Windmills vs. Wind Turbines

Introduction

Wind Energy!

Engineers monitor, use and design technology around wind. To make weather predictions, they design devices such as anemometers and weather vanes to measure wind velocity, force and direction, and predict wind patterns. To tap wind as a renewable energy source, engineers design wind turbines, windmills and wind farms. Engineers also consider wind and aerodynamics (minimizing friction due to wind) in their design of cars, bridges, airplanes, structures and recreational equipment (hang gliders, sailboats).

As fourth grade scientists, you will be able to define what wind energy is, as well as explain the similarities and differences between windmills and wind turbines through research by using websites.

Vocabulary/Definitions

air mass:	A large area of air defined by common air pressure and temperature.
air pressure:	Pressure caused by the weight of the air.
anemometer:	A mechanical device that measures wind velocity and force.
Chinook wind:	A warm winter wind resulting from mountain terrain and air temperature conditions; occurs in the Rocky Mountain foothills.
climate:	Local conditions of a region including wind conditions and temperatures.
Coriolis effect:	A global force that causes air to move in a circular motion because of the Earth's rotation.
doldrums:	A low-pressure region near the equator whrere prevailing winds are very calm.
equator:	The imaginary circle around the Earth's surface that divides the planet into the Northern Hemisphere and the Southern Hemisphere.
land breeze:	A breeze that blows from the land toward open water.
monsoon:	Wind from the southwest that is accompanied by heavy rain.
prevailing westerlies:	Wind that moves west to east from the middle latitudes toward the poles between 30 and 60 degrees latitude.
polar easterlies:	Wind that flows from the north and south poles to the middle latitudes.
sea breeze:	A cool breeze blowing from the sea toward the land; generally occurs in the early morning.
trade winds:	Air currents that move back to the equator.
troposphere:	The lowest region of the atmosphere between the Earth's surface and the tropopause, characterized by decreasing temperature with increasing altitude.