Wind Patterns and Hydropower in the Desert?!
Engaging students to kinesthetically experience science concepts deepens their understanding—such as manipulating models of the Earth to understand global wind patterns.Copyright 2016 Hannah Brooks, RET Program, North Carolina State University
Global wind patterns are dictated by the movement of the Earth on its axis and are significant factors in determining the climate for regions of the planet. Students learn how the Coriolis effect and Hadley convection cells determine the location of deserts on Earth. They manipulate inflated plastic globes to discover how the Coriolis effect drives wind clockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and counterclockwise in the Southern Hemisphere. Then they incorporate latitudinal differences onto this modeling exercise to understand why deserts form at 30 degrees north and south of the equator. Once students understand the importance of global winds, they discuss hydropower in the desert. They compare and contrast two case studies: China’s Three Gorges Dam, and Chile’s proposed plant in the Atacama Desert that would creatively use solar power to move seawater up to the top of a mountain so that it can flow back down and generate power. Students note the economic, environmental, cultural and social impacts, issues and benefits of both power plants. Then they reflect, write, debate and discuss their ideas and opinions using evidence from the case studies and their own research.
As engineers improve infrastructure and ways to make available products and services to people, they consider the location, ease of access, and feasibility of projects from multiple points of view. In this activity, students practice analyzing important location facts in order to make decisions about hydropower placement. Engineers of all specialties routinely examine large amounts of data and consider how systems work together. This activity also asks students to consider factors from multiple points of view.
After this activity, students should be able to:
- Identify impacts on weather patterns and climate due to the Coriolis effect.
- Discuss potential benefits and drawbacks of hydropower plants and their placement.