Coriolis force increases with increase in wind velocity
This question came in the UPSC Civil Services Exam (Prelims) 2024 – General Studies Paper 1
1. It increases with increase in wind velocity.
2. It is maximum at the poles and is absent at the equator.
Select the answer using the code given below:
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Topic: Physical Geography – Atmospheric Circulation and Weather Systems
Explanation: NCERT Geography, Chapter 10, Atmospheric Circulation and Weather Systems, says that –
Coriolis Force The rotation of the earth about its axis affects the direction of the wind. This force is called the Coriolis force after the French physicist who described it in 1844. It deflects the wind to the right direction in the northern hemisphere and to the left in the southern hemisphere. The deflection is more when the wind velocity is high. The Coriolis force is directly proportional to the angle of latitude. It is maximum at the poles and is absent at the equator.
The Coriolis force acts perpendicular to the pressure gradient force. The pressure gradient force is perpendicular to an isobar. The higher the pressure gradient force, the more is the velocity of the wind and the larger is the deflection in the direction of wind. As a result of these two forces operating perpendicular to each other, in the low-pressure areas the wind blows around it. At the equator, the Coriolis force is zero and the wind blows perpendicular to the isobars. The low pressure gets filled instead of getting intensified. That is the reason why tropical cyclones are not formed near the equator.
Image Source: https://sciencenotes.org/
Source(s): NCERT Geography, Chapter 10, Atmospheric Circulation and Weather Systems
Difficulty level: Easy as direct question from NCERT Textbook
Written By: Editor