Geoscience Part 1

Front 1

Pressure-gradient force

Back 1

-the force which results when there is a difference in pressure across a surface.
-always moves from high to low
-decreases with increasing altitude

Front 2

Coriolis Force

Back 2

-caused by the rotation of the Earth
-causes objects to deflect to the right in the N. Hemisphere and to the left in the S. Hemisphere
-moves wind clockwise in the N. Hemisphere (anticyclone)
-Increases with wind velocity and latitude

Front 3

Geostrophic Wind

Back 3

-high altitude winds balanced by the Coriolis and Pressure Gradient forces.
-move parallel to isobars

Front 4

Surface wind

Back 4

Lower altitude winds balanced by the Coriolis and Pressure Gradient forces, and friction.

Front 5

Cyclone

Back 5

-rotates in the same direction as the Earth.

Front 6

Anticyclone

Back 6

-clockwise in the N. Hemisphere, counterclockwise in the S. Hemisphere

Front 7

Intertropical Convergence Zone

Back 7

-low pressure zone at the equator
-where northeast and southeast trade winds come together
-very rainy, lots of cloud cover
-where air rises into the Hadley cell

Front 8

Trade Winds

Back 8

-easterly (easterlies) surface winds found in the tropics.
-blows from the northeast in the N. Hemisphere and southeast in the S. Hemisphere

Front 9

Hadley Cell

Back 9

-causes the trade winds
-warm air rises at the equator, flows toward the poles above the surface, returns to the surface in the subtropics, and flows back towards the equator

Front 10

Subtropical High

Back 10

-where the deserts are located
-one of several regions of semi permanent high atmospheric pressure
-very dry

Front 11

Polar front

Back 11

arises as a result of cold polar air meeting warm tropical air