2 (h.g.a.) Wind
What Is Wind?
A wind is the horizontal movement of air from an area of high pressure to an area of lower pressure. Because air is a fluid, it can move easily from place to place. Differences in air pressure cause the air to move. A wind is the horizontal movement of air from an area of high pressure to an area of lower pressure. Winds are caused by differences in air pressure.
Most differences in air pressure are caused by the unequal heating of the atmosphere. Convection currents form when an area of Earth’s surface is heated by the sun’s rays. Air over the heated surface expands and becomes less dense. As the air becomes less dense, its air pressure decreases. If a nearby area is not heated as much, the air above the less-heated area will be cooler and denser. The cool, dense air with a higher pressure flows underneath the warm, less dense air. This forces the warm air to rise.
A wind is the horizontal movement of air from an area of high pressure to an area of lower pressure. Because air is a fluid, it can move easily from place to place. Differences in air pressure cause the air to move. A wind is the horizontal movement of air from an area of high pressure to an area of lower pressure. Winds are caused by differences in air pressure.
Most differences in air pressure are caused by the unequal heating of the atmosphere. Convection currents form when an area of Earth’s surface is heated by the sun’s rays. Air over the heated surface expands and becomes less dense. As the air becomes less dense, its air pressure decreases. If a nearby area is not heated as much, the air above the less-heated area will be cooler and denser. The cool, dense air with a higher pressure flows underneath the warm, less dense air. This forces the warm air to rise.
