Science Fair Project Encyclopedia
Pressure gradient force
The pressure gradient force is the force that is usually responsible for accelerating a parcel of air from a high atmospheric pressure region to a low pressure region, resulting in wind.
The pressure gradient force acts at right angles to isobars in the direction from high to low pressure. The greater the pressure difference over a horizontal distance, the greater the force and hence the stronger the wind.
However the pressure gradient force is not the only force that acts on a moving parcel of air — if it were, then eventually the low and high pressure regions would disappear. The second force acting on a moving parcel of air is the Coriolis force.
10-26-2009 08:16:03
The contents of this article is licensed from www.wikipedia.org under the GNU Free Documentation License. Click here to see the transparent copy and copyright details
The contents of this article is licensed from www.wikipedia.org under the GNU Free Documentation License. Click here to see the transparent copy and copyright details