Final answer:
Global pressure belts are formed due to the heating and cooling of the Earth's surface, resulting in the rising and sinking of air masses at specific latitudes, each associated with different climates such as tropical, desert, temperate, and polar.
Step-by-step explanation:
Global scale pressure belts at 0, 30, 60, and 90 degrees latitude are caused by the heating and cooling of the Earth's surface, which, in turn, affects the movement of air masses and creates distinctive climate zones. At the equator (0 degrees), intense solar heating causes air to warm, become less dense, and rise, leading to low pressure and a wet, tropical climate. This rising air cools and spreads towards the poles, sinking at about 30 degrees latitude, creating high pressure and arid conditions such as those found in desert regions. The cooler, denser air then travels back towards the equator as surface winds.
At 60 degrees latitude, the meeting of warm, rising air from the tropics and cold, sinking air from the poles creates a low-pressure zone characterized by temperate climates with more precipitation. At the poles (90 degrees latitude), the cold, dense air sinks, creating high pressure and polar climates with extremely cold and dry conditions. Major ocean currents also play a significant role in distributing heat, contributing to the global precipitation pattern by moving warm and cold water across the planet, while mountain barriers can influence local climates by blocking or redirecting wind and precipitation patterns.