This is something mysterious. We never see it, but we always feel it. So why does the wind blow? Find out in the article!

Wind is the movement of air masses. Even though we cannot see air, we know that it is made up of molecules of various kinds of gases, mainly nitrogen and oxygen. Wind is a phenomenon in which many molecules move in the same direction.

Where does it come from? Wind is caused by pressure differences in the Earth's atmosphere: air from an area of ​​high pressure will move towards an area of ​​low pressure. Strong winds occur when air moves between areas with huge differences in pressure levels. Actually, this fact largely explains why the wind blows from the sea to land.

wind formation

Wind is the movement of air near the surface of the earth. It can be a gentle breeze or a violent storm. The strongest winds occur during events called tornadoes, cyclones, and hurricanes. It is caused by changes in air, land and water temperature. As air moves parallel to a warm surface, it heats up and rises, leaving room for cooler masses. The air "flowing" into these empty spaces is the wind. It is named after the direction it comes from, not the direction it blows.

Breezes: coastal and sea

Coastal and sea breezes are wind and weather phenomena that are characteristic of coastal areas. A coastal breeze is a breeze blowing from land to a body of water. The sea breeze is the wind blowing from the water to the land. Why does the wind blow from the sea and vice versa? Coastal and sea breezes arise due to a significant difference in the temperatures of the land and water surfaces. They can extend to depths of up to 160 km, or appear as local phenomena that quickly subside in the first few kilometers along the coastline.

From a scientific point of view...

Land and sea breeze patterns can greatly influence the distribution of fog, causing pollution to accumulate or disperse inland. Ongoing research into the principles of land and sea breeze circulation also includes attempts to model wind patterns that affect energy needs (eg heating and cooling requirements) in affected areas. Wind also has an impact on weather-dependent operations (for example, with an aircraft).

Since water has a much higher heat capacity than sands or other materials in the earth's crust, with a certain amount of solar radiation (insolation), its temperature will rise more slowly than on land. Regardless of the temperature scale, in the daytime the temperature of the land can fluctuate within tens of degrees, while near the water it changes by less than half a degree. Conversely, high heat capacity prevents rapid changes in liquid temperature at night, and thus, while land temperatures can drop by tens of degrees, water temperatures remain relatively stable. In addition, the lower heat capacity of crustal materials often allows them to cool faster than the sea.

Physics of the sea and land

So why is there a strong wind? The air above the respective land and water surfaces heats up or cools down depending on the conductivity of these surfaces. During the day, the warmer ground temperature results in warmer and therefore less dense and lighter air masses over the coast compared to those adjacent to the surface of the water. As warm air rises (a phenomenon of convection), colder air moves towards voids. This is why the wind blows from the sea, and during the day there is usually a cool sea breeze going from the ocean to the shore.

Depending on the temperature difference and the amount of air lifted, the sea breeze can gust at 17 to 25 km per hour. The greater the temperature difference between land and sea, the stronger the land wind and sea breeze.

Why does the wind blow from the sea

After sunset, the air mass over coastal land quickly loses heat, while over water it is usually not too different from its daytime temperature. When the air mass above the land becomes cooler than the air mass above the water, the land wind begins to blow from the land to the sea.

The excitation of warm, moist air from the ocean often results in the formation of daytime clouds over the coastline. In addition, the movement of air masses and sea breezes are often used by tourists for hang-gliding flights. Despite the fact that land and sea breezes dominate the sea coast, they are also often recorded near large bodies of water. Coastal and sea breezes lead to higher levels of humidity, precipitation and moderate temperatures in coastal areas.

Explanation for children: why the wind blows

Sea breezes are most common on hot summer days due to the unequal heating rates of land and water. During the day, the land surface heats up faster than the sea surface. Therefore, part of the atmosphere above the earth is warmer than above the ocean.

Now remember that warm air is lighter than colder air. As a result, he rises. As a result of this process, cooler air over the ocean takes up space near the earth's surface to replace the rising warm masses.

