This lesson introduces students to the uses of wind energy. Topics include a history of wind usage (grinding grain, pumping water, transportation), including the development of wind power in the United States and its more recent adaptations for producing electricity. There is also discussion of the physics behind the operation of a windmill and what drives the wind patterns in Earth's atmosphere. The lesson includes an activity in which students use online resources to study the relationship between barometric pressure and wind speed and direction. They will collect data on barometric pressure, wind speed, and wind direction for several days, map it, and look for relationships between wind speed and direction and the isobaric lines on the map.

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This resource requires 'Sea-Level Pressure Map'

This resource requires 'Internet Weather Source (State and City Search)'

Publisher: Kennesaw State University
Environmental Science Activities for the 21st Century (ESA21)
http://esa21.kennesaw.edu/

Author: John Pratte
Arkansas State University