FELIX BURTON SAMARIA PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY LESSON NOTES
WORLD PRESSURE BELTS There are several factors that
influence air pressure include:
1. Altitude
AIR PRESSURE 2. Temperature
Air pressure or atmospheric pressure 3. Rotation of the earth
is the weight that is exerted by the 4. Humidity
atmosphere on the surface of the
earth. 1. Altitude
It is the force of the air experienced at Altitude is the height above sea level.
a place due to the weight of the Air pressure is bound to be different at
column of air above that point. different heights.
Air molecules have weight therefore There is a concentration of air
exert pressure on the surface of the molecules on the surface of the earth
earth. i.e. the weight per unit area is higher at
lower altitudes than it is at a higher
altitudes.
The atmospheric pressure decreases
by of its value every 275m gain in
altitude.
At sea level, air has to support a
greater weight of air than at the top of
the mountain hence air pressure
increases when air descends.
Air pressure is not the same for all
regions; the pressure is higher for one
part of the year than it is for another
part of the year.
Air pressure is measured in Pascal
(Pa), but this is usually given in
millibars (mb). One millibar is equal to
100 Pascal.
Lines called isobars join places with
equal atmospheric pressure on a map.
Measuring air pressure 2. Temperature
When air is heated, it becomes lighter
A barometer measures air pressure. and therefore rises; if it is cooled, it
There are two types of barometers; becomes heavier and sinks back to the
i. Mercury barometer and earth’s surface.
ii. Aneroid barometer. Therefore, high temperatures reduce
air pressure while low temperatures
FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE AIR increases air pressure.
PRESSURE
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FELIX BURTON SAMARIA PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY LESSON NOTES
Explanation 1: any decrease in
temperature makes air molecules to
cooled and contract, spreading over a
small area, push out with greater force
and increases its pressure. Therefore,
air pressure increases when its
temperature falls.
Explanation 2: When temperature
increases, air molecules get heated
and expand, lose weight and begin to
rise, occupy a large surface area and
push out with little force eventually
decreasing the pressure. Therefore, air
pressure decreases when its 4. Humidity
temperature rises. When water vapour moves in the
atmosphere, it collides with other air
particles such as gases like oxygen
and nitrogen i.e. the faster the
collisions, the higher the air pressure
will be.
Evaporation makes molecules to rise
up, spread out and creates lower air
pressure.
Low air pressure brings stormy
weather, precipitation and cooler
temperatures.
3. Rotation of the Earth
As a result of the rotation, the air blowing
away from the poles crosses the latitudes
that keep getting longer, the air spread out
to occupy a greater space towards the
equator and its pressure falls.
These pressure belts are along the
600N and 600S known as the
Temperate Low Pressure Belts or
Subpolar Low Pressure belts.
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FELIX BURTON SAMARIA PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY LESSON NOTES
The low pressure is caused by intense
Location of the main air pressure belts heat from the overhead sun all year
on the world map round, leading to expansion and rising
of air.
It is the zone of convergence for the
South East and North East winds, thus
forming the Intertropical Convergence
Zone (ITCZ)
2. The Subtropical high pressure belt
or Horse latitudes
Found at 300 north and south of the
equator
Air rising from the equator spread
out and moves towards the poles,
crossing latitudes which are getting
shorter, thus occupying smaller
spaces. The air cools and sinks,
The air that rises at the Equator moves
building a high pressure belt called
out towards the poles. As it goes, it
Horse Latitude.
contracts and its pressure rises as it
It is formed as a result of the
approaches the latitudes 300 north and
cooling of the rising air from the
south of the equator. The Air then
equator.
begins to sink and builds up sub-
3. The Temperate low pressure belt or
tropical high pressure belts (horse
sub-polar low pressure belt
latitudes)
Found around 600 north and south
Some of the air moves towards the
of the equator and are a
equator and some towards the poles.
converging zone for easterlies and
The air that moves towards the
Westerlies.
equator replaces the air that rises
Air blowing away from the poles
there. In the same way, air moving
crosses latitudes that are getting
towards the poles replaces air that
longer, thus it spreads out to
rises there when it reaches latitudes
occupy bigger space, which results
600 north and south of the equator.
into decrease in pressure.
4. The Polar high pressure belt
Causes of different types of pressure
This zone is confined at the south and
belts
north poles (900N and 900S)
The main pressure belts of the world
The permanently low temperatures
are:
result into cold air that contracts and
1. The Equatorial low pressure belt,
becomes dense. The dense air sinks,
Doldrums or Equatorial trough
creating a high pressure region.
