Rather than over states that are flat.
2007-12-01 12:39:37 · 14 answers · asked by CaptainObvioustotherescue 4 in Travel ➔ Air Travel
It begins with physics: 2 objects (in this case, mountains and air) cannot occupy the same place at the same time.
Therefore, when air is moving from Point A to Point B, and in between it must rise up (due to the mountains) it is forces to occupy less space. This causes it to move faster (a law of physics: air, water, electricity all move faster when channeled into a smaller space; only humans move slower when confined!)
Since the air is moving faster, and also rising, it causes what we know as turbulence.
Turbulence can also be caused by uneven heating: as the difference between the sea and land (land heats/cools more quickly than the sea) or different land scapes (grass-covered plains compared to desert sands or cities). Any time part of the air mass heats more rapidly than surrounding areas, winds (and turbulence) will result.
2007-12-01 12:46:05 · answer #1 · answered by Nothingusefullearnedinschool 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
On the east side of the mountains, the wind coils down and clockwise. This is called the Coriolis affect. Above it to a certain altitude and wind speed this causes turbulence. Below the altitude of the mountains it can be strong enough to do damage to an airplane. In the late 1960's a B52 Bomber was flying on the east side of the Rocky Mountains at an altitude of about 1000 feet above ground level, when the entire vertical stabilizer and rudder broke off in air. The air craft was able to return to land because the pilot dropped the landing gear which acted like a stabilizer.
2007-12-01 20:46:00 · answer #2 · answered by ? 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Mountains - Air passes over mountains and causes turbulence as it flows above the air on the other side
Turbulence is air movement that normally cannot be seen. It may occur when the sky appears to be clear and can happen unexpectedly. It can be created by any number of different conditions, including atmospheric pressures, jet streams, mountain waves, cold or warm fronts, or thunderstorms.
Turbulence is the leading cause of in-flight injuries. There are countless reports of occupants who were seriously injured while moving about the passenger cabin when clear air turbulence is encountered.
BON VOYAGE
2007-12-01 21:53:38 · answer #3 · answered by Shay p 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Turbulence is caused by air currents that go in unusual or unexpected directions. Mountains change the direction of air currents (when air hits the side of a mountain, it cannot keep going straight, it has to go up or down or sideways). This causes turbulence.
2007-12-01 20:45:14 · answer #4 · answered by Lisa B 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
There is absolutely no difference between turbulence over mountains or flat lands. Turbulence is turbulence. How that turbulence is handled by the plane and the pilot makes the ride seem better or worse.
2007-12-01 20:43:42 · answer #5 · answered by solo_powered_boatie 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋
bassically you know wind in stronger the higher up you go thats where the jet streme is.... so if theres a big mountain in the way it splits the wind.... makiing it pass through and around the moountain similar to the air passing over the cars you see in the commercials when the do an air test.
so now you have all that wind unwantingly split and an airplane trying to go against it....... turbulance....
the real reason why is that airplains engines run off of air as we all know it mixed hella fuel with hella air to make it a "jet" engine..... so if n e thing else in introduced into the jet engine (ie. heavy volume of air, rain, snow, clouds, ) it like a miss fire which could be misconscrewed as turbulance
2007-12-01 20:45:39 · answer #6 · answered by longstroqz 2 · 1⤊ 2⤋
As the air flows over the mountains, the air flows up one side and down the other. It compresses as it goes over the mountain, then decompresses as it passes the peck. This creates eddies like you see in a river or creek. The air moving up, down, compressing, decompressing, and creating eddies causes the turbulence.
2007-12-01 20:45:15 · answer #7 · answered by Lonnie M 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
The differant climate. Its cool at the tops of mountains and warmer at low earth. Cool air dropps and warm air raises. The updraft and downdraft causes weird air flow, making the plane shake. On flat plains, you have no weird drafts and you get a smooth ride.
2007-12-01 20:43:41 · answer #8 · answered by Room Service 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Air around the mountains tends to go somewhat upward and to be more dense than in flat places.
2007-12-01 20:42:10 · answer #9 · answered by Lola 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The mountains are in the way of the wind. It pushes the wind upwards sometimes and makes your flight bumpy
2007-12-01 20:41:31 · answer #10 · answered by Abolir Las Farc 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