Wind Formation

There is always variation in the pattern of weather. Sometimes it's sunny, sometimes it's humid, sometimes it's windy. On a windy day, we feel very happy, we enjoy it a lot but when the speed of the wind is very fast, it also becomes difficult for us to even stand properly. Also, we have observed people love to fly kites and the wind is required to fly a kite.

Kids Playing with The Wind Wheel

Also on a windy day, we see wind everywhere. But have you ever thought about where this wind comes from? How wind is formed? What makes the wind blow all of a sudden? Let's study it in detail.

What is Wind?

Wind refers to the moving air and is caused due to the differences in the air pressure within the atmosphere. It refers to the movement of air which is caused due to the uneven heating of the Earth by the Sun and due to the Earth’s own rotation.

Effect of Winds

How is Wind Formed?

• When the air gets heated due to the radiation from heated land or water, it gets raised. But because land gets heated up quicker than the water, the air over the land also gets heated up quicker than the air over the water bodies.

• As the air which is heated gets raised, a region of low pressure is formed and air over the water bodies moves into the area of low pressure. This movement of air which takes place from one place to another forms winds.

Direction of Wind 

The direction of the wind is from the sea to the land during the daytime. At night both the sea and the land start to cool down. Because water cools down slower than the land, the air which is above the water gets warmer than the air which is above the land.

Formation of Wind

The Main Source for the Formation of Wind

The main source for the formation of wind is the Sun. The wind is a renewable form of energy that is free. It has been used so far to grind grain, pump water, and power ships. The wind gets created when the Earth’s surface is unevenly heated due to the Sun.

Sun Contributing to The Formation of Wind

Causes of Wind

• The wind is caused due to the differences in the air pressure that begins due to the Sun.

• When the sunlight reaches the surface of the Earth, it does not emit equal heat.

• At different angles, it strikes different places, creating unique degrees of warming.

Interesting Facts

• The Wind is one of the fastest-growing renewable sources of energy in many countries.

• The wind turbines look very simple but they are really complex. A single turbine of wind has nearly 8000 different parts.

• Wind as a source of energy is not new. Humans have been using the power of wind in some and other ways for more than thousands of years.

• The wind turbines can stand higher than the Sydney Opera House.

Wind Turbines

• Neptune and Saturn have the fastest planetary winds in the Solar system.

• Sailing ships make use of wind to power their movements taking the help of the sails.

Sailing Ship Uses Wind for its Movement 

• Anemometers are the tools used for measuring the speed of the wind.

• The largest wind turbine in the world is found in Hawaii, in the United States.

• Wind power is unique for the fact that it does not make use of any water.

Summary

Winds are formed due to the uneven heating which is caused by the Sun on the Earth’s surface. The wind is being widely used across the world as a source of power energy. Wind energy is a power source that is growing at a very fast pace. During the day, the wind blows from the sea toward the land. The land and the sea both begin to cool down at night. The air above water becomes warmer than the air above land because water cools more slowly than land does.