Found within 50 to the north and south
of the equator
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FELIX BURTON SAMARIA PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY LESSON NOTES
There are three times of prevailing
winds
1. Polar winds
Characteristics include:
They blow from the Polar High
Pressures to Temperature Low
Pressures
They are better developed in the
Southern Hemisphere than in the
northern hemisphere
They are deflected to the right to
become North East Polar Winds in the
northern hemisphere and to the left to
become the South East Polar winds in
the southern hemisphere
They are irregular in the northern
Prevailing winds
hemisphere
Prevailing winds, also known as 2. Westerlies
planetary or permanent winds are Characteristics
winds that blow frequently than any They blow from Horse Latitudes to the
other type of wind in a particular area. Temperate Low Pressure
The prevailing wind systems of the They are deflected to the right to
earth blow from the high- pressure become South Westerlies in the
belts towards adjacent low-pressure northern hemisphere and to the left to
belts. become the North Westerlies in the
They occur over large sections of the Southern hemisphere
earth’s surface, causing global They vary in both direction and
circulation of air. strength
They contain depressions (masses of
Differences between prevailing and air whose isobars form an oval or
local winds circular shape, where pressure is low
a. Time frame; prevailing winds blow for in the centre and increases towards
a long time while local winds blow for a the outside)
short time.
b. Area of coverage: prevailing winds 3. Trades
affect a large areas while local winds Characteristics
affect small areas The word trade originates from the
c. Cause: prevailing winds are caused by Saxon word tredan which means to
world pressure systems while local tread or follow a regular path.
winds are caused by the immediate These winds blow from the Horse
influences of surrounding systems. Latitudes to the Doldrums
They are deflected to the right to
TYPES OF PREVAILING WINDS become the North East Trade Winds in
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FELIX BURTON SAMARIA PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY LESSON NOTES
the northern hemisphere and to the left How Ferrel’s law of deflection affects
to become the South East Trade prevailing winds?
Winds in the southern hemisphere. All winds are affected by Fellel’s law of
deflection
How prevailing winds are influenced by Winds are deflected to the right in a
air pressure belts clockwise direction in the northern
The direction of the prevailing winds is hemisphere and to the left in an
influenced by pressure belts (high or anticlockwise direction in the southern
low) because air always moves from hemisphere.
an area of high pressure to an area of
low pressure. How prevailing wind direction is affected
Therefore, high pressure regions form by using non-rotating and rotating globes.
centres which winds blow outwards a. By non-rotating globe
There would be no deflection of winds
while low pressure regions form
hence winds will blow in a straight fashion.
centres from which winds blow
inwards.
Ferrel’s Law of Deflection
It states that when the earth is rotating,
it creates coriolis force which deflects
all freely moving objects to the right in
a clockwise direction in the northern
hemisphere and to the left in an b. By rotating globes
anticlockwise in the southern Prevailing winds are deflected to the right
hemisphere. in a clockwise direction in the northern
hemisphere and to the left in an
anticlockwise direction in the southern
hemisphere.
Interpretation of isobars on an air pressure
map.
Isobars are lines that are drawn on an air
pressure map connecting places of the
same atmospheric or barometric pressure.
Air pressure is measured by a
barometer and expressed in millibars
(mb).
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FELIX BURTON SAMARIA PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY LESSON NOTES
Wind speed and direction is influenced by neighbouring stations. For example,
pressure gradient. 840mb would be drawn between 830 mb
and 850 mb.
Isobars and Pressure gradient
Pressure gradient is a rate at which the Adjacent isobars tend to be shaped alike.
atmospheric pressure changes
horizontally in a certain direction on the Continue drawing an isobar until it reaches
earth’s surface. the boundary of the plotted data or close
When the isobars are close together, it to the form of loop by making its way to its
means that there is a fast change of
starting point.
pressure from one point to another. This is
shown at right angles. The gradient is
Isobars never stop or end within the one
steep and air is quickly drained i.e. the
movement of air or wind is great. another.
When the isobars are far apart, the
gradient is slight and wind speed is slow. Isobars cannot be skipped if their values
fall within the range of air pressures
How to find pressure gradient. reported on the map.
Pressure gradient= Difference in value
(millibars) between two adjacent isobars Always label all isobars.
