Geography GCSE
Coriolis Effect
What Coriolis Effect means in Geography GCSE, as defined for AQA, Pearson Edexcel.
Definitions of Coriolis Effect
Exam boards and our study guides word this term in slightly different ways. Learn the version your board uses.
The deflection of moving air caused by the Earth's rotation, which gives tropical cyclones their characteristic spin.
The effect of the Earth's rotation which causes winds to deflect, causing tropical storms to spin.
The deflection of moving air caused by the Earth's rotation, causing cyclones to spin.
Topics that use Coriolis Effect
- Living with the physical environment (AQA GCSE)
- There are various impacts of and responses to natural hazards caused by tropical cyclones depending on a country's level of development (Pearson Edexcel GCSE)
- Tropical cyclones are extreme weather events that develop under specific conditions and in certain locations (Pearson Edexcel GCSE)
Related terms
- Latent Heat
- Storm Surge
- Tropical Cyclone
- Adaptation
- Biodiversity
- Geomorphic Processes
- Human-Environment Interaction
- Interdependence
Using Coriolis Effect in the exam
Definition questions usually carry one or two marks, and examiners look for the precise wording. Write the definition from memory, check it against the version above, and then use the term in a longer answer on the same topic so it sticks.
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