Exam (elaborations) Student Exploration Coastal Winds and Clouds

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.