LESSON 5
CONVECTION CURRENTS
IN THE
AIR
Name:
Class:
Date:
Student Sheet 5.1a
When Air Masses Meet
Directions Fill in the boxes. Summarize your predictions in the “Predictions” column of Table 1.
Then complete the table as you perform your investigation.
Question we will investigate:
What happens when two of the same—and then different—air masses meet?
Materials we will use:
Procedures we will use:
What we will keep the same when comparing the three setups:
What we will change:
Table 1 Predictions and Observations
Setup of Convection
Tubes
Predictions
(What We Think Will Happen to the Air)
Observations
(What Happened to the Air)
Cold and cold
Warm and warm
Hot and cold
© 2000 National Academy of Sciences
STC/MS™ C ATA S T R O P H I C E V E N T S
65
LESSON 5
CONVECTION CURRENTS
IN THE
AIR
Name:
Class:
Date:
Student Sheet 5.1b
Convection on the Earth
Directions After you have finished Inquiry 5.1, complete Questions 1 through 3 here.
1. Think back to Inquiry 5.1. Draw a punk stick, smoke, and arrows on the Convection Tubes to show
the movement of air. Then, in the space below the illustration, explain why the air moves like this.
Candle
Crushed ice
Explanation:
(continued)
66 STC/MS™ C ATA S T R O P H I C E V E N T S
© 2000 National Academy of Sciences
LESSON 5
CONVECTION CURRENTS
IN THE
AIR
Student Sheet 5.1b (continued)
2. In the space below the illustrations, describe how uneven heating of land and water is responsible
for sea breezes and land breezes.
SEA BREEZE
Warm land
Cool water
LAND BREEZE
Warm water
Cool land
Explanation:
(continued)
© 2000 National Academy of Sciences
STC/MS™ C ATA S T R O P H I C E V E N T S
67
LESSON 5
CONVECTION CURRENTS
IN THE
AIR
Student Sheet 5.1b (continued)
3. Explain why you think tornadoes form more often in Tornado Alley than in any other place on
the earth.
y
dr
ol
Co
r
ai
ns
tai
un
Mo
cky
Ro
W
ar
m
Tornado Alley
m
oi
st
ai
r
Gulf of Mexico
Explanation:
68 STC/MS™ C ATA S T R O P H I C E V E N T S
© 2000 National Academy of Sciences