However, it is worth knowing that wind is formed not only as a result of differences in temperature. The global motions of the atmosphere result from the rotation of the Earth. These winds group the trade winds and monsoons. The trade winds occur near the equator and move either from the north or from the south towards the equator. In the middle latitudes of the Earth, between 35 and 65 degrees, westerly winds prevail. They blow from west to east and also towards the poles. Polar winds blow near the north and south poles. They move from the poles to the east or to the west, respectively.

Our world is full of mysteries and interesting things. To solve them is the task of mankind. Even greater discoveries are ahead of us, but for now we already know exactly the answer to the question of how and why the wind blows, as well as what factors determine its formation. This makes it possible to predict changes in weather conditions.

In the arsenal of the vagaries of the weather, one of the main places, of course, is reserved for the wind. It can be warm and gentle, or it can blow with such force that the air current tears roofs off houses and carries away household utensils.


It brings rain with it, or vice versa, disperses the clouds hanging over the city, returning the blue sky and. The wind among all peoples symbolizes a free nature, not subject to attachments and obligations.

He obeys only his desires, is unpredictable and can turn out to be both a friend and an enemy. But what is the wind in fact, how does it arise and can it be subdued?

What is wind?

From a scientific point of view, wind is the movement of air mass from an area of ​​high pressure to an area of ​​low pressure. As a rule, these movements are directed horizontally.

Although there are ascending and descending air currents that form atmospheric pressure drops in different parts of the planet, they are not usually called winds. In addition to pressure drops, the speed and direction of the winds are somewhat influenced by ocean currents, the rotation of the Earth, terrain, and other factors.


Until now, meteorologists have not learned how to predict the behavior of atmospheric air masses, the origin of winds and their further behavior with sufficiently high reliability. Satellite imagery is of great help in this, but it only captures the ongoing processes.

People still have not learned to accurately guess the origin and direction, and even more so to control the "behavior" of winds and hurricanes, but the general patterns of movement of air masses have already been sufficiently studied.

How do winds appear?

During daylight hours, the Sun gives the Earth's surface a huge amount of thermal energy, heating the land and the thickness of the oceans. But this heating is extremely uneven and depends on many factors.

The most important of them is the distance to the Sun: the equatorial regions, due to the fact that the axis of rotation of the Earth is located vertically to its orbit, are a little closer to the star, and more energy gets to their share than the poles.

The land warms up during the day better than the body of water, but the water retains thermal energy better.

All this leads to the fact that atmospheric air, which is heated mainly from the surface of the planet, is warmer in some places than in others. The heated air rushes up, creating a rarefied space, and colder air from the neighboring zone rushes in its place.


Colliding with each other, warm and cold air currents sometimes form squalls, whirlwinds and even tornadoes. These processes take place over the entire surface of the planet, which, when viewed from above, resembles a seething cauldron, where air currents collide and swirl in various directions, dragging the white foam of clouds with it.

Direction of the wind

If the surface of the Earth everywhere was heated equally, we would not have the whims of the weather. Air currents would move only in the vertical direction: cold - down, and warm - up. However, heating proceeds in different ways: in the equatorial region, the air is always well heated and rises, and cold masses from colder regions rush to replace it.

Collisions of these masses occur in different parts of the planet, but they always lead to the formation. Air currents choose different directions, depending on the accompanying circumstances.

The main factors influencing the direction of the winds are the rotation of the planet and the difference in atmospheric pressure. It has been established that in the regions of the poles, the dominant wind direction is east, and in the temperate zone of the Northern and Southern hemispheres, predominantly western winds blow.

The tropical belt is dominated by easterly winds. Between these main zones of wind formation there are four belts of relative calm - two subpolar and two subtropical, where the air moves mainly vertically: the heated air goes up, and the cold one descends to the surface of the earth.


Winds play an important role in maintaining the planet's climate balance. They transfer the moisture evaporated by the oceans to the land, irrigating its surface and providing the possibility of the existence of the numerous flora and fauna of the Earth.

Every inhabitant of the planet probably knows what wind is. Going outside at any time of the year, you feel the air flow.

What is wind

it movement of a large volume of air in a horizontal direction.

Along with the movement of air, water vapor and dust follow. The air flow is also characterized by a certain temperature.