=920mb-910mb=10mb
DETERMINING WIND STRENGTH AND
DIRECTION FROM AN ISOBARIC MAP
(a) Wind strength
When the isobars are closer to each other, it
means that the wind is stronger. On the other
This means that air pressure is changing hand, when they are far apart, it implies that
at the rate of 10mb horizontally to the east wind is weaker.
on the earth’s surface.
(b) Wind direction
Drawing isobars on an air pressure Winds always blow or originate from areas
map characterised by close isobars to areas where
isobars are far apart.
In order to draw isobars on an air pressure
map, you need to develop some important Ocean currents
drawing skills. Ocean currents are large bodies of
water that circulate in regular patterns
Tips on drawing isobars around the world
They are the largest horizontal
Always draw an isobar so that the air
movement of the ocean surface
pressure readings that are greater than
waters.
the isobar’s value are consistently on one
Drifts are ocean currents caused by
side of the isobar and lower values are on
the other side. prevailing winds
When positioning isobars, assume a Drifts are wide, shallow and flow very
uniform pressure change between slowly
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FELIX BURTON SAMARIA PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY LESSON NOTES
Examples are West Wind Drift, North North Equatorial current
Atlantic Drift and the North Pacific Drift Kuroshiwo (Japan) current
Convectional currents are ocean South Pacific current
currents caused by temperature East Australia Current
Streams are warm ocean currents that South Atlantic current
travel along temperate coasts. Equatorial counter current
Ocean streams result from the direct South Equatorial current
influence of the shape of the land
masses. 2. Cold ocean currents
An example is the Gulf Stream These are ocean currents that flow
from the Polar Regions towards the
Major Ocean currents of the World equator.
There are two types of ocean currents: They have a lower surface
1. Warm ocean currents temperature
2. Cold ocean currents
Examples of cold ocean currents
1. Warm ocean currents Benguela current
These are ocean currents that flow the North Pacific Drift Current
equatorial region or belt towards the Canaries current
polar regions. Californian current
They have a higher surface Peruvian or Humboldt current
temperature Labrador current
Irmiger/Eastern Greenland current
Examples of warm ocean currents Falkland current
Brazilian current West Wind drift current
North Pacific Drift current West Australia current
Mozambique or Agulhas current Oyashio-Bering current
Cayenne current Okhaotsk current
Florida current Kamchatka current
South Indian OCEAN CURRENT
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FELIX BURTON SAMARIA PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY LESSON NOTES
Causes of ocean currents Salinity is the degree of saltiness of
1. Temperature the water.
Warm water which is lighter rises while Examples of salts include sodium
cold water being denser sinks chloride, calcium, magnesium and
Water from the equatorial region potassium deposited by rivers,
moves slowly along the surface dissolved from ocean bedrock and
towards the poles while the heavier volcanic activities on the sea floor.
cold waters of the Polar Regions creep Water with high salinity is denser
slowly at the bottom of the sea or hence will sink while water with low
ocean towards the equators. This salinity will rise because it is lighter.
creates a current that moves in one This type of movement creates friction
direction. which eventually creates a water wave
which move in one direction, thereby
creating an ocean current.
The circulation of ocean currents is
clockwise in the northern hemisphere
and anticlockwise in the southern
hemisphere.
Factors that influence the direction of
ocean currents
2. Rotation of the Earth Ocean currents are influenced by a variety
Rotation of the Earth on its own axis at of factors, including:
23½º angle creates Coriolis force that 1. Planetary or prevailing winds: The
pushes surface water in one direction primary driving force behind surface
and creates a water wave tha begins ocean currents is the wind. The
to move towards a particular direction, direction taken by the prevailing or
thereby creating an ocean current. planetary winds on the globe will be
In the Northern Hemispher, ocean the same as the direction to be taken
currents are deflected to the right while by an ocean current in a particular
in southern hemisphere, they are area.
deflected tom the left. Ocean currents will thus follow the
3. Planetary or prevailing winds direction of the three types of
As wind flows over the ocean surface, prevailing winds namely trade winds,
the friction between the air molecules Westerlies and polar easterlies.
and surface waters pushes the surface 2. Temperature: Variations in water
waters in the direction of the wind. The temperature can also influence ocean
ocean water will flow in the same currents. Warmer water is less dense
direction as the wind until other factors and tends to rise, while colder water is
influence its direction and speed, such denser and sinks. This movement can
as impacting a landmass or meeting create currents.
another ocean current.
4. Salinity
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FELIX BURTON SAMARIA PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY LESSON NOTES
current splits into two when it
encounters Madagascar.
