What causes polar jet streams to form?(1 point)
Responses
high-pressure systems
high-pressure systems
warm and cold air masses
warm and cold air masses
rapid changes in wind direction
rapid changes in wind direction
air masses moving away from each other
air masses moving away from each other
warm and cold air masses
The correct answer is: rapid changes in wind direction.
The correct answer is "rapid changes in wind direction."
To understand why rapid changes in wind direction cause polar jet streams to form, we need to understand what jet streams are and how they are formed. Jet streams are high altitude, narrow bands of fast-moving air in the upper levels of the atmosphere. They occur around 30,000 to 40,000 feet above the Earth's surface.
Jet streams are formed due to the large temperature differences between air masses. Specifically, polar jet streams are formed due to the contrast between the cold polar air and the warmer air in the mid-latitudes. The rapid changes in wind direction are a result of the temperature gradient between these two contrasting air masses.
As the cold polar air moves southwards and the warm mid-latitude air moves northwards, they create a boundary known as a front. At this front, the temperature gradient is steep, and a large difference in air pressure exists. This sharp transition in temperature and pressure leads to rapid changes in wind direction, which results in the formation of the polar jet stream.
Therefore, it is the rapid changes in wind direction that cause polar jet streams to form.