Atmospheric & Oceanic Currents

Driven by the Sun

CONVECTION CURRENTSDifferentiated Station

Labs

Kesler Science Station Lab – Convection Currents –

Watch It! – The video is on YouTube and my Google drive. Use YouTube unless your school is blocked. The original link is https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6vgvTeuoD WY

Note that URL’s are case-sensitive.

Research It! – The goo.gl link on the task card is case-sensitive. The original link ishttps://ocean.tamu.edu/academics/resources/ocean- world/ currents/what-is-a-current/index.html (copy and paste full url into browser)

Write It! Station DirectionsIt is recommended that you have completed at least two of the following stations before working at this station.-Read It!-Explore It!-Watch It!-Research It!

Answer each of the task card questions on the lab sheet in complete sentences.

One hot afternoon you are standing on a beach and notice the wind blowing in your face as you look out to the ocean. Why is this happening?

How would unusually warm waters in the Gulf of Mexico impact the ocean currents and atmosphere?

Explain how the Sun drives convection currents in the ocean and in the atmosphere.

Assess It! Station DirectionsIt is recommended that you have completed at least two of the following stations before working at this station.-Read It!-Explore It!-Watch It!-Research It!

Each member will answer the questions from the task cards on the lab sheet in the Assess It! section.

What is the driving force of ocean currents and atmospheric movement?

A. The gravity of the SunB. Rotations of EarthC. The Moon’s gravityD. Unequal heating of Earth by

the Sun

Which is true about atmospheric convection currents?

A. Heat is released from the oceans and land causing wind.

B. Wind is only caused by the rotation of the Earth.

C. Wind is caused by the polar ice capsD. Wind is caused by the gravity of planets

in our solar system.

If the Sun were twice the size, how would this impact Earth’s convection currents?

A. There would be no impact.B. The ocean currents and wind

currents would be less than they are now.

C. The ocean currents and wind currents would be greater than they are now.

D. Ocean and wind currents are not impacted by the Sun.

How does heat flow in air and ocean currents?

A. Colder water and air move towards warmer water and air

B. Warmer water and air move towards colder water and air

C. Air and Water flow in the direction of the Earth’s rotation

D. Air and Water always flow north

Read It! Station DirectionsEach member of the group will read the passage and answer the questions from the task cards on the lab sheet in the Read It! section.

It is important to remember that the answers will come directly from the reading passage.

Convection Currents

As long as there is sunlight, there will be wind. The wind is a by-product of solar energy. Approximately 2% of the sun’s energy reaching the earth is converted into wind energy. The surface of the earth heats and cools unevenly, creating atmospheric pressure zones that make air flow from high- to low-pressure areas. Any difference in pressure will cause wind, but the greater the difference the stronger the wind.

The direction that wind takes is influenced by the rotation of the earth. On a nonrotating earth wind would move in a straight path from a high- to a low-pressure area. It is deflected from this path—to the right in the Northern Hemisphere and to the left in the Southern—by the turning of the earth on its axis.

Local winds are those that affect a comparatively small area. They are often caused by heat transferred by convection. Direct radiation from the sun does little to heat the air. It is warmed chiefly by heat radiated from the earth. Intense local heating of the land causes air directly above to become greatly heated and to expand. As a result, some of the air aloft flows away, lowering the pressure over the heated area and increasing the pressure around it. The cooler, heavier air near the earth then flows to the heated area.

In mountainous areas, winds tend to blow uphill during the day because the mountainside is heated more than the valley below it. At night, when the mountainside cools, the wind blows downhill. In summer, breezes tend to blow from oceans or large lakes to the warmer land during the day. They blow from the land at night, when the land cools.

Jet streams are areas of high-speed winds that occur at about 25,000 to 50,000 feet (7,600 to 15,200 m) above the earth. Several distinct jet streams are known, and all seem to be associated with weather and climate at the earth's surface. The course, speed, and altitude of each stream varies from day to day. Jet streams are normally 100 miles (160 km) or more wide and sometimes extend completely around the earth. Wind speed is highest at the core of each stream, where it may reach 150 to 300 miles per hour (240 to 480 kmh).

If you wanted to eliminate wind, what would be the best way to do it?

A. Eliminate Mercury, Venus and Mars

B. Eliminate all plant lifeC. Eliminate the moonD. Eliminate the Sun

How does the Earth’s atmosphere get heated?

A. Direct energy from the SunB. Heat radiated from the EarthC. Light from the moon’s

reflectionD. Forest fires

Which is true about the way air flows?

A. From high pressure to low pressure

B. From low pressure to high pressure

C. From cold air to hot airD. From top to bottom only

During the evening how does air flow near a beach?

