Science

Temperature can affect the amount of electricity produced by a wind generator or wind turbine in several ways. Depending on the temperature, efficiency of the turbine can either be decreased on...

Wind generators can have two or three blades and can produce from 100 kilowatts up to several megawatts of power. They can be single units or placed in large groups to form a power plant to serve...

Meteorologists employ a diverse assortment of instruments to observe weather conditions. These instruments allow a meteorologist to forecast the weather by relaying information to them about many...

The versatile windsock has a wide array of uses and a long history. Seen waving in the breeze at airports and in several celebrations, these tubes of fabric are common.

Wind speed has been measured for centuries using classic devices like the anemometer. But wind pressure is slightly different and requires more advanced devices to monitor. Fortunately, the laws...

Tropical depressions don't always evolve into hurricanes, but they are indicators that conditions are ripe for a hurricane to develop. The most active months for tropical depressions to form in...

Wind energy is mechanical or electrical energy generated by harnessing the power of the wind. According to the U.S. National Renewable Energy Laboratory, one of the earliest devices to harness...

Wind turbines are used to capture wind and convert the kinetic energy (energy generated through motion) into mechanical or electrical power. Most turbines are used in wind farms to generate bulk...

The jet stream can best be thought of as a river of wind that moves through the Earth's troposphere. Usually going from west to east, this stream of moving air can be extremely powerful, moving on...

While wind turbines provide a promising alternative form of energy, they can also have an impact on surrounding land and neighboring inhabitants and on existing electricity providers. For this...

Windmills have been used for thousands of years to harness the power of the wind to perform mechanical work and, more recently, to generate electricity.

The search for alternative sources of power has increasingly focused on green sources. Nuclear power is only one of these technologies. Solar, wind, hydroelectric and geothermal power are viable...

Recent concerns about climate change have created an increase in the use of renewable energy sources. Wind energy is one of the most environmentally friendly forms of energy generation. Wind...

Weather maps provide a variety of information on the weather. Some weather maps show cloud cover; some show wind direction and air pressure. Scientists use weather maps to display and analyze data...

Wind generators come in two general types: horizontal-axis ("propeller") and vertical-axis ("Darrieus"). Regardless of type, both use a mechanism called an "airfoil" to convert the linear force...

Just like the lyrics in the popular Bob Dylan song, you do not need a weatherman to tell you which way the wind blows. All you need is a weather vane. These practical devices have adorned the...

An ocean current can be defined as continuous directed movement of water guided by the earth's rotation, wind, temperature and salinity and caused by the tides. Ocean currents are a key element in...

Electricity is something that would be hard to imagine living without. It can easily be taken for granted, not knowing how exactly it is made. The truth is that power can be generated from many...

Wind turbines are a perfect way for anyone to produce renewable energy at home. Building a wind turbine in your back yard or on your rooftop will channel the force of the wind into electricity. As...

Alternative energy is an ongoing concern, and for some people, finding a way to harness alternate sources of electricity becomes an important task. Some will spend money on expensive solar panels,...

Nuclear energy was once heralded as the solution to many of the world's problems. It was seen as an easy and safe source of almost limitless power. However, we have learned that nuclear power,...

Anemometers are meteorological instruments used to measure wind speed. There are two types of anemometers: pressure and velocity. However, since an increase in pressure means an increase of...

Solar power has the potential to be a major source of energy in the 21st century. While much interest has recently been generated around solar power, there are other alternatives available. Some...

Wind tunnels are structures used in aerodynamic research that enable scientists to study the effects of air on stationary objects. This is useful in the manufacturing of airplanes and cars, as...

Weather vanes first appeared more than two thousand years ago. They let people know the direction the wind came from and served as an early meteorological tool. These devices consist of two...

A weather vane is a device used for determining the direction the wind is blowing. Weather vanes have been used since ancient times and have graced the steeples of grand cathedrals and the roofs...

An anemometer is a device used to measure the speed of the wind. As with many scientific inventions, it's hard to pinpoint the first person to invent an anemometer. Sometimes the first inventor...

Small, residential wind turbines are becoming increasingly popular due to their availability and efficiency. Most residential wind turbines are not the sole source of power for a home but rather...

A wind turbine can transform the power of wind into a usable form of energy. The wind turbine creates energy from wind by capturing the force of the wind and, through mechanical application,...

Building a small wind turbine to generate power or pump water involves three or more curved vanes centered around a propeller shaft that turns as a prime driver for equipment. The ideal materials...

While green used to be just another color, now it is a movement based on eco-friendliness and sustainability. There are overwhelming facts and figures indicating that by "going green" we can help...

The source of all solar energy on Earth comes from Sol (the sun), the star at the center of the solar system. The core temperature of the sun is approximately 27,000,000 degrees Fahrenheit. This...

Though economics still favor power derived from coal, uranium, and petrochemicals, people are seeking to replace these wherever possible with cleaner alternatives. Solar, wind, and other...

When I was a kid we used to go to a cabin in the summer, with no washer and no dryer. Laundry was hand-washed and hung on the line to dry, and my mother was always happy when there was a stiff...

Chosen more for their price than their prudence, traditional methods of generating electricity are odorous, dirty and smoky affairs that have often left the adjacent land, air and water...

The way the wind turns the blades of a windmill begins with the wind striking the angled faces of the blades. The angle of the blades deflect the wind to the left or right depending on which way...

Wind turbines create electrical energy from the moving force provided by the wind, which is created by temperature differentiations throughout the atmosphere. These temperature differences cause...

The United States overtook Germany in 2008 and became the world leader in wind energy, according to the American Wind Energy Association. Many Americans are choosing to invest in a wind turbine...

Wind turbines are machines that turn the kinetic energy of the wind into electrical energy, usually for commercial consumption. Most modern wind turbines feature large rotating blades housed atop...

Weather affects everyone's life. For some people, such as aviation pilots, boaters and farmers, weather is extremely important. Yet we have no control over this phenomenon of nature. We can,...

The National Weather Service states that atmospheric pressure "is the force per unit area exerted by the atmosphere at a given point." Being a primary weather parameter that can act as a proxy for...

Renewable energy is generally classified as any energy source that is self-replenishing, such as sunlight, geothermal heat, wind and moving water. Their utilization as power sources does not...

The intermittent nature of wind requires placing turbines in optimal wind resource locations. When considering placement, there are both larger regional considerations and decisions to be made on...

A wind turbine resembles a gigantic fan with three pointed prongs that consistently rotate. They are most often seen in regions with substantial winds and flat terrains that are often surrounded...

Ocean swells are characteristically smooth, without the peaks and breakers of a wave. They might appear to be gently rolling across the seascape like watery creatures lumbering peacefully toward...

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines a wind turbine as "a wind-driven turbine for generating electricity." Defining them in this manner delineates them from a traditional windmill, which the...

There are many different types of wind meters, or anemometers. The simplest kinds use devices moved by the wind. A cup anemometer, for example, has open cups on arms radiating out from a central...

Anemometers are used by amateur and professional meteorologists alike to measure wind speed. Whether you have access to a digital anemometer or are using a homemade version, you need to know how...

Weather vanes are also called weathercocks or wind vanes and, although they cannot actually predict the weather, they do show which direction the wind is blowing. Oftentimes this information is...

Also called an anemometer, a wind meter is a device is used in reporting weather. Weather stations are outfitted with wind meters. Basic models can also be used for personal use at home.