Question

Which of the primary cause of earth's large scale atmospheric and oceanic circulation?

A. The orbital motion of earth as it travels around the sun
B. The change in earth’s distance from the sun over the course of year
C. The tidal effects of the moon on earth’s systems
D. The energy imbalance created by solar heating of earths surface

Answer 1

The primary cause of Earth's large-scale atmospheric and oceanic circulation is the energy imbalance created by solar heating of Earth's surface.

Step-by-step explanation:

The primary cause of Earth's large-scale atmospheric and oceanic circulation is D. The energy imbalance created by solar heating of Earth's surface.

The unequal heating of large masses of air in the atmosphere leads to air movements, which then set in motion the flows of water in the surface layers of the oceans. This circulation is driven by the flow of hot air from the tropics to the poles and the flow of cold air from the poles toward the tropics. Earth's rotation also causes the observed easterly flow of air in the northern hemisphere, known as the Coriolis effect.

Overall, the circulation of the atmosphere and oceans helps to redistribute heat from warmer to cooler areas, resulting in more even heat distribution over the Earth's surface.