Question

For a vacation, you and your family fly east to west from Boston, Massachusetts, to Seattle, Washington. You notice that your flight back home to Boston is shorter than your flight to Seattle.

Which phenomenon causes your flight home to be shorter?

wind-chill factor
Coriolis effect
jet stream
prevailing westerlies

Answer 1

The phenomenon that causes your flight home to be shorter is the **jet stream**. The jet stream is a fast-flowing ribbon of air high in the atmosphere that usually moves from west to east. When flying from east to west (to Seattle), planes often fly against this strong headwind, making the flight longer. Conversely, when flying back from west to east (to Boston), aircraft can take advantage of the tailwind from the jet stream, resulting in a shorter flight time.