ABSTRACT
The atmosphere acts rather like a gigantic heat engine (see Section 2.2.2) in which the temperature difference between the polar and equatorial regions provides the energy supply necessary to drive atmospheric circulation. The conversion of heat energy into kinetic energy leads to motions within the atmosphere which occurs as the winds. Winds are literally millions of tonnes of air in motion - a huge flow of mass that transports warm and cold air, and dry and moist air about the Earth's surface and throughout the depth of the atmosphere.
