Science help needed...

[meg_evonne]

I remember playing with a globe within a globe in science class.  Model of Venus, I think.  As the interior globe rotated, a gold/black colored liquid between the two layers of the globes rotated at different speeds based on location of the longitude lines? 

So did the liquid, meant to simulate the gasseous atmosphere of Venus, rotate faster near the equator?  I think it did, but looking for confirmation and I've tried several question searches on sites, but no luck.  Hoping that one of you might know. 

Thanks all!

[Dikaion]

Could this be what you are talking about?

http://csep10.phys.utk.edu/astr161/lect/venus/features.html

Venus is always covered by a thick layer of clouds that make it impossible to see the surface for light in the visible part of the spectrum. Light at radar wavelengths penetrates the cloud deck and allows us to study the surface. A comparison of the motion of the surface with that of the upper clouds indicates that while the surface takes about 8 months to rotate, the clouds rotate all the way around the planet in about 4 days. This indicates that there are very high velocity winds in the upper part of the Venusian atmosphere.

http://csep10.phys.utk.edu/astr161/lect/venus/atmosphere.html

There are high-velocity winds in the upper atmosphere, but the atmosphere below the cloud deck appears to be relatively stagnant, with only very weak winds blowing at the surface. Convection driven by differential solar heating should give rise to winds of only a few meters per second, so the high velocity upper level winds, and the contrasting stagnation of the lower atmosphere, are not well understood.

[meg_evonne]

Thanks Dikaion, very close but no banana, as they say.

I'm old enough that the concept might have been disproven by now.  It's those high atmosphere winds that I'm referring to, however I'm pretty sure that the winds are strongest or fastest near the equator, and slower as you approach the poles.  As I understand the earth is not perfectly round, but sort of squashed outwards near the equator.  Does that same thing happen to the atmosphere--thus causing it to reach higher speeds at that equator.  I don't know how well I'm explaining the concept.

I'll keep scrounging around on internet and hope something pops up.  If not, I'll find an old, retired physics professor who will tell me it was one of those facts in science that didn't hold up over the years.

[The Mrs Geek]

I don't know if this will help because I'm not entirely sure what you're talking about, however, warmer gases will travel faster than colder gases soooo at the equator in theory should move faster than those at the poles.

[Dikaion]

I'll keep scrounging around on internet and hope something pops up.  If not, I'll find an old, retired physics professor who will tell me it was one of those facts in science that didn't hold up over the years.

I once emailed Sten Odenwald of the Astronomy Cafe fame, and he emailed back within a few days.  I don't know if he still allows people to do that, but you could try him: http://www.astronomycafe.net

There's also Phil Plait at badastronomy.com, but he might be too busy nowadays since his career seems to be taking off.

[meg_evonne]

I think Mrs. Geek may have hit it right on the head.  ty from the bottom of my heart

I've remembered that I have a meterologist as a client at the university that I could bug if need be.  :-)

[The Mrs Geek]

you're welcome.  I don't remember much about my earth science class, but I do remember discussing in Physical Chemistry about Thermodynamics and gas flow.  Meterologist would be a good brain pick.  Good luck!

[Franzeska]

Thanks Dikaion, very close but no banana, as they say.

I'm old enough that the concept might have been disproven by now.  It's those high atmosphere winds that I'm referring to, however I'm pretty sure that the winds are strongest or fastest near the equator, and slower as you approach the poles.  As I understand the earth is not perfectly round, but sort of squashed outwards near the equator.  Does that same thing happen to the atmosphere--thus causing it to reach higher speeds at that equator.  I don't know how well I'm explaining the concept.

I'll keep scrounging around on internet and hope something pops up.  If not, I'll find an old, retired physics professor who will tell me it was one of those facts in science that didn't hold up over the years.

I see what you're asking now.  I don't know if you're right about the specifics, but something like this does happen.  I think if you look up tradewinds, you should find a description.

[Quantus]

The idea of winds traveling faster at the equator than the poles works because the surface of the globe is actually moving faster than it is nearer to the axis of rotation.   That works ok on a small scale like the gold liquid globe, but not as well for a planet sized thing that has much more complex flow system. 

As to the whole Warmer air travels faster than cold, its actually that waves travel faster in colder air than warmer ones, because its speed of sound is increased.  The air movement itself, windspeed wise, is unaffected. 

Thats as far as the pure fluid flow of it goes.  Weather patterns are something different entirely

QT
Mechanical Engineer

[Adam]

These two pages cover it quite well:
http://wings.avkids.com/Book/Atmosphere/instructor/wind-01.html
http://www.physicalgeography.net/fundamentals/7n.html

[Malakai Jones]

Questions like that are y I'm studying to be a History Prof. lol