Which of the following describes the $\underline { \text { Coriolis force } }$?
A) It drives air from areas of higher to lower barometric pressure.
B) It decreases with height above the surface.
C) It causes the apparent deflection of winds from a straight path.
D) It is the only force acting on flows of air in the upper troposphere.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The Coriolis force is an inertial force that causes objects (including air masses) to appear to be deflected from a straight path when viewed from a rotating reference frame (such as the Earth). This is why winds in the Northern Hemisphere are deflected to the right and winds in the Southern Hemisphere are deflected to the left.

Option A is describing the pressure gradient force, which is the force that drives air from areas of higher to lower barometric pressure.

Option B is incorrect because the Coriolis force does not depend on height above the surface. It affects air masses at all levels of the atmosphere.

Option D is incorrect because there are other forces that act on air flows in the upper troposphere, such as shear forces and the pressure gradient force.

Which of the Following Describes The Coriolis force ‾\underline { \text { Coriolis force } } Coriolis force ​

Which of the Following Describes The $\underline { \text { Coriolis force } }$