Overview

As a high school or undergraduate Physics or Earth Sciences teacher, you can use this set of computer-based tools to help you in teaching about Coriolis Force, the Coriolis Effect, and how the Coriolis Effect influences climate (trade winds and upwelling).

This lesson plan allows students to understand the Coriolis Force, and the effect of the Coriolis Force on weather and climate. The videos and activity explain how the Coriolis effect determines the direction of trade winds and upwelling in the oceans.

Grade Level: High School, undergraduate
Discipline: Physics, Earth Sciences
Topics: Coriolis Force, Coriolis Effect, Trade Winds, Upwelling
Climate Topic: Climate and the atmosphere, Climate and the hydrosphere
Location: Global
Languages: English

Learning Outcomes

The tools in this lesson plan will enable students to:

• Describe the Coriolis effect
• Compare the influence of the Coriolis effect on the direction of motion in the Northern and Southern hemispheres of Earth
• Discuss the influence of the Coriolis effect on the climate of a region.