11.5. Gravity

Finally, the last force to consider is the gravitational force. It’s not only a good idea, but also the law! Gravity always acts downward and keeps things from accelerating in the vertical and is assumed to equal \(9.81\) \(m\) \(s^{-2}\).

All of these forces can now be combined into a number of different force balances, which can explain a large number of different flows in the atmosphere. We will consider these force balances and the assumptions that form these atmospheric balances during a later class period.