What prevents air from flowing directly from high-pressure areas to low-pressure areas?

The Coriolis force plays a critical role in influencing the movement of air in the atmosphere. As air moves from areas of high pressure to low pressure, it does not flow directly in a straight line due to the Earth's rotation. Instead, the Coriolis effect causes the moving air to turn, leading it to flow in a curved pattern rather than directly toward the low-pressure region. This is a result of the varying rotational velocity at different latitudes on the Earth’s surface.

The result is that instead of a straightforward flow from high to low pressure, air starts to spiral around high and low pressure systems. This effect is essential for explaining wind patterns and atmospheric circulation at a larger scale. Understanding the Coriolis force is fundamental in meteorology because it helps explain the observed rotation of weather systems, such as hurricanes and cyclones.

While surface friction and the pressure gradient force also affect wind patterns, they do not prevent airflow from moving straight from high to low pressure in the same fundamental way that the Coriolis force does. Surface friction slows down wind at lower altitudes but doesn't inherently create the curved paths associated with the Coriolis effect. The pressure gradient force is what initiates the movement, seeking to balance the pressure difference, but it