How wind is formed

Let's figure out where the air movement comes from. The sun's rays passing through the atmosphere do not heat it. Air is heated from the earth's surface. Water and land heat up at different rates. Water mass absorbs heat more slowly, drying faster.

Above the earth's surface in the warm season, the air is always warmer. Where it is warm, low atmospheric pressure forms. High atmospheric pressure is established above the water surface.

Air moves towards areas with low atmospheric pressure. This movement is called wind.

Direction of the wind

It may have different directions. It is considered where the air mass is moving from, it has such a direction.

Do you know where on earth the south wind always blows? Of course, in the north, the north pole, where any side is south.

How to draw a diagram of wind formation

To explain how wind occurs, you can draw a schematic drawing. To do this, it is better to use the border area. We conditionally depict land, next to it is the sea.

Above the earth's surface, the air temperature is higher, the pressure is lower. The heated air is light, it spreads upwards. Over water, the air heats up for a long time. At a lower temperature, air weighs more. High atmospheric pressure is set. Cold air moves from the sea towards the land.

In winter, the opposite is true. Water cools very slowly. The air will be warmer over the sea, low pressure is established.

Above the earth's surface, the air is cold and the pressure is high. This means that the air will move to the sea. Such a scheme is understandable for children, it helps to deal with the question: “Why is the wind blowing?”.

Types of winds

On the planet, there are various types of movement of air masses with different characteristics. Constant currents blow in the same direction all year round.

There are local movements, in a certain territory. All of them affect the climate. Local winds have various names.

Below are the most famous names of the winds with a short description:


Human use of the wind

The importance of moving air masses is great. They influence the climate.

Since ancient times, people have used the power of moving air for navigation, the operation of windmills. Now the strength of the wind is important for the development of some sports.

Air currents of great strength are an alternative source of energy. Wind turbines can generate electricity without fossil fuels.

What winds are seasonal and permanent

Seasonal air currents change their direction according to the seasons of the year. Monsoons are such air currents.

The constant movement of air does not depend on the seasons of the year. Both in winter and summer they move in the same direction. These include the trade winds and western transport, as well as the movement of air from the poles towards temperate latitudes.

Constant winds are related to the distribution of high and low pressure on the planet.

What determines the speed and strength of the wind

The wind has different speed and strength. Speed ​​is measured in m/s or km/h. To determine the strength of moving air, a scale in points has been developed.

Pressure drops in the atmosphere are different. The strength of the air flow depends on these differences. The airflow rate will be faster if the pressure difference is large.

The moving air acts on everything that it meets in its path. The larger one value, the larger the other will be.

Consider the main indicators:

  1. Strong wind is estimated at 6 points. The speed of gusts reaches 39-49 km/h. Large waves form on the sea, trees sway on land.
  2. A very strong wind is estimated at 7-8 points. The speed of air gusts reaches 50-60 km / h. Tree branches break, tiles and slates can be torn off the roofs of houses.
  3. The strongest wind is called a hurricane. On dry land, it is rare. Estimated 12 points. Gust speeds can reach over 100 km/h. This air current causes great destruction.
  4. The maximum speed of gusts is associated with tornadoes. It is over 400 km/h.

What winds cause the formation of various currents

Air currents that constantly blow over the oceanic expanses form currents. Such movements of water form the western transport, trade winds, monsoons.

Conclusion

The movement of air masses is an inevitable process present in the atmosphere. They shape the climate. Sometimes such movements have destructive power. A person studies wind phenomena, gives them names, but cannot control the elements.

First you need to understand for yourself what the wind is. The scientific definition is quite lengthy, in a minimized form it sounds something like this: "The movement of air masses between zones of different pressure." But such a wording will say little to a child. Visualization is the most effective way to explain something. So, let's look at several ways to visually explain the nature of the wind.

Method number 1: Cold weather and a candle

The main condition is the cold weather outside the window. In summer or spring, you will have to use other methods. If the child suddenly asked, “Maaam, why is the wind blowing?”, then we do not get lost, but take a candle and go to the door. We light the flame and bring it to the upper slot of the ajar opening. We see that the flame tends outward, carried away by the flow of warm air. This is the wind, which was obtained from the air heated in the house. Therefore fact one: heated air rises.

