STUDENT PACKET # 10 Name: Date: Student Exploration: Coastal Winds and Clouds Big Idea 7: Earth Systems and Patterns SC.6.E.7.4 Differentiate and show interactions among the geosphere, hydrosphere, cryosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere. Also assesses SC.6.E.7.2, SC.6.E.7.3, SC.6.E.7.6, and SC.6.E.7.9. SC.6.E.7.5 Explain how energy provided by the sun influences global patterns of atmospheric movement and the temperature differences between air, water, and land. Also assesses SC.6.E.7.1. Vocabulary: condensation, convection, convection current, land breeze, sea breeze Prior Knowledge Questions (Do these BEFORE using the Gizmo.) A hot-air balloon contains a propane burner that directs hot air into the interior of the balloon. You can see the flames in the photo at left. 1. What happens when the air inside the balloon is heated? 2. What might happen if the burner was turned off? Gizmo Warm-up Have you ever taken a walk along an ocean beach and noticed a refreshing breeze blowing in from the water? The cause of this breeze, called a sea breeze, is related to the reason that a hot-air balloon is able to fly high in the sky. The Coastal Winds and Clouds Gizmo allows you to explore how daily temperature variations are related to sea breezes and other weather phenomena. Click Play ( ), and watch the Gizmo for 24 simulated hours, focusing on the sailboat. 1. Click Pause ( ) when the sailboat starts moving towards the shore. This represents the start of the sea breeze. What time is it? 2. Click Play, and then click Pause when the sailboat starts moving out to sea again. This represents the start of the land breeze. What time is it now? 3. Click Play, and now observe the clouds for a day. What do you notice? 2011-2012 Science Saturday Enrichment Tutorial Page 1
Activity A: Temperature and wind Get the Gizmo ready: Click Reset ( ). Turn on the Weather probe. Question: How is wind speed and direction related to air temperature? 1. Think about it: Imagine a pocket of air over the land ( land air ), and another pocket of air over the ocean ( ocean air ). A. Which air pocket would you expect to heat up more during the day? Why? B. Which air pocket would you expect to cool down more at night? Why? 2. Gather data: Check that the time is 6:00 A.M. Drag the Weather probe so that it is on the ocean s surface (Alt. 0 ft) on the left side of the Gizmo, and record the air temperature. Then, repeat with the probe on the land on the right side of the Gizmo. Finally, move the probe to the land-sea boundary and record the type of breeze (sea or land breeze) and wind speed. Record data for each time listed in the table below. Time Ocean air temperature ( F) Land air temperature ( F) Sea breeze or land breeze? Wind speed (mph) 6:00 A.M. 9:00 A.M. 12:00 P.M. 3:00 P.M. 6:00 P.M. 9:00 P.M. 12:00 A.M. 3:00 A.M. 3. Calculate: For both the ocean air temperature column and land air temperature column, find the temperature range by subtracting the lowest temperature from the highest. A. How much does the temperature over the ocean change in one day? B. How much does the temperature over the land change in one day? (Activity A continued on next page) 2011-2012 Science Saturday Enrichment Tutorial Page 2
Activity A (continued from previous page) 4. Analyze: Compare the air temperatures to the breezes. A. At 6:00 A.M., where was the warmest air? B. At 6:00 A.M., in which direction did the breeze blow? C. At 3:00 P.M., where was the warmest air? D. At 3:00 P.M., in which direction did the breeze blow? 5. Summarize: What is always true when there is a land breeze? What is always true when there is a sea breeze? 6. Draw conclusions: In general, the land changes temperature much more rapidly than the ocean. How does this fact explain the existence of land breezes and sea breezes? 7. Extend your thinking: With the probe placed on the land-sea boundary, monitor the wind speed. Click Pause when the strength of the sea breeze is at a maximum. A. At what time of day is the sea breeze strongest? B. Use the Weather probe to measure the land-air and ocean-air temperatures. What are these temperatures at this time? C. Click Play, and then click Pause when the strength of the land breeze is at a maximum. What is the time? D. What are the land- and ocean-air temperatures now? E. The wind changes direction at approximately 9:10 A.M. and 12:10 A.M. What is true about each of these times? 2011-2012 Science Saturday Enrichment Tutorial Page 3
Activity B: Convection currents Get the Gizmo ready: Click Reset. Turn on the Drifting balloon. Question: Why do land breezes and sea breezes occur? 1. Observe: Click Play, and observe the balloon for a period of 48 hours. Pause the simulation whenever the balloon changes direction. Describe what you see in the space below. 2. Analyze: During what time period does the balloon drift in a clockwise direction? During what time period does the balloon drift in a counterclockwise direction? 3. Gather data: The diagram at right shows the scene at 6:00 A.M. Use the Weather probe to find and label the temperature at each of the numbered locations. Next, find the wind direction between the points on the diagram. Draw arrows to represent the movement of air. Which points represent the lowest and highest temperatures on the diagram? Lowest: Highest: 4. Analyze: In which direction is the hottest air in the diagram moving? In which direction is the coldest air in the diagram moving? This pattern in which low-density, hot air rises while high-density, cold air sinks is an example of convection. The resulting circular flow of air is called a convection current. (Activity B continued on next page) 2011-2012 Science Saturday Enrichment Tutorial Page 4
