Select the correct location on the image.

Question

The red arrow shows the direction that wind from the South Pole would travel if Earth were not spinning. The wind’s destination is at point A. Because Earth is spinning in the direction shown by the blue arrow, the Coriolis effect will cause the wind to terminate closest to which point?
The image depicts a globe centered on the Prime Meridian, also known as the Greenwich Meridian, which is marked by a red line. The meridian runs vertically through the image, passing through Western Europe and Africa. The globe shows the continents and oceans, with the Atlantic Ocean prominently featured. The numbers 2, 3, 4, and 5, along with the letter 'A', are placed along the meridian line, possibly indicating measurements or divisions. An arrow points eastward from Africa, suggesting the direction of the Eastern Hemisphere. The Prime Meridian is the line of 0° longitude, serving as the reference point for measuring distances east and west around the Earth and dividing the Earth into the Eastern and Western Hemispheres.

1

5

2

4

3

Answer 1

The Coriolis effect causes moving air (or water) to turn and twist as it moves across the Earth's surface due to the rotation of the planet. In the case of wind coming from the South Pole, it is deflected to the left in the Southern Hemisphere, which would cause it to move toward the east as it travels northward.

Given the information, the wind traveling from the South Pole (originally heading north toward point A) would be deflected eastward due to the Coriolis effect. Therefore, the wind would terminate closest to the point that is located east of point A along the line of the Prime Meridian.

From the options provided (1, 5, 2, 4, and 3), you would look for the point positioned east of point A on the globe. Without seeing the exact placement of points 2, 3, 4, and 5 relative to point A, you would typically choose the point that is furthest east.

Based on typical representations, it’s likely that point 5 would be the one furthest east. Thus, the correct choice would be 5.