If air moves north from the equator toward the North Pole, which direction will it be deflected by the Coriolis effect?

If air moves north from the equator toward the North Pole, which direction will it be deflected by the Coriolis effect?

• A. to the east (→)
• B. to the west (←)
• C. to the north (↑)
• D. to the south (↓)

Answer: (A)

The Coriolis effect is the sideways deflection caused by Earth’s rotation. In the Northern Hemisphere, moving air is deflected to the right of its path. So an air parcel moving north toward the North Pole will curve to the east, since the right-hand side of a northward path points east. This eastward deflection increases with latitude, which is why wind patterns in this hemisphere tend to have an eastward component as they move poleward.

The Coriolis effect is the sideways deflection caused by Earth’s rotation. In the Northern Hemisphere, moving air is deflected to the right of its path. So an air parcel moving north toward the North Pole will curve to the east, since the right-hand side of a northward path points east. This eastward deflection increases with latitude, which is why wind patterns in this hemisphere tend to have an eastward component as they move poleward.