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Page 1 GEOGRAPHY CRASH COURSE CAPSTONE IAS LEARNING Page 2 GEOGRAPHY CRASH COURSE CAPSTONE IAS LEARNING More about Coriolis effect Page 3 GEOGRAPHY CRASH COURSE CAPSTONE IAS LEARNING More about Coriolis effect Causes of the Coriolis Effect • The main cause of the Coriolis effect is the earth’s rotation. As the earth spins in a counter-clockwise direction on its axis anything flying or flowing over a long distance above its surface appears to be deflected. • This occurs because as something moves freely above the earth’s surface, the earth is moving east under the object at a faster speed. • As latitude increases and the speed of the earth’s rotation decreases, Coriolis effect increases. • A plane flying along the equator itself would be able to continue flying on the equator without any apparent deflection. A little to the north or south of the equator, the plane would be deflected. • In addition to the speed of the earth’s rotation and latitude, the faster the object itself is moving, the more deflection there will be. Page 4 GEOGRAPHY CRASH COURSE CAPSTONE IAS LEARNING More about Coriolis effect Causes of the Coriolis Effect • The main cause of the Coriolis effect is the earth’s rotation. As the earth spins in a counter-clockwise direction on its axis anything flying or flowing over a long distance above its surface appears to be deflected. • This occurs because as something moves freely above the earth’s surface, the earth is moving east under the object at a faster speed. • As latitude increases and the speed of the earth’s rotation decreases, Coriolis effect increases. • A plane flying along the equator itself would be able to continue flying on the equator without any apparent deflection. A little to the north or south of the equator, the plane would be deflected. • In addition to the speed of the earth’s rotation and latitude, the faster the object itself is moving, the more deflection there will be. Coriolis Force and Wind Movement • The rotation of the earth about its axis affects the direction of the wind. This force is called the Coriolis force. It has great impact on the direction of wind movement. • Due to the earth’s rotation, winds do not cross the isobars at right angles as the pressure gradient force directs, but get deflected from their original path. • This deviation is the result of the earth’s rotation and is called the Coriolis effect or Coriolis force. • Due to this effect, winds in the northern hemisphere get deflected to the right of their path and those in the southern hemisphere to their left, following Farrell’s Law (the law that wind is deflected to the right in the Northern Hemisphere and to the left in the Southern Hemisphere, derived from the application of the Coriolis effect to air masses). • This deflection force does not seem to exist until the air is set in motion and increases with wind velocity, air mass and an increase in latitude. • The Coriolis force acts perpendicular to the pressure gradient force (pressure gradient force is perpendicular to an isobar) • As a result of these two forces operating perpendicular to each other, in the low-pressure areas the wind blows around it (cyclonic conditions). Page 5 GEOGRAPHY CRASH COURSE CAPSTONE IAS LEARNING More about Coriolis effect Causes of the Coriolis Effect • The main cause of the Coriolis effect is the earth’s rotation. As the earth spins in a counter-clockwise direction on its axis anything flying or flowing over a long distance above its surface appears to be deflected. • This occurs because as something moves freely above the earth’s surface, the earth is moving east under the object at a faster speed. • As latitude increases and the speed of the earth’s rotation decreases, Coriolis effect increases. • A plane flying along the equator itself would be able to continue flying on the equator without any apparent deflection. A little to the north or south of the equator, the plane would be deflected. • In addition to the speed of the earth’s rotation and latitude, the faster the object itself is moving, the more deflection there will be. Coriolis Force and Wind Movement • The rotation of the earth about its axis affects the direction of the wind. This force is called the Coriolis force. It has great impact on the direction of wind movement. • Due to the earth’s rotation, winds do not cross the isobars at right angles as the pressure gradient force directs, but get deflected from their original path. • This deviation is the result of the earth’s rotation and is called the Coriolis effect or Coriolis force. • Due to this effect, winds in the northern hemisphere get deflected to the right of their path and those in the southern hemisphere to their left, following Farrell’s Law (the law that wind is deflected to the right in the Northern Hemisphere and to the left in the Southern Hemisphere, derived from the application of the Coriolis effect to air masses). • This deflection force does not seem to exist until the air is set in motion and increases with wind velocity, air mass and an increase in latitude. • The Coriolis force acts perpendicular to the pressure gradient force (pressure gradient force is perpendicular to an isobar) • As a result of these two forces operating perpendicular to each other, in the low-pressure areas the wind blows around it (cyclonic conditions). • This deflection force does not seem to exist until the air is set in motion and increases with wind velocity, air mass and an increase in latitude. • The Coriolis force acts perpendicular to the pressure gradient force (pressure gradient force is perpendicular to an isobar) • As a result of these two forces operating perpendicular to each other, in the low-pressure areas the wind blows around it (cyclonic conditions).Read More
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1. What is the Coriolis force? |
2. How does the Coriolis force affect weather patterns? |
3. Can the Coriolis force impact the trajectory of projectiles? |
4. How does the Coriolis force influence ocean circulation? |
5. What is the relationship between the Coriolis force and hurricanes? |
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