What is it called when warm air rises and cold air sinks?

What is it called when warm air rises and cold air sinks?

Introduction. Convection is defined as the circulation of fluids (liquids or gases), either natural or forced. Hot or cold fluids can add or remove heat. Natural convection is caused by density differences. Hot air rises because it is less dense than cold air, so air will rise above a heater and sink near a cold window …

When warm air rises and cold air sinks it creates a circular movement of air called a?

The cool air is eventually heated by the Earth’s surface and begins to rise again. This cycle of warm air rising and cool air sinking causes a circular movement of air, called a convection current, as shown in Figure 2.

What happens when hot air rise and cold air sink?

Significance. This system of hot air rising and cold air sinking is what drives earth’s energy, according to History for Kids. These air currents also create storms, including hurricanes and tornadoes. Hot air rising and colliding with cold air is what creates thunderstorms.

What happens as warm air rises and cools over the equator?

Along the equator air is rising as it is warmed by solar radiation (section 8.2). So the air rising at the equator is warm and full of water vapor; as it rises into the upper atmosphere it cools, and the cool air can no longer hold as much water vapor, so the water condenses and forms rain.

What is the relation between atmospheric pressure and wind movement?

Air Pressure and Winds Air that moves horizontally between high and low pressure zones makes wind. The greater the pressure difference between the pressure zones the faster the wind moves. Convection in the atmosphere creates the planet’s weather.

Why does hot air go up and cold air come down?

Hot air rises because gases expand as they heat up. When air heats up and expands, its density also decreases. The warmer, less dense air effectively floats on top of the colder, denser air below it.

What causes warm air to rise at the equator?

This pattern, called atmospheric circulation, is caused because the Sun heats the Earth more at the equator than at the poles. It’s also affected by the spin of the Earth. In the tropics, near the equator, warm air rises. When the air cools, it drops back to the ground, flows back towards the Equator, and warm again.

What happens as the air moves away from the equator?

The equatorial air, after dropping off its excess moisture in the form of rain, moves away from the equator to the north and south at high altitude. The air sinks back to the surface at around 20 to 30 degrees latitude (both north and south of the equator) to balance the air rising at the equator.

How does the air rise at the equator and sink at the Poles?

The equator is hot; air rises then cools down by adiabatic effect and causes clouds and precipitations. The poles are cold; air sinks and warms up by the same effect. Any cloud then evaporates. If it wasn’t for the earth’s rotation and the Coriolis Effect, the rising air at the equator would, perhaps come down at the poles.

How does warm air travel at the Poles?

Warm air rises at the equator and cold air sinks at the poles. Warm air expands and cool air contracts and compresses. How does air travel at the poles?

Why does cold air sink at the Poles?

The cold dense air at the poles sinks, so the air from the upper level of atmosphere flows in on the top of the increasing weight while creating an area of high pressure at the poles. Now, the air that rises at the equator does not flow directly to the poles. Explain how movements of air at the equator and poles produce global wind patterns?

How is warm air warm and cold air cold?

Warm air rises; cold air sinks. The equator is hot; air rises then cools down by adiabatic effect and causes clouds and precipitations. The poles are cold; air sinks and warms up by the same effect.