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Wind Patterns and Hydropower in the Desert?!
| Content Provider | TeachEngineering: STEM curriculum for K-12 |
|---|---|
| Author | Brooks, Hannah Martin, Ashley Gaddis, Dale Marceau, Shay Trifunovic, Lazar |
| Copyright Year | 2017 |
| Description | Students learn how the Coriolis effect and Hadley convection cells determine the location of deserts on Earth. 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. 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. |
| Language | English |
| Access Restriction | Open |
| Rights Holder | North Carolina State University Regents of The University of Colorado |
| Subject Keyword | Earth and Space Physics Problem Solving Science and Technology |
| Content Type | Text |
| Time Required | PT1H15M |
| Education Level | Class VIII Class IX Class X |
| Pedagogy | Experimental Activity |
| Resource Type | Hands-on |
| Subject | Physics Structure of the Earth Technical |
