Patters of Atmospheric Heating and Circulation

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The global pattern of atmospheric heating and circulation is the high precipitation in the tropics which is produced by high rates of evaporation and subsequent concentration of water vapor in ascending air masses. Energy from the sun heats up earth but unfortunately it doesn’t distribute it evenly across the surface of the earth. The tropics receive more heat radiation than they produce the arctic or the polar region produce more radiation than they receive. The clouds formed in this way produce the heavy precipitation associated with the tropics. The mechanisms of high precipitation at temperate latitudes is produced when warm, moisture-bearing subtropical air meets cold polar air, which forces condensation of the water vapor in the subtropical air mass. Precipitation is mainly to do with the temperature of the air. Higher the airs temperature the more moisture it can hold, and vice-versa. Since the tropics are warmer the air holds more moisture and won't lose it until it interacts with colder air, which is usually at mountains as cold air is forced up into the hot air by the ...

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