The Coriolis effect Flashcards
What does atmospheric circulation mean?
The earths atmosphere is constantly in motion, meaning there is a worldwide system of winds moving heat FROM the equator TO the poles to reach a balance in temperature.
What is pressure of rising air ?
Low
What is the pressure of sinking air?
High
What causes winds?
Differences in pressure
How much radiation does the equator receive and why?
Receives the most radiation, as sun rays hit here directly the most
What is the Coriolis effect?
This deflects the direction of the wind to the right in the northern hemisphere and to the left in the southern hemisphere.
What are the distribution areas like with areas of incoming solar radiation at the Earths poles?
large distribution area
What is the distribution area like with areas of incoming solar radiation at the Earth’s equator?
small distribution area
State 3 things affected by the Coriolis effect?
Weather patterns, ocean currents, air travel.
Where are jet streams formed?
They form mostly at the boundaries of the main circulation cells, (e.g at the boundary of a polar cell and a ferrel cell) where there is a significant temperature difference.
What do jet streams affect?
They can affect the movement of other weather systems and can therefore change the weather for different areas.
Define global atmospheric circulation
Thé worldwide movement of air which transports heat from tropical to polar latitudes.
Define latitude
The distance north or south of the equator, it is measured in degrees with the maximum being 90°N or 90°S
Define air pressure
The weight of the air pushing down onto the ground.
State characteristics of an environment where warm air rises
Condensation is occurring
Low pressure
Evaporation occurring
State characteristics of an environment where cold air sinks
High pressure,
No evaporation
No precipitation
No condensation
What are the 3 stages to rainfall
Evaporation
Condensation
Precipitation
What is global circulation?
Warm air is taken from the equator and transferred to the poles, as well as transferring warm air from the poles to the equator.
Why is there an imbalance of heat around the earth?
Because it had a curved surface, meaning, the equator heats up more than the poles.
How does the earth try and correct the equator being hottest?
By moving warm air from the equator to the poles, and to drag cool air from the poles back to the equator to warm up. This occurs through large scale convection currents.
What is the Hadley cell and where is it located?
Warm air cannot travel the full distance to the poles as it cools down too quickly. It falls at the 50° N/S latitude and travels back to the equator.
What is the polar cell and where is it located?
Cold air is pushed down at the 90° N/S latitude at both poles, forcing the air to move across the Earth’s surface away from the poles. This air travels to the 60° N/S latitude where it warms up and rises again.
What is the ferrel cell and where is it located?
In between the polar and Hadley cells there is an incomplete cell called the ferrel cell. Here warm air rises at the 60° N/S latitude and travels back towards the equator. This air cools and falls at the 30°N/S latitude completing the cycle.
Is it dry / wet in high pressure environments?
Dry
