hazardous earth - global atmospheric circulation

Question 1

how does air move around the earth within and between cells

Answer 1

air rises or falls depending on different air pressures at different latitudes

low air pressure - air rises
high air pressure - air sinks

Question 2

what are the three cells

Answer 2

hadley
ferrel
polar

Question 3

what is the formation of the hadley cell

Answer 3

) - 90 degrees N
–)
—-) - 60 degrees N
——)
——–)- 30 degrees N
———-)
————)
————–) - 0 degrees
————)
———-)
——–) - 30 degrees S
——)
—-) - 60 degrees S
–)
) - 90 degrees S

the hadley cell is between 0 degrees and 30 degrees N/S
it is the hottest

intense solar energy in tropical areas causes warm air to rise and spread towards the poles, carrying heat energy
the air cools and begins to fall at around 30 degrees N/S of the equator
cool air returns to the equator

Question 4

what is the formation of the polar cell

Answer 4

) - 90 degrees N
–)
—-) - 60 degrees N
——)
——–)- 30 degrees N
———-)
————)
————–) - 0 degrees
————)
———-)
——–) - 30 degrees S
——)
—-) - 60 degrees S
–)
) - 90 degrees S

the polar cell is between 60 to 90 degrees N/S
it is the coldest cell

intensely cold, dense air sinks at the poles, then blows as surface winds towards the equator
the cold, polar air is warmed in contact with the earth’s surface at 60 degrees N/S
this warmed air rises and returns polewards, carrying heat energy

Question 5

what is the formation of the ferrel cell

Answer 5

) - 90 degrees N
–)
—-) - 60 degrees N
——)
——–)- 30 degrees N
———-)
————)
————–) - 0 degrees
————)
———-)
——–) - 30 degrees S
——)
—-) - 60 degrees S
–)
) - 90 degrees S

the ferrel cell is between 30 degrees to 60 degrees N/S
it is in the middle

as the air in the hadley cell falls at about 30 degrees N/S, it pulls the air beside it down, due to friction
as the air in the polar cell rises at about 60 degrees N/S, it pulls the air beside it up, due to friction
cool air sinks, warms up and dries out

Question 6

what is the weather like at different ends of the cells

Answer 6

equator - hot, humid, rainy
end of hadley/start of ferrel - dry and desert-like
end of ferrel/start of polar - cold and wet
poles - dry

sinking winds - dry
rising winds - wet