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Earth Science
Where Does Wind Come From?
Warm Air Up, Cool Air In
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Wind is moving air. We feel wind when air pushes gently or strongly on our skin, clothes, trees, and flags. Wind matters because it helps move clouds, cools us down, and can help kites, sailboats, and wind turbines work. The Sun is the main reason wind starts moving.
Key Facts
- Wind = moving air.
- The Sun warms land and water.
- Warm air rises because it is lighter than cool air.
- Cool air moves in to fill the space left behind.
- Moving cool air makes wind we can feel.
- Stronger heating can make faster wind.
Vocabulary
- Wind
- Wind is air that is moving from one place to another.
- Air
- Air is the invisible gas all around us that we breathe.
- Warm air
- Warm air is air that has been heated and often rises upward.
- Cool air
- Cool air is air that is not as warm and can move in to take the place of rising warm air.
- Sun
- The Sun is a star that gives Earth light and heat.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Thinking wind comes from trees, but trees only show us that the air is moving.
- Thinking air is empty space, but air is real matter even though we cannot see it.
- Thinking warm air always stays near the ground, but warm air usually rises because it is lighter than cool air.
- Thinking wind only happens during storms, but gentle wind can happen on sunny days too.
Practice Questions
- 1 A flag waves 6 times in one minute. If the wind gets stronger and the flag waves 10 times in the next minute, how many more times did it wave?
- 2 Three leaves blow across a sidewalk. Then 5 more leaves blow across. How many leaves blew across in all?
- 3 On a sunny day, the land gets warm and warm air rises. Explain why cool air moves in and how that makes wind.