Atmospheric Circulation

Question 1

At higher altitudes

Answer 1

Temperature is colder and therefore the air cools, becomes more dense and begins to fall. Differences in pressure between the surface and upper atmosphere create a wind

Question 2

Due to the rotation of the wind and the giving out of latent heat

Answer 2

The cooler, more dense air flows both northwards and southwards and as it becomes even cooler and even more dense falling as an area of high pressure
The falling air creates a high pressure zone around 30 degrees N and 30 degrees S.

Question 3

The circulation of air at 30 degrees N and 30 degrees S forms cells known as

Answer 3

Hadley Cells

Question 4

Some of the air from the circulation moves

Answer 4

From the high pressure area towards lower latitudes due to the movement of the Earth.
In these lower latitudes air is heated and begins to rise into higher latitudes where it is cooled, creating a zone of low pressure.
Thus a circulation pattern of air occurs at the poles, similar to that above the tropics called polar cells.

Question 5

A third cell

Answer 5

The Ferrell cell is formed due to the temperature differences between Hadleys and Polar cells at the tropics and at the poles.
Warm air from the Hadleys feeds into the higher latitudes while colder air from the polar latitudes feeds into the lower latitudes.
This leads to the transfer of energy from the warmer lower latitudes to the higher colder altitudes and vice versa.

Question 6

Atmospheric circulation takes place due to at the equator, the energy at the earths surface

Answer 6

Expands, becomes less dense and rises to a higher altitude - creates a zone of low pressure.

Question 7

Explain how circulation cells assist in the redistribution of energy globally

Answer 7

Warm air rises at equator cools and sinks
Air moves from tropical high to low pressure area at the equator - Hadley cell
Cold air sinking at the poles moves to 60N/S - Polar Cell
Cold polar air meets warmer tropic air, air rises - LP Ferrell cell
Air moved from the tropical HP towards LP at polar front - Westerlies formed

Question 8

Movement

Answer 8

Warm air from the equator is distributed to higher and cooler latitudes and colder air from the poles to warm lower latitudes

Question 9

Coriolis effect

Answer 9

Winds get moved to the right in the Northern hemisphere

Left in Southern Hemisphere