Global atmospheric circulation

• What is the overall movement of air between the equator and the poles called?

  Global atmospheric circulation
• What does global atmospheric circulation transfer?

  Heat from the equator to the poles
• Why does air move in the atmosphere?

  Due to differences in air pressure
• From where do winds blow to where?

  From high pressure to low pressure areas
• How is the global atmospheric circulation system structured?

  It is divided into large cells
• What creates a low pressure belt in the atmospheric cells?

  Warm rising air
• What creates a high pressure belt in the atmospheric cells?

  Cool sinking air
• How many cells does each hemisphere have?

  Three cells
• What are the steps of air movement in the atmospheric cells?

  • Sun warms air at the equator, causing it to rise
  • Creates a low pressure belt
  • Rising air cools and moves away from the equator
  • At 30° N/S, cool air sinks, creating high pressure
  • Cool air moves back to the equator (trade winds) or towards poles (westerlies)
  • Winds curve due to Earth's rotation (Coriolis effect)
  • At 60° N/S, warmer winds meet colder air, causing warm air to rise
  • Cool air sinks at the poles, creating high pressure
  • High pressure air is drawn back towards the equator
• How does global atmospheric circulation influence weather and climate?

  It affects temperature and precipitation patterns
• What happens at the equator regarding solar radiation?

  The sun is directly overhead
• What is the result of warm, moist air rising at the equator?

  It forms clouds and causes heavy rainfall
• What happens to air by the time it reaches 30° N/S?

  It has released most of its moisture as rain
• Why are deserts often found at 30° N/S latitude?

  Because of dry air and little rainfall
• What weather pattern is associated with the UK?

  Cloud cover and rainfall from low pressure systems
• How do pressure belts and surface winds relate to global circulation?

  • Air moves in loops (cells) from equator to poles
  • Creates surface winds
  • Forms belts of high and low pressure
  • Affects climate: deserts are dry, rainforests are wet