Why are deserts so dry?
Show answer & explanation
Answer: Air circulation patterns
Air circulation patterns ✓ — Correct! Most deserts form around 30° latitude where atmospheric circulation creates high-pressure zones. Air rises at the equator (releasing moisture as rain), flows toward poles, cools and descends at 30°, warming as it falls. Warm descending air can't form rain clouds. This creates arid zones like Sahara, Arabian, and Australian deserts!
Too much sun evaporates water — Wrong. Evaporation is high, but deserts exist primarily because atmospheric circulation brings dry descending air that prevents rain cloud formation.
Sand absorbs all moisture — Wrong. Sand doesn't absorb moisture to create deserts. Deserts form because of atmospheric circulation patterns that bring dry air, not sand properties.