What direction does geostrophic wind move in relation to isobars?

Geostrophic wind flows parallel to the isobars due to the balance between the pressure gradient force and the Coriolis effect. When analyzing the pressure distribution on a weather map, isobars represent lines of equal atmospheric pressure. The pressure gradient force acts to push air from areas of higher pressure to areas of lower pressure, while the Coriolis effect causes moving air to be deflected to the right in the Northern Hemisphere and to the left in the Southern Hemisphere.

This balance of forces results in the wind moving along the isobars instead of directly across them. Consequently, when the wind is geostrophic, it will not cross the isobars at an angle or perpendicular but will instead flow parallel to them. This parallel flow indicates that the forces are in equilibrium, a key concept when understanding larger-scale wind patterns in meteorology.