The letters following each Review Question refer to the corresponding Learning Objective from the Chapter Opener. Explain the relation between the wind and variations in air pressure. \((\mathrm{C})\)

Wind is the horizontal movement of air from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure. Air pressure, also known as atmospheric pressure or barometric pressure, is the force exerted on a surface by the weight of air above it. Wind is generated when there are differences in air pressure, as air moves to balance these differences.

When there is a difference in air pressure between two regions, air from the high-pressure area moves towards the low-pressure area. This movement of air is called wind. The greater the difference in air pressure, the stronger the wind will be. The reason for this movement is that air always seeks to equalize pressure differences, and it does so by moving from areas of high pressure to areas of low pressure.

The Coriolis Effect is the apparent deflection of the wind due to Earth's rotation. In the Northern Hemisphere, winds are deflected to the right, and in the Southern Hemisphere, they are deflected to the left. This effect influences the movement of winds, making them follow curved paths rather than straight lines. The Coriolis Effect varies with the speed of the wind and the latitude, being stronger nearer the poles and weaker near the equator.

The Earth's uneven heating by the sun, its rotation, and the Coriolis Effect create global wind patterns that influence local weather and climate. These global wind patterns include trade winds, westerlies, and polar easterlies. Trade winds are steady winds that blow from east to west near the equator, westerlies blow from west to east in the middle latitudes, and polar easterlies are cold winds that blow from the east near the poles.

There are also local wind patterns created by topography and temperature differences between land and water. A common example is the sea breeze and land breeze system. During the day, land heats up faster than the sea, creating a low-pressure area over the land. The cooler air over the sea then moves towards the land as a sea breeze. At night, the land cools down faster than the sea, creating a high-pressure area over the land. The cooler air from the land moves towards the sea as a land breeze. These local wind patterns can affect weather and air quality near coastlines and other areas with varying topography and land-water boundaries. In conclusion, the relation between wind and variations in air pressure is that wind is created due to differences in air pressure, with air moving from areas of high pressure to areas of low pressure to equalize these differences. Factors such as the Coriolis Effect, Earth's rotation, and topography further influence wind patterns, affecting local weather and climate conditions.