Dual Enrollment Physical Science Midterm Practice Test

The instrument designed to tell how fast air is moving is the anemometer. It detects wind speed by measuring how quickly air causes a sensor to respond, often with cups that catch the wind and spin faster as the wind gets faster; the rotation is then translated into a wind-speed reading. This is why it’s used in weather stations, airports, and wind-energy sites.

The other instruments measure different properties: a barometer gauges atmospheric pressure, a hygrometer measures humidity, and a thermometer measures temperature.