Wind Flashcards
What the wind is, how it travels the world and what it affects.
Define Wind.
Movement of air blowing from a particular direction. (High pressure to low pressure)
How does wind travel across the Earth?
It travels from areas of high pressure to areas of low pressure.
What is prevailing wind?
The most common wind direction in a place, or where it most commonly blows FROM.
What direction is the prevailing wind in the UK?
South West.
What three things does the Wind Rose diagram measure?
Wind Direction (N, S, E, W), Wind Frequency (%) and Wind Speed (m/s)
In what direction does wind in the northern hemisphere deflect?
To the right.
What is the ITCZ?
The Inter-tropical convergence zone. It is a band of low pressure air at the centre of Earth’s wind cells, that sits around the equator, moving with the seasons.
On what two days of the year does the ITCZ fall directly on the equator?
The equinoxes, on March and September 21st.
What other physical factor(s) is affected by the wind?
Waves and ocean currents.
Why is wind more powerful in the open sea as opposed to on land?
There is less friction to take energy away from it.
