Pressure force

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pressure force

(Or pressure-gradient force.) The force due to differences of pressure within a fluid mass.

The (vector) force per unit volume is equal to the pressure gradient, -p, and the force per unit mass (specific force) is equal to the product of the volume force and the specific volume, -αp. In the atmosphere, the vertical component of this force is of the order of 104 times the horizontal component; in meteorological literature the term "pressure force" usually refers only to the latter horizontal pressure force.


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