Turbulence is a natural phenomenon that occurs when air is disturbed, causing irregular air movement.
The two types:
Thermal turbulence: This is caused by uneven heating of the air. The sun warms the ground, which in turn warms the air above it. This warm air rises, creating updrafts. As the warm air rises, it cools and eventually sinks back down, creating downdrafts. This cycle of rising and sinking air is what causes the bumpiness that airplanes experience.
Mechanical turbulence: This is caused by air flowing over obstacles, such as mountains or buildings. When air flows over an obstacle, it can be forced to change direction or speed, creating turbulence.
About:
Turbulence can range from mild to severe. Mild turbulence may feel like a slight bump or jolt, while severe turbulence can cause the airplane to pitch and roll significantly.
Turbulence is most common in certain areas, such as near thunderstorms, mountains, and jet streams.
There is no way to avoid turbulence completely, but pilots can use weather radar to try to avoid areas of heavy turbulence.
About the types:
Collisions: Gas molecules are constantly colliding with each other. These collisions transfer momentum (mass times velocity) between the molecules, causing them to change direction and speed in a seemingly random way.
Temperature variations: In a turbulent flow, there can be microscopic temperature variations. Since temperature is related to the average kinetic energy of the molecules, hotter regions will have molecules moving faster, while cooler regions will have slower molecules. This difference in speeds can lead to further chaotic interactions between molecules.