Module E

Unit 1
Lesson 1
Exploration 3
Relating Air Circulation to the
Earth System
 Moving Air- Wind
● Moving air also transfers
energy.

● Transfer of energy by
wind is an important
factor in Earth’s
weather.

● Warm wind warms cool

places and cool wind is
warmed by warm places
Cycling of matter in the atmosphere
● Wind picks up particles moves
them to a different place, and
deposits them.
● Winds can move many types of
matter, both living and nonliving.
○ For example, a slight breeze
will move only very light
matter, such as a feather, but
hurricane winds or tornadoes
can move cars, cows, and other
large objects.
Components of air - Water
● One of the components of air is water
● Water vapor enters the atmosphere from Earth’s surface an is
carried by wind from one place to another
● Water falling from clouds in the form of precipitation
● It also flows across Earth’s surface, soaks into the ground, and
forms rivers and lakes.
● Some of this water will enter the atmosphere once again.
● Water continuously cycles in the Earth system.
 Components of air- Carbon, Nitrogen, and Phosphorus
● Important substances that are cycled in the atmosphere are carbon,
nitrogen, and phosphorus.
● Plants use carbon in the form of carbon dioxide during photosynthesis.
● Carbon dioxide enters the atmosphere when fossil fuels burn or when
volcanoes erupt.
● Nitrogen is also released when fossil fuels burn, and when bacteria
break down organic matter.
○ Plants use nitrogen to make molecules called proteins.
○ Animals use these molecules to build body structures.
● As living organisms excrete waste or die and decompose phosphorus is
released into soil and water.
 Components of air- organic matter

● Some living things, such as

bacteria, and the remains of
once-living organisms can be
carried by winds.
● The same is true for debris,
such as ash or other
pollutants.
● Like most of the things carried
by wind, you cannot see many
of these materials unless they
form a dense enough cloud.
2 Types of Energy Flow in the atmosphere

Transfer of Thermal Energy

Transfer of Thermal Energy

Transfer of Thermal Energy

● Thermal energy is the energy we sometimes think of as heat.

● It is the energy a substance has because of the motion of the particles
in the substance.
● Almost all energy on Earth comes directly or indirectly from the sun.

● The flow of air due to differences in density is an example of

convection. Convection can also be thought of as the transfer of energy
due to the movement of matter
 Radiation

● Radiation is the transfer

of energy by waves
● When the sun’s energy
is absorbed by Earth’s
surface, the surface
becomes warmer than
the air above it.
 Conduction

● The transfer that happens

when particles touch and
transfer energy is called
conduction.
 Convection
● The flow of air due to
differences in density is an
example of convection.
● Convection can also be
thought of as the transfer of
energy due to the movement
of matter
● As air particles warm, the
particles move farther apart,
become less dense, and begin
to rise.
 Convection is the transfer of heat by
the flow of material.
Warm air = molecules far apart; low air
pressure; lower density

Cool air = molecules close together;

high air pressure; higher density
Transfer of Thermal Energy

● Kinetic energy is the energy of motion.

● For example:
○ kinetic energy of wind is transferred to ocean
water and creates waves and surface currents.
○ kinetic energy of the wind also moves material,
such as the sand making sand dunes, and
changing Earth’s surface