Student Exploration: Coastal Winds and Clouds
Vocabulary: condensation, convection, convection current, land breeze, sea breeze
Condensation: change from a gas to a liquid
Convection: Transfer of heat through movement
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Student Exploration: Coastal Winds and Clouds
Vocabulary: condensation, convection, convection current, land breeze, sea breeze
Condensation: change from a gas to a liquid
Convection: Transfer of heat through movement of a fluid.
Convection Current: the circular motion of a fluid (such as air) in
which hot material rises while cold material sinks.
Land breeze: A wind that blows from the land to the sea.
Sea breeze: A wind that blows from the sea to the land.
Prior Knowledge Questions (Do these BEFORE using the Gizmo.)
A hot-air balloon contains a propane burner that directs hot air into the
interior of the balloon. You can see the flames in the photo at left.
1. What happens when the air inside the balloon is heated? The balloon
begins to float.
2. What might happen if the burner was turned off? The balloon would
probably cease to float.
Gizmo Warm-up
Have you ever taken a walk along an ocean beach and
noticed a refreshing breeze blowing in from the water?
The cause of this breeze, called a sea breeze, is related
to the reason that a hot-air balloon is able to fly high in the
sky. The Coastal Winds and Clouds Gizmo™ allows you
to explore how daily temperature variations are related to
sea breezes and other weather phenomena.
Click Play ( ), and watch the Gizmo for 24 simulated
hours, focusing on the sailboat.
1. Click Pause ( ) when the sailboat starts moving towards the shore. This represents the
start of the sea breeze. What time is it? Around 10:00 AM.
2. Click Play, and then click Pause when the sailboat starts moving out to sea again. This
represents the start of the land breeze. What time is it now? 1:30 AM.
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