Lesson 5: Convection Currents in the Air

1
Lesson 5 Convection Currents in the Air

• Lesson 5
• Investigating the Effects of Colliding Air Masses

2
Lesson 5 Convection Currents in the Air

• Big Questions
• What happens when cold moist air meets cold moist
  air?
• What happens when hot moist air meets hot moist
  air?
• What happens when cold moist air meets hot dry
  air?
• Hypothesis
• Use your chart to form your hypotheses.

3
Procedure

• What are some ways we could set up two Convection
  tubes to show two different types of air
  colliding?
• Using this setup of the convection tubes and the
  materials listed on the board, how can we test
  our Big Questions?

4
Collecting DataADD MOIST AND DRY TO BOTH YOUR
CHARTS
Setup of Convection Tubes Observations (What Happened to the Air)
Cold Moist Cold Moist
Warm Moist Warm Moist
Hot Dry Cold Moist
5
Lesson 5 -Investigating the Effects of Colliding
Air Masses

• Day 2 Analyzing Our Data

6
Worksheet 5.1b - Convection on the Earth

• Using the diagram on page 66 Draw a punk stick,
  smoke and arrows on the Convention Tubes to show
  the movement of air.
• In the space below, explain why the air moves
  like this.

7
Worksheet 5.1b Convection on EarthAnswer these
in the space below the illustrations.

• 4. Use the results of your experiments to
  explain what is happening in the pictures.

8
Worksheet 5.1b Convection on EarthAnswer these
in the space below the illustration.

• 5. Based on our experiments, how can you explain
  why so many more tornadoes happen in Tornado
  Alley than any other part of the world?

9
Air Mass Reflection

1. What did you observe when both tubes contained
   air with the same temperature and humidity
   conditions? Why do you think this happened?
2. What did you observe when the tubes contained air
   with different temperature and humidity
   conditions? Why do you think this happened?
3. Under what conditions do you think wind and
   rotating storms might form?

10
Lesson 5 -Investigating the Effects of Colliding
Air Masses

• Day 3 Literature Connections

11

• Read the articles
• Why Does the Wind Blow?
• And
• Trouble in Tornado Alley

12
Weather Fronts

• Read "Weather Fronts on page 63.
• When do weather fronts occur?
• What are the four types of weather fronts and
  when do they occur?
• In your notebook, draw and label an example of
  each front type.