A Tornado of Information About Earth

By: Jonathan Goh and Jace Olson

AtmosphereThe atmosphere is the air that covers the Earth, heat from the Sun is always absorbed by the atmosphere.The atmosphere also protects living things from being burned from the Sun's heat.The atmosphere is also made up of several different sections which include the: Troposphere, Stratosphere, Mesosphere, and Thermosphere

Convection

Convection is the transfer of heat from one place to another by the movement of fluids.The heat usually comes from the sun.

Wind CurrentsWinds are caused by the movement of air from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure. There are several main types of winds:Doldrums- located at the Equator, are dull/weakTrade Winds- 30 Degrees North/South of the Equator with calm winds and mostly clear skiesPrevailing Westerlies- located at the belt of 30-60 Degrees latitude in both hemispheres and causes an impact on US weather the mostPolar Easterlies- Near the North/South Poles from 50-60 degrees latitude, very cold and weak

Ocean Currents Currents are like small streams that move through the ocean. These currents are caused by the sun and rotation of the earth. They cause waves and make sailboats move. Surface currents flow on the top of the ocean. Deep water currents- currents that are in the deeper ocean Density currents- are caused when cold seawater sinks Upwelling currents-when cold seawater from the bottom rises to the top.

High PressurePressure depends on many things usually varying because of height and temperature.The more air you have the more pressure you will have.In high pressure areas it is usually cold, high pressure areas are the most dense.

Low Pressure

Pressure varies from place to place. Low pressure areas are where an area has a lower pressure than the surrounding areas. Places that have low pressure usually have high winds, hot and less dense air, clouds, and storms.

3 Types of Fronts3 Types of Fronts:Cold Front- When cold air gushes through and/or over a piece of landWarm Front- When warm air gushes through and/or over a piece of landStationary Front- When cold and warm fronts hit each other and cancel out their temperatures Occluded Front- When a warm front is caught between 2 cold fronts

Hurricanes

Hurricanes are just like a big storm. They can be up to 600 miles wide and have wind up to 200 mph. They have heavy rain, strong winds, and large waves and can destroy houses, trees, and cars. The ocean water and currents contribute to the drive and force of a hurricane.

Tornados

Tornados are large tubes of air that spin around very fast. They usually touch both the Earth's surface and a part of a raging cloud. Tornadoes have the power to suck up anything that gets in its path, this could vary from houses to cars.

Sun and Sun's EnergyWithout the sun there would be no life. The sun is the biggest and most relied upon source of heat on the Earth. Every living thing relies on it for heat and energy. All energy on earth comes from the sun.This energy is the cause of the different pressures which then creates different winds and ocean currents.

Weather Maps

Types of CloudsThere are three main types of clouds. They are stratus, cumulus, and cirrus. Stratus clouds are long and stringy and close to the ground. Cumuls clouds arehigh and puffy like a cottonball. Stratus clouds are large and gray and high up. They are formed by water vapor compacted together after being evaporated.

Types of PrecipitationThere are many types of precipitation, but the main groups consist of rain, snow, sleet, and hail. Precipitation occurs when water vapor changes back to a liquid after traveling to a cold place.Snow- What you find during winter, is very soft and allows you to create snowmen and snowballsRain- The liquid that falls from the skyHail- The solid ice that falls from the skySleet- Mixture of rain and snow

How do scientists get these images?Scientists get all the images about earth from satellites. The satellites take snapshots of oceans and land from above, while they orbit the earth. These satellites have saved many lives by noticing hurricanes and other disasters before they happen.

Dew Point

Dew point is the temperature where a large mass of humid air condenses back into a liquid at the same rate that water evaporates into a gas.

Isotherms and IsobarsIsotherms are lines of temperature that are the same. They are often used on weather maps to view temperatures across the U.S. Groups of temperatures close to each other will be the same color.Isobars are lines of constant or equal pressure on a weather map. They will be shown on a weather map as thin white lines.

Meteorological InstrumentsThere is quite a large amount of tools that scientists use to help them understand Earth and its weather patterns.

There are: Thermometers- measure temperatureBarometers- measure pressureRain gauge-measure rainfallWind vane- Wind directionAnemometer-measure wind speedWeather maps-Shows the weather of several placesHygrometer-Measures humidityWeather balloon- Gets temperatures and conditions from high placesCompass- Tells directionWeather satellites- Shows the weather from above, like a nearby storm or sunshine