weather [wind] [1] [comprehension quiz]

As you know the Earth rotates on its axis which is tilted at 23.5 degrees. The Sun's rays hit the Earth and some of that solar heat is trapped in Earth's atmosphere. Due to the tilt the solar heat is unevenly spread over the surface of the Earth. It is especially concentrated at the equator. The warm air rises and moves into the colder air above, This is what causes clouds which is covered in other topics. So you have warm air rising into cold air and a rotating Earth on a tilt. You can see the red warm air at the equator, the pink colder air in the tropics, and the blue cold air at the poles. Wind is the movement of air bewteen these areas. This animation shows this movement and future wind topics will cover this in greater detail.

1. What is wind? cold air sinking hot air rising the movement of air 2. Where are the warmest winds? at the tropics at the equator at the poles 3. Why does't the solar heat escape? it gets trapped in the atmosphere it is pulled down by gravity it likes Earth's oceans 4. Which statement is true? warm air rises cold air rises hot and cold air rise 5. If the Earth didn't have a tilt? temperatures would be much higher temperatures would be more evenly spread temperatures would be much lower

There are 6 pictures in a grid. As you hover over each picture a blue screen appears on which there is some information about what is being shown in the picture. Read this information and look at each picture to make sure you understand what is being shown. If you want to check how much you understand try the quiz on the right hand side. To start the activity again just refresh the page.