Which force causes the trade winds of the southern hemisphere to start blowing from southwest to northeast in India after crossing the equator?

Question

Question

This question was previously asked in

SSC CHSL Exam 2023 Tier-I Official Paper (Held On: 02 Aug, 2023 Shift 4)

Answer 1

The correct answer is Coriolis force.

Key Points

Coriolis force is an apparent force that is observed due to the rotation of the Earth.
It deflects the path of moving objects, such as winds and ocean currents, to the right in the Northern Hemisphere and to the left in the Southern Hemisphere.
In the southern hemisphere, the trade winds start blowing from the southeast towards the equator due to the Coriolis force.
As the winds cross the equator, they are deflected to the right by the Coriolis force, causing them to blow towards the northeast in India.

Additional Information

Gravitational force
- It is the force of attraction between two masses, such as the Earth and objects on its surface.
- It is responsible for keeping objects, such as the Moon, in orbit around the Earth and for causing tides.
Magnetic force
- It is the force exerted by magnets and magnetic fields.
- It is responsible for the behavior of compass needles and the Earth's magnetic field, which protects the planet from harmful solar radiation.
Centrifugal force
- It is the apparent force that is observed due to the rotation of a rotating frame of reference.
- It is often used to explain the behavior of objects in circular motion, but it is not a real force as it is not caused by an interaction between two objects.