Collaborative Assessment: Wind Patterns & the Coriolis Effect

Last updated 9 months ago

12 questions

Different parts of the earth heat up _______  with the equator receiving more radiative heat from the Sun than the poles. 

And the purpose of global circulation is to _______  this heat. If the Earth did not rotate & was a simple land mass with no oceans, we would have a _______ circulatory cell in each hemisphere. Hotter air would rise at the equator and flow toward the poles. The air would sink as it cools & then return towards the equator. 

But the _______ distribution of land and ocean & the speed of the Earth's rotation make this circulation system more complicated, giving us a 3 cell pattern which exists in both the northern and southern _______ . 

The largest cells are the Hadley cells. At the equator, the warmer less dense air _______.  It rises to a height of about 18 km and spreads out underneath the tropopause.

The tropopause acts as a _______  tot the lowest part of the atmosphere, which contains all of our _______ . The warm air spreads out towards the _______  gradually cooling and sinking as it moves, before descending to the surface and flowing back to the equator. 

The _______  cells are the polar cells. Cold, dense air descending in the polar regions flows at lower levels to about 60o to 70o North or South. As the air leaves the polar regions it starts to warm and rise, returning to the poles at high levels. 

Between the Hadley and Polar cells are the _______  cells. Unlike the other cells, the Ferrel cells are _______  driven by temperature. These cells flow in the opposite direction to the Hadley and Polar cells acing like a _______ . 

These circulating cells not only transport heat from the equator to the poles but also result in semi-permanent areas of high and low pressure due to the rising and descending parts of the circulation cells giving us our _______  zones. 

Where air is rising an area of _______  pressure is created, so these areas see much more rainfall. This is why the largest areas of _______  are found near the equator & why the UK has a relatively wet climate. 

Where air is descending an area of _______  pressure forms giving largely _______  skies and little rainfall, which leads to the _______ regions. But not all deserts are hot. 

Antarctica sits under the descending branch of the Polar cell and is also classed as a desert. With more _______  falling in the Sahara, Antarctica is the largest and driest desert overall. 

Directions: Answer the following question using your critical and creative thinking. If you would like more support, you may work with a partner.

TASK: Take a look at the Dubai (DXB) - Hong Kong (HKG) flight timings below.
Notice how DXB - HKG takes 7 hours and 10 minutes, but the return flight takes 9 hours?

Given that in both flight, the same distance is travelled why do you think travel time is so different?

Annotate the following and then annotate

A) High pressure systems bring with them what type of weather? __________

B) The Hadley Cell in the northern hemisphere is characterized by which trade wind? __________

C) Which location has the longest circumference? __________

D) Air traveling south from 60° will deflect to the__________

E) Which cell is located between 30° and 60°? __________

F) Which two latitudes are usually characterized by high pressure systems? __________

G) Westerlies occur as air travels from ______ to _______ __________

F) Air at 60° travels upwards due to __________

H) The ITCZ is located in a __________zone.

I) The Doldrums and Horse Latitudes are located at _____ and _____ respectively.__________

Define each region as being a predominantly high pressure zone or low pressure zone.

Equator: __________
The Poles: __________
30° North and South: __________
60° North and South: __________
Horse Latitudes: __________
Doldrums: __________

For each, determine whether it predominantly experiences SE trade winds, NE trade winds, Westerlies, or Easterlies. 

Reykjavik: __________
Vancouver: __________
Miami: __________
Manaus: __________