GGR100H1 Lecture Notes - Lecture 6: Pressure-Gradient Force, Coriolis Force
Document Summary
We will begin with a discussion of wind essentials, consisting of air pressure and its measurement and a description of wind. The driving forces that produce surface winds are pressure gradient, coriolis, and friction. Air pressure: pressure produced by the motion, size, and number of gas molecules in the air and exerted on surfaces in contact with the air. Barometer: height of rise of mercury measures the air pressure. Standard unit: pascal (pa); us: millibars (mb); canada: kiopascals (kpa) Where: 1 mb = 100 pa; 1 kpa = 1000 pa (or 10 mb) Air moves horizontally: from regions of high pressure towards regions low pressure, wind compass shows directions, naming for direction of origin. These forces determine both speed and direction of wind: pressure gradient force (driver) Drives air from areas of higher barometric pressure (more dense air) to areas of lower barometric pressure (less dense air), thereby causing winds: coriolis force (deflector) opposite of pressure gradient force.
