/*! This file is auto-generated */ .wp-block-button__link{color:#fff;background-color:#32373c;border-radius:9999px;box-shadow:none;text-decoration:none;padding:calc(.667em + 2px) calc(1.333em + 2px);font-size:1.125em}.wp-block-file__button{background:#32373c;color:#fff;text-decoration:none} Problem 80 Birds and sailplanes take advant... [FREE SOLUTION] | 91影视

91影视

Log out

Learning Materials

Features

Discover

Chapter 10: Problem 80

Birds and sailplanes take advantage of thermals (rising columns of warm air) to gain altitude with less effort than usual. Why does warm air rise?

Short Answer

Expert verified
Question: Explain the concept of thermals and how they help birds and sailplanes gain altitude with less effort. Answer: Thermals are columns of rising warm air that form due to the buoyancy effect, where the less dense warm air rises above the denser, colder air. Birds and sailplanes take advantage of thermals to gain altitude with less effort by circling within these rising columns of warm air, allowing them to ascend rapidly and cover large distances while conserving energy. This strategy is particularly helpful for birds during migration and for gliders optimizing flight duration and distance.

Step by step solution

01

Understand buoyancy

Buoyancy is the force that causes objects to float in a fluid (like air or water) due to the pressure difference in the fluid. In the case of the atmosphere, air behaves like a fluid, and its pressure decreases with increasing altitude. This means that the air pressure is lower at higher altitudes compared to lower altitudes.
02

Relation between temperature and density in air

The density of a gas (air in this case) is inversely proportional to its temperature. When air is heated, its molecules move faster, and they spread out causing the air to become less dense. As a result, warm air is lighter than cold air which has more densely packed molecules.
03

Warm air rising and the formation of thermals

Due to buoyancy, the less dense warm air experiences an upward force, causing it to rise above the denser, colder air. This process leads to the formation of thermals, which are columns of rising warm air. As the warm air rises, it cools down due to the decrease in pressure at higher altitudes. Once the air cools down enough, it will become denser and descend back to the lower altitudes where it can be heated again, thus completing a convection cycle.
04

Birds and sailplanes taking advantage of thermals

Birds and sailplanes use thermals as a natural source of lift to gain altitude without expending much effort. By circling within a rising column of warm air, they can ascend rapidly and cover large distances with minimal energy expenditure. This energy-saving strategy is particularly helpful for birds during migration or for gliders to optimize their flight duration and distance.

Unlock Step-by-Step Solutions & Ace Your Exams!

  • Full Textbook Solutions

    Get detailed explanations and key concepts

  • Unlimited Al creation

    Al flashcards, explanations, exams and more...

  • Ads-free access

    To over 500 millions flashcards

  • Money-back guarantee

    We refund you if you fail your exam.

Over 30 million students worldwide already upgrade their learning with 91影视!

One App. One Place for Learning.

All the tools & learning materials you need for study success - in one app.

Get started for free

Most popular questions from this chapter

At what temperature will 1.00 mol of an ideal gas in a \(1.00 \mathrm{L}\) container exert a pressure of 1.00 atm?

The volume of a quantity of gas at 1.00 atm is compressed from \(3.25 \mathrm{L}\) to \(2.24 \mathrm{L} .\) What is the final pressure of the gas if there is no change in temperature?

A 22.5 L sample of gas is cooled from \(145^{\circ} \mathrm{C}\) to a temperature at which its volume is \(18.3 \mathrm{L}\). What is the new temperature? Assume no change in pressure of the gas.

Which of the following actions would produce the greater increase in the volume of a gas sample? a. Lowering the pressure from \(760 \mathrm{mm} \mathrm{Hg}\) to \(700 \mathrm{mmHg}\) at constant temperature b. Raising the temperature from \(10^{\circ} \mathrm{C}\) to \(35^{\circ} \mathrm{C}\) at constant pressure

Determine the root-mean-square speed of \(\mathrm{CO}_{2}\) molecules that have an average kinetic energy of \(3.2 \times 10^{-21} \mathrm{J}\) per molecule.
See all solutions

Recommended explanations on Chemistry Textbooks

Ionic and Molecular Compounds

Read Explanation

Chemical Analysis

Read Explanation

Kinetics

Read Explanation

Making Measurements

Read Explanation

Nuclear Chemistry

Read Explanation

Chemical Reactions

Read Explanation
View all explanations

What do you think about this solution?

We value your feedback to improve our textbook solutions.

Study anywhere. Anytime. Across all devices.