why on the world average. Earth’s. atmosphere is in motion. Take into consideration the distribution of earth’s surface area with latitude and the variation in heat loss and heat gain with latitude.

The Earth's atmosphere is in motion due to factors such as the distribution of Earth's surface area with latitude and the variation in heat loss and gain with latitude. To understand why this happens, let's break it down step by step:

1. Distribution of Earth's Surface Area with Latitude: The Earth is round and not a perfectly uniform sphere. It is slightly flattened at the poles and bulges at the Equator due to its rotation. Because of this shape, the amount of surface area at different latitudes varies. The Equator has the largest surface area, while the polar regions have the smallest. This variation in surface area affects the distribution of sunlight that the Earth receives.

2. Variation in Heat Loss and Heat Gain with Latitude: The amount of heat received from the Sun varies with latitude. At the Equator, sunlight is more direct and concentrated, resulting in higher temperatures. As you move towards the poles, the sunlight becomes more slanted and less intense, leading to lower temperatures.

Now, let's see how these factors lead to the motion of the Earth's atmosphere:

3. Differential Heating: The differential heating of the Earth's surface due to variations in solar radiation creates temperature gradients. Warm air near the Equator expands and rises, creating a region of low pressure. Meanwhile, colder air near the poles sinks, creating a region of high pressure.

4. Pressure Gradient: The difference in pressure between these low and high-pressure areas creates a pressure gradient. Air moves from high-pressure areas towards low-pressure areas to equalize the pressure. This movement of air is known as wind.

5. Coriolis Effect: Additionally, the rotation of the Earth causes a phenomenon called the Coriolis effect. 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 deflection further influences the direction of wind patterns.

6. Global Wind Circulation: The combination of pressure gradients and the Coriolis effect results in global wind patterns. Near the Equator, warm air rises and moves towards the poles, creating the trade winds. At around 30 degrees latitude, this air descends, moves back towards the Equator, and creates the subtropical high-pressure zones. At around 60 degrees latitude, cold air from the poles sinks and creates the polar high-pressure zones. These air movements form the prevailing wind patterns on Earth, known as the trade winds, prevailing westerlies, and polar easterlies.

In summary, the Earth's atmosphere is in motion due to the distribution of surface area with latitude and the variation in heat loss and gain with latitude. These factors create pressure gradients and the Coriolis effect, which, in turn, result in global wind circulation.