explain why wind speeds are greatest when the slope of the pressure curve is steepest course hero

by Garnett Ritchie Published 2 years ago Updated 1 year ago 8 min read

What are the forces that affect the speed of wind?

Wind Wind results from a horizontal difference in air pressure and since the sun heats different parts of the Earth differently, causing pressure differences, the Sun is the driving force for most winds. The wind is a result of forces acting on the atmosphere: 1. Pressure Gradient Force (PGF) - causes horizontal pressure differences and winds 2.

What is the relationship between wind speed and height?

A higher slant results in a greater pressure gradient between the warm and cold air and thus stronger wind. A second reason for the wind speed increasing with height, especially near the ground, is due to surface friction. Surface objects such as trees, rocks, houses, etc. slow the air as it collides into them.

Why does wind speed increase with altitude?

Since the wind direction at the higher level is parallel to the isobars and its speed is greater than the surface wind, this transfer causes the surface wind to veer and increase in speed. At night, there is no surface heating and therefore less turbulence and the surface wind tends to resume its normal direction and speed.

What determines the direction of the wind?

Closely spaced isobars means a strong pressure gradient. This results in a stronger pressure gradient force and hence a stronger wind speed. Since F=ma, the "a" will be bigger if the slope or gradient is greater - gravity will pull it down hill faster.

Which parameter has the greatest influence on wind speed?

Which parameter has the greatest influence on wind speed? differences in air pressure. The larger the difference in air pressure between two regions on Earth (and therefore the pressure-gradient force), the greater the wind speed between them.

How does a horizontal air pressure gradient affect the speed of the trade winds?

At the Earth's surface, wind blows horizontally from high pressure to low pressure areas. The speed is determined by the rate of air pressure change, or gradient, between the two pressure areas. The greater the pressure difference, the faster the winds.Nov 22, 2019

Why are surface winds more curved than upper layer winds in both southern and Northern Hemisphere?

Around a low-pressure centre, the pressure-gradient force directed inward balances the Coriolis force and the centrifugal force, both directed outward; because the Coriolis force acts to the wind's right in the Northern Hemisphere and to its left in the Southern, the wind blows counterclockwise along the curved isobars ...

Which of the following refers to the high speed winds that move around the Earth at high altitudes and influence weather patterns?

Jet streams are currents of air high above the Earth. They move eastward at altitudes of about 8 to 15 kilometers (5 to 9 miles). They form where large temperature differences exist in the atmosphere.Jan 21, 2011

Why is wind speed higher at higher altitudes?

Going up in altitude, the pressure gradient between the warm air and the cold air increases with height. This can be noticed by the dashed line for pressure being slanted more as height is increased. A higher slant results in a greater pressure gradient between the warm and cold air and thus stronger wind.

What causes high wind speeds?

A pressure gradient is how fast atmospheric pressure changes over distance. So, when pressure changes rapidly over a small distance, the pressure gradient force is large. Strong winds almost always result from large pressure gradients.Apr 16, 2018

Why do wind speeds slow down over land?

Why do wind speeds slow down over land? [Rougher land surfaces provide friction, slowing winds down. Also, the heat of evaporated water condensing into clouds is cut off over land.]

How do surface winds differ from upper air winds?

Upper-air winds are faster than surface winds because friction is greatly reduced aloft. Friction slows surface winds, which in turn reduces the Coriolis effect. The result is air movement at an angle across the isobars toward the area of lower pressure.

Why are winds stronger in winter?

This happens because the moving mass of cold air is at a much lower temperature than the air being displaced. Winds tend to be stronger during winter, and this can be explained with the uneven heating of the Earth's surface.Jan 25, 2019

How does wind affect our movement?

Wind Movement. Because wind is caused by the gases of the Earth's atmosphere moving about in an attempt to equalize pressure, it seems natural to assume that wind would blow outward from areas of high pressure, towards areas of lower pressure. ... These factors are pressure gradient, the coriolis effect, and friction.Aug 5, 2019

Why are jet streams stronger in the winter?

Jet streams are stronger in winter in the northern and southern hemispheres, because that's when air temperature differences that drive them tend to be most pronounced. The polar-front jet stream forms at about 60 degrees latitude in both hemispheres, while the subtropical jet stream forms at about 30 degrees.Mar 8, 2019

Where is precipitation the greatest?

Mawsynram, India

Mawsynram, located in the Meghalaya State in India, is the wettest place in the world. It receives an annual rainfall of 11,871 millimeters. The mountainous terrain of the surrounding land forces the northward-moving warm moist monsoon winds coming from the Bay of Bengal to converge over Mawsynram.Mar 27, 2019

What is the driving force of wind?

Wind results from a horizontal difference in air pressure and since the sun heats different parts of the Earthdifferently, causing pressure differences, the Sun is the driving force for most winds.

What is the PGF of air pressure?

The Pressure Gradient Force (PGF) is the direct result of different air pressures. As we have done fortemperature by drawing isothermal maps, we can do for pressure and draw isobaric maps. Lines on thesemaps connect points of equal pressure.

What is Newton's first law of motion?

Newton's First Law of Motion: Objects at rest will remain at rest and objects in motion will remain in motion,at the same speed and direction, unless acted upon by an outside force. Therefore, winds, even though theymay be acted on by gravity, the Coriolis Force, and the pressure gradient force will tend to move in straightpaths. This is best illustrated by swinging an object on a string and then letting the string loose. The objectwill travel straight, tangent to the circle it was once following, and will no longer follow a curved path.

How fast do glaciers move?

Glaciers can move more than 15 meters a day. The larger volumes of ice on steeper slopes move more quickly than the ice on the more gentle slopes farther down the valley. These dynamics allow a glacier to replenish the ice that is lost in the zone of wastage.

What is glacier movement?

Movement of ice sheets. An ice sheet moves downslope in a number of directions from a central area of high altitude and is not restricted to a channel or valley. The ice sheet must expand because of the constant accumulation of ice and snow.