When a current flows through a
constriction between two land masses,
its velocity increases on leaving the
area of constriction e.g. Gulf Stream
flows from the constriction between
Cuba and Florida.
All warm ocean currents will therefore
flow from the equatorial belt towards
the poles while all cold ocean currents
will flow from the Polar Regions
towards the equator.
3. Earth's Rotation: The Coriolis effect,
caused by the Earth's rotation, deflects
moving objects to the right in the
Northern Hemisphere and to the left in
the Southern Hemisphere. This effect
influences the direction of ocean
currents. A landmass also obstructs and divers
a current e.g. the South West African
landmass diverts the Benguela cold
ocean current northwards.
The shape and topography of the
ocean basins can influence the
direction and strength of currents. For
example, narrow passages and large
basins can funnel and concentrate
currents.
Effects of Ocean Currents
1. On climate
4. Density Differences: Variations in a. Warm ocean currents distribute heat
water density, often caused by from the tropics to the poles, thus
differences in salinity (salt content), influencing the climate e.g. North
can also drive ocean currents. Where Pacific Drift warms the west coast of
water is saltier, it's denser and tends to Alaska and British Columbia, melting
sink, creating movement. the winter ice. Therefore, Vancouver
5. Shape of continents or landmass: port is ice-free during winter and the
Ocean currents follow the coastal winter season generally becomes mild.
outline and split into two when it meets
a land mass e.g. South Equatorial
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FELIX BURTON SAMARIA PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY LESSON NOTES
b. Winds blowing over a warm current photosynthesise and multiply
onto a cooler land surface usually abundantly.
bring heavy rain 3. On shipping
c. Cold ocean currents from the polar Positive effects
regions distribute cool temperatures to a. There is ease in movement of ships
the tropics, thus influencing the climate sailing in the same direction as the
e.g. Benguela cold current lowers the ocean currents. Less fuel is spent,
temperatures off the coast of Namibia thereby reducing expenses and transit
(Kalahari) where fogs are common. time.
d. When cold and warm ocean currents b. Warm ocean currents melt ice along
meet, they produce mist and fog e.g. the coast of temperate regions In
near New Foundland, the Gulf Stream winter thereby allowing the ports to be
warm ocean current meets Labrador free. They are thus useful throughout
cold ocean current and produces fog. the year e.g. North Pacific and North
Sometimes they also create storms. Atlantic Drifts.
e. Winds blowing over a cold current onto Negative effects
a warmer land surface usually bring a. The meeting of cold and warm ocean
little or no rain currents creates fog. Fog causes
visibility problems for ships
2. On fishing b. Ocean currents increase the height of
a. The meeting of cold and warm tides and can make ship loading and
ocean currents creates major offloading difficult.
fishing grounds e.g. North Western c. Ships moving in the opposite direction
Pacific or North East Asia fishing to that of the ocean current are likely to
ground (where Kamchatka cold capsize
ocean current and Kurosiwo or d. Cold ocean currents freeze coastal
Kuroshiwo warm ocean current waters in winter, leading to the closure
meet) and the North Western of such routes e.g. the Labrador
Atlantic or Eastern Canada (where current.
Labrador cold ocean current meets
the Gulf Stream warm ocean What is the impact of each of the
current) following ocean currents?
b. When cold and warm ocean i. Brazilian warm ocean current
currents meet, there is precipitation encourages fishing along the coast of
of minerals. This precipitation Uruguay and Argentina
facilitates the growth of microscopic ii. North Pacific Warm Ocean Current
plants called planktons which are warms the west coast of Alaska and
food for fish. As a result, fish British Columbia, thereby melting the
increase abundantly in these areas. winter ice. Vancouver Port is ice-free
c. The major fishing grounds are in winter and the winter is very mild as
found in continental shelves where result.
water is shallow and enables iii. Benguela Cold Ocean current lowers
sunlight to penetrate. Hence, temperatures off the coast of Namibia
planktons are able to (Kalahari) where fogs are common.
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FELIX BURTON SAMARIA PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY LESSON NOTES
Fogs are formed when onshore winds
blow over the current.
iv. Mozambique or Agulhas Warm Ocean
current modifies the climate of Eastern
Coast of Africa by raising
temperatures. Generally temperatures
are higher than on the western coast
where the cold Benguela current flows.
v. The meeting of Gulf Stream Warm
Ocean current and Labrador Cold
Ocean Current encourage precipitation
of minerals for the growth of planktons
and creating fishing grounds around
North West Atlantic or Eastern
Canada. It also produces dense fogs
off New Foundland.
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