Turning the Air Upside Down
Students develop their understanding of air convection currents and temperature inversions by constructing and observing simple models.
Students examine air convection currentsCopyright https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/8a/4f/ec/8a4fec7162c38a586a4c695a8560f939.jpg
Engineers study temperature inversions and convection currents to understand why pollution levels may be higher in some areas than in others. They use this information to reduce pollution levels and determine new pollution prevention programs. They also study convection currents inside buildings to help improve indoor air quality that may be poor due to smoking or fumes from cleaning supplies. Convection currents help to circulate these pollutants, sending them outside of the building.
After this activity, students should be able to:
- Understand and explain convection currents.
- Build simple models to investigate convection currents and temperature inversions.
- Understand how engineers study temperature inversions and convection currents to know why pollution levels may be higher in some areas than in others