Activity B (continued from previous page) 5. Gather data: Click Play, and then click Pause at 3:00 P.M. Use the Weather probe to find and label the temperature at each of the numbered locations. Find the wind direction between the points as you did before. Draw arrows to represent the movement of air. Which points represent the lowest and highest temperatures on the diagram? Lowest: Highest: 6. Analyze: In which direction is the hottest air in the diagram moving? In which direction is the coldest air in the diagram moving? 7. Explain: What causes the counterclockwise flow of air in the afternoon? 8. Observe: Place the Weather probe at the land-sea boundary, and click Pause when the sea breeze is strongest. A. What do you notice in the sky at this time? B. Click Play, and then pause the simulation when the land breeze is strongest. What do you notice in the sky now? 9. Explain: Clouds often form when a large mass of warm, moist air rises quickly and cools, resulting in condensation of the water vapor. Based on this statement, why do clouds tend to form around 3:00 P.M. and 6:00 A.M.? 2011-2012 Science Saturday Enrichment Tutorial Page 5
Exploration Student Worksheet: About Climate Overview In this Exploration, you will learn about climate. You will explore the main factors that affect an area's climate. Questions 1. What is climate? 2. Why do Boston and Orlando have different climates? 3. Explain the two main ways that mountains affect climate. Discussion Question If you are looking to move to a new area, should you pay more attention to the weather or the climate? Why? 2011-2012 Science Saturday Enrichment Tutorial Page 6
ASSESSMENT NAME: DATE: 1. `Jason thinks that global climate change is not happening because a city in Northern Florida received snow one day in January. Which statement explains what is wrong with Jason's reasoning? A. Northern Florida would need to get snow for at least a week for this to be true. B. Jason has confused the weather for one day with the climate of a region. C. Jason does not realize that Southern Florida would also need to receive snow to make this true. D. The climate of Northern Florida would be unaffected since it's already warm in Florida. 2. On some small islands in the Pacific Ocean, the average sea level is rising on the beaches little by little each year. Residents of the islands are worried that their island, and their homes, may become flooded in a few years. What is the most likely cause for the water level increases? F. They are getting more rain in their area. G. The tides are more dramatic because of the number of full moons they have experienced. H. Ice from the North and South poles is melting and adding to the water in the ocean. J. The waves are bigger because of increased winds. 3. When a warm air mass and cold air mass come together, like a warm front and cold front, a typical outcome is rain. What explains why rain forms in this situation? A. The cold air causes the moisture in the warm air to condense and precipitate as rain. B. The cold air is moving faster than the warm air, which causes rain. C. Because the cold air is denser, it causes rain. D. The two air masses neutralize each other, which results in clouds that produce rain. 2011-2012 Science Saturday Enrichment Tutorial Page 7
4. Hurricanes are large storms that form over warm waters out in the ocean. Hurricanes are associated with low-pressure regions in the atmosphere. How does the low pressure associated with a hurricane help them to grow big and powerful? F. Air in the atmosphere tends to move toward low-pressure regions, which would increase the winds surrounding a hurricane. G. Low-pressure regions push away other air in the atmosphere, which would make the hurricane bigger. H. Low-pressure air heats up the water and therefore makes the hurricane stronger. J. Low-pressure conditions means slow winds, which makes the hurricane stronger. 5. Wind is caused by which of the following? A. the gravity of the Sun B. the Moon's attraction to Earth C. the uneven heating of Earth's surface D. the changes in the ozone layer 6. If you walk barefoot on hot asphalt, energy is transferred by which process? F. convection G. radiation H. conduction J. reflection 7. In coastal areas, land and sea breezes may exist due to the uneven heating of the land and water. Which process is responsible for the breeze? A. conduction B. radiation C. convection D. refraction 8. In which atmospheric action can we see evidence of conduction? F. Radiation from the Sun heats the surface of the Earth. G. The surface of the Earth heats the air that contacts it. H. Cold air pushes warm air upward creating a current. J Air increases in density and sinks back towards the Earth. 2011-2012 Science Saturday Enrichment Tutorial Page 8
9.. The part of the earth that consists of water in the form of ice that is on or inside Earth is called the A. biosphere. B. cryosphere. C. geosphere. D. hydrosphere. 10. The greenhouse effect is F. the absorption of energy by clouds. G. a gradual increase in the temperature of the atmosphere. H. the reflection of solar energy into the atmosphere. J. the process by which gases hold heat in the atmosphere 11. The layers of the atmosphere are classified according to changes in A. altitude B. density C. pressure. D. temperature. 12. From Earth to space, the main layers in our atmosphere are: F. troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere. G. stratosphere, troposphere, mesosphere, thermosphere. H. mesosphere, troposphere, stratosphere, thermosphere. J. thermosphere, troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere. 13. Over the past 200 years, the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has A. decreased slightly. B. increased until recently, and then decreased. C. increased steadily. D. stayed about the same. 14. Why does water heat more slowly than land? F. Light is absorbed by the surface of water. G. Warm water on the surface and cold water below do not mix. H. More energy is required to heat water than is needed to heat land. J. The air over water is colder than the air over land. 15. Which gas is the most abundant in the atmosphere? A. oxygen B. nitrogen C. carbon dioxide D. argon 2011-2012 Science Saturday Enrichment Tutorial Page 9