Consider the following statements about Roaring Forties : 1. They are strong Westerly winds found in the oceans of Southern Hemisphere. 2. The strong east to west air currents are caused by the combination of air being displaced from the Equator towards the South Pole and the earth's rotation and abundance of landmasses to serve as wind breaks. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- A.1 only
- B.2 only
- C.Both 1 and 2
- D.Neither 1 nor 2
Correct answer
Explanation
The correct answer is A, 1 only. The Roaring Forties are strong westerly winds of the Southern Hemisphere, but statement 2 is wrong on two counts: they blow from west to east, and they are strong because there is very little land to slow them down.
Between about 40° and 50° S, air moving from the subtropical high-pressure belt towards the subpolar low is deflected to the east by the Earth's rotation (the Coriolis effect), producing the westerlies. In the Northern Hemisphere, large continents break their force, but the Southern Hemisphere at these latitudes is almost entirely open ocean, so the winds blow steadily and fiercely. Sailors named them the Roaring Forties; further south come the Furious Fifties and the Shrieking (Screaming) Sixties.
B is wrong because statement 2 is incorrect.
C is wrong because only statement 1 is correct.
D is wrong because statement 1 is a correct description of these winds.
Exam tip: Roaring Forties, Furious Fifties, Shrieking Sixties – westerlies of the Southern Hemisphere, strong because of the lack of land.
Practice Questions
View allDoldrum are
1. equatorial calms
2. calm and light winds
3. roaring forties
4. variable both in position and in extent
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
- A.1, 2 and 4
- B.2 and 3 only
- C.1 and 3
- D.2, 3 and 4
Show answer
The doldrums are the equatorial belt of calm and light, variable winds, and the belt shifts with the seasons; they have nothing to do with the roaring forties.
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Read the full explanation →Which one of the following statements is correct?
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