Science Notes for Tuesday, Feb. 17th

February 17, 2015

Objective: Scientists innovate on previous designs. We can use what we know about the history of wind vanes and anemometers to design our own tools to measure wind direction and wind speed.

Measuring Wind with Wind Vanes and Anemometers

• Wind vane: a tool that measures wind direction

• points into the direction from which wind is blowing

• have cardinal direction points (North, South, East, West)

• design: one end is at least 4 times larger in surface area and mass than the opposite end

• Anemometer: a tool that measure wind speed

• use electromagnetic beams or a “cup” design to measure the force of wind

The History of Measuring Wind

3500 BCE

• People in Mesopotamia began to recognize the importance of measuring wind speed and direction.

• The first “crude” (or basic, beginning) tools were designed

15th century

• The first anemometer was designed by Leon Baptista Alberti

17th century

• Robert Hooke designed the “paddle anemometer”

1806

• Francis Beaufort design the “Wind-Force” scale