poles, weakest at the equator
Coriolis video
Friction Important only
within a few km of Earth’s surface
Slows air movement, which changes wind direction
Jet Streams Jet streams: fast-
moving rivers of air
Travel between 120 and 240 kilometers per hour
High and Low Pressure System
Cyclones Anticyclones
Centers of Low Pressure High PressureWind Behavior
Winds blow inward and counterclockwise
Winds blow outward and clockwise
Weather Associated
Severe and stormy Fair and Sunny
Symbol “L” that is RED “H” that is BLUE
Underlying cause of wind is the unequal heating of Earth’s surface
Atmosphere balances these differences by acting as a giant heat-transferring system
Warm air towards the poles
Cool air toward equator
Global Winds
Global Winds Trade winds
Blow constantly from east Westerlies
Middle latitudes Blow from the west
Polar Easterlies Not constant Blow east to west
Polar Front: Interaction of war and cool air
masses produces a stormy belt
Four Pressure Zones
Highs: Subtropical and Polar Dry subsiding air Prevailing winds
Lows: Equatorial and Subpolar Inward and upward air Clouds and precipitation
Influence of Continents Only true continuous
pressure belt is the subpolar low.
Uninterrupted by landmasses
Can produce seasonal temperature differences
Monsoons Seasonal changes in
wind direction Summers: rainy Winters: dry
Caused by topographic effects or variations in surface composition
Types of Local Winds Land Breezes Sea Breezes Valley Breezes Mountain Breezes
Local Winds
Sea and Land Breezes
Sea Breezes Day Land heated more
intensely So air above the land:
heats, expands, and rises Cool air over water moves
toward land.
• Land Breezes Night Land cools more quickly. Cooler Air over land
moves to the sea
Valley and Mountain Breezes
ValleyDayLand is heated more intenselyAir moves up along the slop
MountainNightRapidly cooling air along the slopesMoves downward
Measuring Wind
Direction Always labeled by the
direction from which they blow
Prevailing Wind: wind consistently blows from one direction.
Wind Speed Anemometer
Measures how fast wind is blowing
El Niño Episodes of ocean warming that affect the eastern
tropical Pacific. Warm countercurrents replace normally cold
offshore waters.
El Nino