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GCSE Geography · key term
The change in atmospheric pressure over a distance. A greater pressure change over the same distance produces a stronger force driving the wind.
Used by Edexcel and OCR
Paper 1
Revise: Physical Characteristics and Structure of Tropical CyclonesThe pressure gradient describes how much pressure changes over a distance. A large pressure difference over a short distance produces a stronger force driving the wind. This helps explain the powerful winds around a cyclone's centre.
Specification 1.1a · Paper 1, Paper 3
A difference in atmospheric pressure over a distance. A steeper pressure gradient generally produces stronger winds.
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The pressure difference over a distance is the pressure gradient. A large pressure difference over a short distance generally produces stronger winds. It is the pressure gradient, rather than a low pressure reading alone, that matters for wind strength.