PPT: Coriolis Force | Crash Course for UPSC Aspirants PDF Download

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GEOGRAPHY CRASH 
COURSE CAPSTONE IAS LEARNING
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GEOGRAPHY CRASH 
COURSE CAPSTONE IAS LEARNING More about Coriolis effect
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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.
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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).
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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).