A. The air flows straight up at the shoreline

B. Wind is not impacted by day and night

C. From the ocean to the land

D. From the land to the ocean

Watch It! Station DirectionsEach member of the group will go to the website listed on task card #1

Complete the task cards in order.

Every student will answer the questions from the task cards on the lab sheet in the Watch It! section of the lab sheet.

YouTube: https://goo.gl/iftFih G Drive: https://goo.gl/eFeci7 URL is case-sensitive

1. Click Play on the video.2. Answer questions from

cards#2-4 on your lab sheet.

YouTube

What is the driving force of oceanic and atmospheric circulation?

How does energy (heat) flow in the ocean? Describe the impact on

Earth if the oceans were removed.

Research It! Station DirectionsEach member of the group will go to the website listed on task card #1

Complete the task cards in order.

Every student will answer the questions from the task cards on the lab sheet in the Research It! section.

1. Go tohttps://goo.gl/u8MJQb

Use the website to answer questions on the next card.You will need to click the different “Topic Breakdowns” on the left hand side to find some answers.

1. What is an ocean current?2. How does the Sun

create wind?3. What is a gyre?

Explore It! Station Directions

One member of the group will read the task cards in order. The group will be responsible for completing each of the tasks that are being read.

Each member of the group will then write their conclusions down on the lab sheet in the Explore It! section.

Use the diagrams at the station for this activity.

1. On your lab sheet compare and contrast the two different diagrams.

During the day the Sun heats up the Earth unequally. Parts of the Earth get more direct sunlight and parts get very little sunlight.

1. How do you think the Sun’s energy impacts ocean currents and wind?

The Sun’s energy heats the oceans and land. The energy is released in the form of convection currents into other parts of the ocean and into the atmosphere.

A convection current is the transfer of heat in within a liquid or gas.

The ocean has convection currents that cause channels of water to flow in a predictable direction throughout the worlds oceans.The gases in the atmosphere move in the form of wind due to energy that is released from the land and oceans.

The ocean has a greater heat capacity than the land meaning that it can hold more heat than the land.

The oceans overall temperature will not change as drastically as the land will.

1. List an example of how the land can have a dramatic change in temperature throughout the day.

Use the diagrams at the station for this activity.

During the day the land heats up much quicker than the ocean. The energy is released in the form of heat and the cooler air moves in from the ocean which causes a sea breeze.

Use the diagrams at the station for this activity.

During the evening the land has released most of it’s energy and is much cooler than the ocean. The heat from the ocean rises up and pulls cooler air from the land to form a land breeze.

1. Sketch each of the diagrams on your lab sheet.

Sun’s Energy

Cool, Falling air

Warm, rising air

Sea Breeze

Day

Land Breeze

landocean

Cool, Falling air

Warm, rising

air

Nig

ht

Illustrate It! Station DirectionsEach member of the group will draw a quick sketch on the lab sheet that shows they understand the concept being taught.

Use the colored pencils and markers that are provided.

The directions for the sketch are provided on the task card at the table.

Illustrate It! Station DirectionsUse the colored pencils to draw the major ocean currents on the map.Use blue and red for cool and warm ocean currents. You do not need to label them.

Major Ocean Currents

Organize It! Station DirectionsIt is recommended that you have completed at least twoof the following stations before working at this station.-Read It!-Explore It!-Watch It!-Research It!

Each group will organize the cards. Each of the cards will be used. Have your teacher sign off you your Organize it section after it has been checked.

Please mix up the cards again before the next group arrives at this station.

Convection CurrentFACTS

Convection CurrentFICTION

The Sun’s energy directly impacts ocean and wind

currents

The Moon’s gravitational pull

directly impacts ocean and wind currents

Convection currents are released from the land as it heats up during the day

The Earth’s rotation is the only thing that

impacts wind

Wind plays a major impact on currents

at the oceans surface

Ocean currents always flow south

to north

A sea breeze is when the cooler air over

the ocean moves in towards land

A land breeze is when the cooler air

over the ocean moves in towards

landWind currents

move from high to low pressure

Wind currents move from low to

high pressure

Convection Currents

Explore It!

Task Card #1Similarities:

Differences:

Name

Task Card #5

Task Card #8

Task Card #2

Write It!Task Card #1:

Task Card #2:

Task Card #3:

Convection Currents Name

Assess It!#1 #3

#2 #4

Read It!#1 #3

#2 #4

Research It!1.2.

3

Organize It!

Illustrate It!

Convection Currents Name

Watch It!Task Card #2:

Task Card #3:

Task Card #4: