Name: __________________________________________ Date: ___________________________
Coriolis Effect
1. In which direction does the earth rotate?
2. What effect does the earth’s rotation have on, for example, shooting a cannon?
a. What does the cannon’s path of travel look like for an observer looking down on Earth from
space?
b. What does the cannon’s path of travel look like for an observer bound to the Earth’s
surface?
3. Describe a simple convection current. Draw it and explain how temperature affects movement of air.
4. In theory how would currents travel on Earth?
5. In reality do currents follow this simple convection pattern exactly? Explain why or why not.
http://www.uwf.edu/atc/projects/coriolis/main.swf
Name: __________________________________________ Date: ___________________________
6. BIG QUESTION: What are the factors affecting global circulation? Explain the effect(s) each factor
has.
7. How do currents in real life circulate on Earth? Draw this and explain how the factors listed above
cause this change from the simple convection model.
8. What is latitude? How does latitude affect global circulation?
9. How does the Coriolis Effect impact wind direction?
10. Describe the following: a) Hadley cells, b) Ferrel cells and c) polar cells.
11. BIG QUESTION: Describe how the Coriolis Effect dictates ocean currents. (You may need to answer
this on the back of page 3)
http://www.uwf.edu/atc/projects/coriolis/main.swf
Name: __________________________________________ Date: ___________________________
Homework: Use what you know to describe this diagram:
http://www.uwf.edu/atc/projects/coriolis/main.swf