Why Does the Wind Blow? — Passage
Wind is moving air, and it plays a big role in shaping our weather and climate. But what makes the wind blow? The answer has to do with the sun, air pressure, and the way Earth heats up.
When sunlight shines on Earth, it doesn’t warm all areas equally. Land, water, and air heat up at different rates. This causes some places to become warmer than others. Warm air is lighter than cold air, so it rises. As it rises, it creates a space below with lower air pressure.
Cooler air from nearby areas, which is heavier, moves in to fill that space. This movement of air from high pressure to low pressure is what we feel as wind. The bigger the difference in air pressure, the stronger the wind.
Wind direction and speed can also be affected by the rotation of the Earth, a force known as the Coriolis effect. This causes winds to curve instead of moving in a straight line. Mountains, oceans, and forests can also change how wind moves across the land.
Wind helps move clouds, spread seeds and pollen, and even power wind turbines that create electricity. It is an important part of Earth’s atmosphere system and helps keep temperatures balanced around the globe.
Fun Fact: The fastest wind speed ever recorded on Earth was 253 miles per hour during a tornado in Oklahoma in 1999!
What is wind?
Cold clouds in the skyMoving water in the oceanMoving air caused by pressure differencesA kind of earthquakeWhat causes warm air to rise?
It is heavier than cold airIt is pushed by cloudsIt is lighter than cold airIt moves faster than waterWhat creates a low-pressure area?
Cold air moving upwardWarm air rising and leaving space belowRain falling from cloudsThe moon pulling on airWhat moves in to fill the low-pressure space?
WaterCloudsHeavy, cooler airSunlightWhat is the Coriolis effect?
A change in temperatureWind moving in a straight lineThe way Earth's rotation causes wind to curveThe shape of a cloudWhich surface heats up faster—land or water?
WaterIceLandSkyWhat is the main idea of the passage?
Wind is caused by plants and treesWind is caused by moving air from pressure and temperature changesWind only happens near the oceanWind makes clouds disappearWhat role does wind play in nature?
It keeps birds groundedIt slows down weatherIt moves clouds and spreads seedsIt only blows in winterRelated Content