Then we lower the candle to the lower gap and see that the flame has changed its slope and is now directed inward. This happens because cold air tends to take the place of warm air. Consequently, fact two: cold air tends to take the place of warm. This concludes the practical part. And move on to a theoretical explanation that there are warm places on the globe (like in a house) and cold places (like on the street). The movement of air between them and leads to the appearance of wind.

Method number 2: Balloon, hair dryer and refrigerator

For the next way to visually explain the nature of the wind, you will need to prepare a balloon. We do not inflate it completely. We take a hair dryer and blow it well. The balloon expands and begins to float. In this example, we explain to the child that heated air tends to rise as high as possible.

Then put the ball in the refrigerator. While it is cooling down there, we talk about the fact that the globe is so big that when it is warm in one place, it is cold in another. Then we open the refrigerator and see that the cold ball has shrunk and quickly falls down.

After the practical part, we proceed to explain that cold air tends to take the place of warm air, and therefore wind is obtained. That is, the wind is nothing more than the movement of air between cold and warm places.

Method number 3: Metaphorical

Instead of visualization, you can use metaphors from the environment. Let's imagine that dad, who borrowed a computer for work and does not allow watching cartoons, is one mass of air. And the child who impatiently crawls in anticipation of the next series is different.

Here the mass-dad sits, works and slowly heats up. And when it gets quite warm, it rises from the chair and goes, say, to the kitchen. Now he is warm air that has risen high and flown away. The kid in this case, the air is cold, which instantly rushed to the chair in front of the monitor. This movement is the wind.

Method number 4: Physiological

Another explanation is based on the work of the lungs. When a child is interested in the nature of the wind, we ask him to take in more air and then slowly blow it out. This will be the wind. The air in the contracting lungs is subjected to pressure and expelled. So it is with the wind.

A small theoretical digression that warm air is lighter than cold air will simplify the explanation. Heavy cold air creates the same pressure as the walls of the lungs. From this, cold air moves to where it was warm. This is where the wind comes in.

Surprises and surprises

In the mind of a growing child, such a lesson will give rise to a million more questions: “What kind of wind is it?”, “Why is it needed?”, “And if it is strong, strong?”. In fact, to answer these questions, you will need to shovel through volumes of meteorological reference books and get a heel or two of higher education. But the child can be explained in a nutshell.

Why is wind needed? To be cool and to blow off dandelions. What is the wind like? Strong, weak, blowing in different directions, and whole air rivers flow high above the earth. And in that spirit. There is no need to spread, it is enough not to leave gaps in the mind of the baby, which may later be filled with the wrong things.

Moms take note!


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Here's what they say on the forums:

trackstone:On our planet, there are places where it is warmer, and where it is colder. The sun warmed the desert, and the air warmed up with it. Objects expand when heated, air is no exception. The air warmed up and expanded. And now a hump of heated air swells over the desert (the pressure has increased), clouds from the middle of such a hump flow to the edges, and in the center of it it is always clear, such humps (high pressure areas) are called anticyclones.
And in another place, the clouds covered the Sun, it became colder, the air shrunk. And from this a pit (an area of ​​​​low pressure) was formed. Clouds flow into this place, it usually rains there. The area of ​​low pressure is called a cyclone.
What happens if a cyclone and an anticyclone meet? Desert next to the sea, for example?
If they meet, the air from the "hump" begins to flow into the "depression", a strong wind blows. This meeting point is called a weather front.
But the wind also blows inside the "humps and depressions." Do you remember how the water in the tub swirls when it drains into the hole? That's right, it twists into a funnel. In the same way, the air flowing down from the hump twists, and flowing down into the center of the pit, too, only in the other direction. This swirl also causes wind inside the cyclone and anticyclone.
Tell me about the breezes. In the morning the earth heats up - in the afternoon the wind blows from the sea. In the evening, the sea gives off the accumulated heat, and the land cools down - the wind blows from the coast.

DmHaritonov:From one side, the sun heats the Earth more strongly, there the air expands, and climbs from there to other edges. Here is the wind.

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