In very small, violent spinning systems like tornadoes or dust devils, the Coriolis force is too weak to matter. Instead, the wind is a balance between the Pressure Gradient Force (pulling air into the center) and the Centrifugal Force (pulling ...
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The Ekman Spiral describes how wind blowing over the ocean surface moves the water. Because of the Coriolis effect, the surface water moves at a 45-degree angle to the wind. Each deeper layer of water moves even more slowly and ...
The Horse Latitudes (30° N/S) are regions of high pressure created by sinking air. As air rises at the Equator, it travels poleward and eventually cools, becoming dense enough to sink back to Earth at these latitudes. Sinking air compresses ...
Dry air cools at about 10°C per kilometer (DALR). However, when rising air is saturated, water vapor condenses into liquid droplets. This chemical change releases “latent heat” into the air parcel. This extra heat partially offsets the cooling process, making ...
As an air parcel rises, the surrounding atmospheric pressure decreases. The parcel must expand to match this lower pressure. Expanding requires energy, which the parcel takes from its own internal heat. Since no heat is added from the outside, the ...