Which term refers to a low-pressure area near the equator with light and variable winds?

Which term refers to a low-pressure area near the equator with light and variable winds?

• A. Transpiration
• B. Cohesion
• C. Doldrums
• D. Latent heat of fusion

Answer: (C)

The situation described is a low-pressure belt near the equator where winds are light and variable. Intense solar heating causes air to rise around the equator, creating a broad region of low pressure. With air rising and converging from both hemispheres, surface winds weaken and can shift in direction, producing the calm, wandering winds that sailors historically called the doldrums. This zone sits within the larger intertropical convergence zone, where convection and frequent thunderstorms are common, leading to unpredictable winds rather than steady breezes. Transpiration is the process of water loss from plants through their leaves; cohesion refers to the attraction between water molecules that helps water droplets form and travel in tiny tubes; latent heat of fusion is the energy required to melt ice. None of these describe the calm, low-wind conditions near the equator.

The situation described is a low-pressure belt near the equator where winds are light and variable. Intense solar heating causes air to rise around the equator, creating a broad region of low pressure. With air rising and converging from both hemispheres, surface winds weaken and can shift in direction, producing the calm, wandering winds that sailors historically called the doldrums. This zone sits within the larger intertropical convergence zone, where convection and frequent thunderstorms are common, leading to unpredictable winds rather than steady breezes.

Transpiration is the process of water loss from plants through their leaves; cohesion refers to the attraction between water molecules that helps water droplets form and travel in tiny tubes; latent heat of fusion is the energy required to melt ice. None of these describe the calm, low-wind conditions near the equator.