The Wind Experiment

Introduction

As a part of our major report, The El Nino's impact on Washington, D.C.'s weather, we will do a wind experiment. Through this experiment, we will learn how the wind itself works. This experiment is critical since wind is one of El Nino's effects.

Problem

In this lab we will explore causes of air movements, and therefore, what causes the wind. We will study how differences in temperature cause the air to move.

Hypothesis

Our hypothesis for the wind experiment is this: wind will be produced through differences in temperature (lamp light and ice cubes); in the aquarium there will be makeshift warm and cold air masses. We predict that warmer air will move up and cooler air will move down.

Equipment List

• Aquarium
• Clamp lamp
• 100-Watt light bulb
• Ice cubes
• Cotton string
• Matches
• Plastic wrap
• Two thermometers
• Watch/clock

Procedure

1. We put a 100-watt bulb clamp lamp in one side of the aquarium.


2. We put a plate of ice cubes in the other side of the aquarium (opposed side of the lamp).


3. There were two temperature gauges - one for the lamp side, and one for the other side, so we could record the temperature changes.


4. We wrapped the plastic wrap around the top of the aquarium tightly to prevent any escaping air particles.


5. Turned the lamp on, and lit the string end and put it on the plastic wrap, and the string end burned through the plastic wrap. It is important that the string be near the ice cube plate.


6. After that, we observed the changes in the temperature measurements, and in wind movements.

Data Table for the El Nino Lab

********	********	********	********************
Time	Lamp side Temp.	Ice side Temp.	Comments
11:32 am	23 c	22 c	None.
11:34 am	23 c	22 c	Some fog like movements
11:36 am	24 c	22 c	" " Circular - attracts to the lamp
11:38 am	25 c	22 c	" " The fog near the string end seems to be moving up and down continually.
11:40 am	25 c	23 c	The fog gets more potent at the bottom of the lamp side.
11:42 am	26 c	24 c	Same thing - but moves towards the corner of the lamp.
11:44 am	26 c	24 c	" " The fog moves in a circular movement aroumd the inside of the aquarium, counterclockwise - from the ice cubes plate to the lamp side.
11:46 am	27 c	25 c	" " " "

Results

We observed the air in the aquarium. Since air is invisible, we used the smoke from the burning string to be able to see the movements of the air. As the air over the icecubes cooled, we notice it moved downward. Under the hot lamp, the air became warm and moved up. Eventually the air moving up and down caused air circulation: the warm air reached the top, flowed over toward the ice side of the tank, where it became a little cooler, and began to move downward. The cooling air reached the bottom, and was forced to flow along until it reached the area under the lamp, where it was warmed again. It then moved upward again.

A graph of the temperature changes

Around the 11:40 am mark in the graph, you will see a width between the warm and cold front temperature lines. In discussing the data, you will have to first analyze the data and see the slow and steady temperature increase. Soon enough, the temperature difference becomes greater and there we noticed the stronger wind movements. Looking at the graph, you will get a better comprehension of the temperature difference increase. Before that sharp increase, the wind movements had been increasing steadily until up to that point.


Our sources of error would have to be time mangement. We had just put the times down and assumed we would follow the time according to the experiment, and the result was incorrect information due to wrongful time management. Also, air tended to leak out of the aquarium around the plastic wrap. Also the aquarium is different from the air system over the ocean because it is smaller, and we didn't have evaporation.

Conclusion

Our hypothsis for this experiment was that the warm air would rise and the cold air will move down. We observed the air movements and our hypothesis was supported. But also we saw circulation in the aquarium. The air moved around in a circle. The movement of the air is wind. It was a little like a Walker Cell, like the picture above which shows air movement over the Pacific Ocean. After the wind experiment, we have concluded that in the differences between the warm and cold air masses, wind is created. I assume you can image what it is like farway across the Pacific Ocean where strong winds are created, and this kind of information will help us on our El Nino research, because we will then get an idea of the El Nino changes' effect on the wind, and how they will then form various changes such as decline in the fishes' population (due to the decline of nurtients in the water).

Question for more research

Will the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area be affected by the El Nino changes and if so, how great will it be?