Where We Get Wind From May Blow You Away
25 February 2023
By STEVEN SHERWOOD, THE CONVERSATION
The short answer is wind happens because the Sun heats some parts of the planet more than others, and this uneven heating starts a wind going. That means wind energy is really a kind of solar energy!
All winds are made the same way
Wind systems on Earth vary from the global-scale trade winds and jet streams to local sea breezes, but they all ultimately depend on Earth being unevenly heated by the Sun.
When the ground is heated during the day and gets very hot, it heats the air above it by a process called heat conduction. This makes the air expand to occupy a larger volume. According to something called the "ideal gas law", the volume increases in direct proportion to the temperature.
In other words, the heated air is less dense. If this happens to all air, no wind will be created; the whole air layer will just be a bit thicker.
More:
https://www.sciencealert.com/where-we-get-wind-from-may-blow-you-away
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