GEOG 155 Chapter Notes - Chapter 8: Coriolis Force, Atmospheric Circulation, Atmospheric Pressure
Document Summary
Wind: the movement of air relative to earth"s surface: response to an imbalance of forces acting on air molecules. The concept of pressure: gravitational force: the primary force exerting an influence on air molecules. Atmospheric pressure and altitude: atmospheric pressure. Does not vary all that much horizontally but does decrease rapidly with increasing altitude. Because air is compressible, overlying air compresses the atmosphere below, leading to higher density near the surface. Causes of atmospheric circulation: 3 basic facts explain why air circulates. Earth receives an unequal amount of solar radiation at different latitudes. Flowing air experiences frictional drag from the surface of the earth: poleward transfer of heat in equatorial and tropical zones is dominated by ocean transport. Forces on an air molecule: three forces determine the speed and direction of surface and upper-level winds. The pressure-gradient force (the difference in surface pressure over a given distance between two locations.
