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| Q. |
The deflection of the winds to the right in the northern hemisphere is caused by : |
| A. | revolution of the earth |
| B. | rotation of the earth |
| C. | uneven heating of the earth |
| D. | All the above |
| Answer» B. rotation of the earth | |
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Explanation: If the Earth didn't rotate, winds would travel either north or south due to differences in temperature and pressure at different latitudes. But since the Earth does rotate, the Coriolis force deflects these winds to the right in the Northern Hemisphere and to the left in the Southern Hemisphere. The Coriolis Effect is caused by the rotation of the Earth and the inertia of the mass experiencing the effect. Because the Earth completes only one rotation per day, the Coriolis force is quite small, and its effects generally become noticeable only for motions occurring over large distances and long periods of time, such as large-scale movement of air in the atmosphere or water in the ocean. |
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