ENVS 224 Study Guide - Midterm Guide: Tropical Cyclone, Pressure Gradient, Coriolis Force
Document Summary
Chapter 4 circulation: forces that control wind: how they affect winds; their magnitude and direction, pressure gradient force: generate wind i. Directs wind from high pressure to low pressure and perpendicular to isobars (lines connecting places of equal air pressure: magnitude determined by computing pressure gradient: delta p / delta x, or pressure change over distance. Isobars spaced far apart = small pressure gradient, weaker pgf, slow winds. Isobars spaced close together = large pressure gradient, stronger. Pgf, faster winds: coriolis force: affects wind direction i. ii. iii. iv. Arises because earth rotates around its own axis. On equator there is no deviation and at north pole is maximum deviation. Direction: nh: acts to deflect object to the right hand side of its direction of motion, sh: left hand side, magnitude: 2 x omega x sin(phi) x v. Increases with increasing latitude (zero at equator, max at north.
