The Naked Scientists
  • Login
  • Register
  • Podcasts
      • The Naked Scientists
      • eLife
      • Naked Genetics
      • Naked Astronomy
      • In short
      • Naked Neuroscience
      • Ask! The Naked Scientists
      • Question of the Week
      • Archive
      • Video
      • SUBSCRIBE to our Podcasts
  • Articles
      • Science News
      • Features
      • Interviews
      • Answers to Science Questions
  • Get Naked
      • Donate
      • Do an Experiment
      • Science Forum
      • Ask a Question
  • About
      • Meet the team
      • Our Sponsors
      • Site Map
      • Contact us

User menu

  • Login
  • Register
  • Home
  • Help
  • Search
  • Tags
  • Recent Topics
  • Login
  • Register
  1. Naked Science Forum
  2. Life Sciences
  3. The Environment
  4. how does the wind ?
« previous next »
  • Print
Pages: [1]   Go Down

how does the wind ?

  • 5 Replies
  • 8240 Views
  • 0 Tags

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

This topic contains a post which is marked as Best Answer. Press here if you would like to see it.

Anastasia.fr.1

  • Guest
how does the wind ?
« on: 06/08/2007 20:00:59 »
In a dirty place [lots of dust and dirt !] how does the wind go so far down to lift up the dirt up. Because the wind is normly in the air with the clouds ! [???]
Logged
 



Offline DoctorBeaver

  • Naked Science Forum GOD!
  • *******
  • 12653
  • Activity:
    0%
  • Thanked: 4 times
  • A stitch in time would have confused Einstein.
how does the wind ?
« Reply #1 on: 06/08/2007 20:05:50 »
Wind most certainly does come down to ground level as anyone living in Chicago can verify!

There are various layers in the atmosphere that have wind. Wind at ground level doesn't necessarily have to blow in the same direction as wind higher up.
Logged
 

Anastasia.fr.1

  • Guest
how does the wind ?
« Reply #2 on: 06/08/2007 20:14:23 »
Thank you. so where does the wind come from ?
Logged
 

Offline DoctorBeaver

  • Naked Science Forum GOD!
  • *******
  • 12653
  • Activity:
    0%
  • Thanked: 4 times
  • A stitch in time would have confused Einstein.
how does the wind ?
« Reply #3 on: 06/08/2007 23:53:56 »
Over there --->
Logged
 

Offline dentstudent

  • Naked Science Forum King!
  • ******
  • 3146
  • Activity:
    0%
  • Thanked: 1 times
  • FOGger to the unsuspecting
how does the wind ?
« Reply #4 on: 08/08/2007 08:08:28 »
My basic answer (because I don't actually know any more than this) is that wind is the result of air masses moving from areas of high pressure to low pressure, in the same way that air rushes into a vacuum. There are various effects that cause these changes in pressure and direction of spin of the weather system - heating of the air, the spin of the earth (the Coriolis Effect, though please don't ask me how it works!) - high pressure tends to be associated with calm weather as you have a heavy air mass above you which is just sort of sitting around. Low pressure tends to be associated with stormy weather, as lots of air is rushing in. I'm sure there's someone out there who can give a rather more scientific answer though!
« Last Edit: 08/08/2007 08:10:09 by dentstudent »
Logged
 



Marked as best answer by on Today at 08:11:11

lyner

  • Guest
  • Undo Best Answer
  • how does the wind ?
    « Reply #5 on: 08/10/2007 18:13:19 »
    Quote
    (the Coriolis Effect, though please don't ask me how it works!)
    Basic reason is easy to understand: Let's assume we're dealing with the Northern Hemisphere.
    The lines of latitude (the East- West ones) get shorter and shorter as you go North.
    Someone standing on 500 N line is going Eastwards faster than someone standing on the 600 N line because they are both going round once a day.
    If you move from 50 N to 60N, your speed will carry you Eastwards, relative to someone standing on 60N. Likewise, someone moving Southwards from 60N to 50N will find themselves carried Westwards.
    You can try this on a kids' playgound roundabout - you really do feel a force as you try to move in or out from the centre.
    You are only allowed to try this if you are under 11 years of age, though - the park keeper may chase you off.
    Any air, travelling North / South will be forced to follow a curved path due to this effect.  This can cause whirlwind- type of motion or 'vortex'. in moving air.
    There is natural convection of air up from the equator and down at the poles - and some circulation in between, too. Coriolis causes the convection currents to be twisted and the various bands of air show a sort of herring bone pattern in their directions of flow.
    The low pressure areas tend to be caused where two streams of air brush against each other and the Coriolis effect accentuates the  vortex effect, which, in turn, tends to lower the pressure further with increasing  wind speed. These Depressions are very dynamic structures and tend to dart about in a chaotic fashion.
    High pressure is where there is a large mass of  air which is relatively still.  You get stable weather there because it tends to deflect any approaching depressions.

    The UK sits at a latitude where the cool northerly air mass is rubbing shoulders with the warm, wet southerly mass - hence the naff weather - except when there is a 'high' over us.
    I recently read a couple of books about Met in connection with a Navigation Course. Fascinating. and it ties in with good ol' Physics quite well.
    But dentstudent's explanation is certainly near enough for jazz.
    Logged
     



    • Print
    Pages: [1]   Go Up
    « previous next »
    Tags:
     
    There was an error while thanking
    Thanking...
    • SMF 2.0.15 | SMF © 2017, Simple Machines
      Privacy Policy
      SMFAds for Free Forums
    • Naked Science Forum ©

    Page created in 0.718 seconds with 36 queries.

    • Podcasts
    • Articles
    • Get Naked
    • About
    • Contact us
    • Advertise
    • Privacy Policy
    • Subscribe to newsletter
    • We love feedback

    Follow us

    cambridge_logo_footer.png

    ©The Naked Scientists® 2000–2017 | The Naked Scientists® and Naked Science® are registered trademarks created by Dr Chris Smith. Information presented on this website is the opinion of the individual contributors and does not reflect the general views of the administrators, editors, moderators, sponsors, Cambridge University or the public at large.