Menu Close

What is the main cause of differences in air pressure?

What is the main cause of differences in air pressure?

Answer: These variations in air pressure are due to temperature differences caused by variations in solar energy received at the surface of the earth. The sunlight absorbed by the ground depends on the latitude of the location, the slope and the underlying surface. …

What happens when two areas have different air pressure?

The greater the difference between the high and low pressure or the shorter the distance between the high and low pressure areas, the faster the wind will blow. Wind also blows faster if there’s nothing in its way, so winds are usually stronger over oceans or flat ground.

What is the result of air pressure?

The force per unit area is called pressure. Air pressure is the result of the weight of a column of air pushing down on an area. The molecules in air push in all directions. This is why air pressure doesn’t crush objects.

What two factors does air pressure depend on?

As such, pressure depends on the amount of gas (in number of molecules), its temperature, and the volume of the container.

How do differences in air pressure affect the movement of air?

Thus difference between air pressures creates air movement from high pressure areas to low pressure areas which is known as wind. Temperature and Air pressure cause expansion and shrinking of air which further results into distribution of heat and moisture in the atmosphere.

What causes high and low atmospheric pressure?

Areas of high and low pressure are caused by ascending and descending air. As air warms, it ascends leading to low pressure at the surface.

Are winds caused by differences in air pressure?

Wind is caused by differences in the atmospheric pressure. When a difference in atmospheric pressure exists, air moves from the higher to the lower pressure area, resulting in winds of various speeds.

What are air currents caused by temperature differences?

Temperature differences can cause air currents because warmer air is less dense than cooler air, causing the warmer air to appear “lighter.”. Thus, if the warm air is under the cool air, air currents will form as they exchange places. Air currents are caused because of the uneven heating of Earth’s surface.