Which latitude is typically associated with the rising air in the polar cell?

• A. 30°
• B. 60°
• C. 0°
• D. 90°

Answer: (B)

The correct latitude associated with the rising air in the polar cell is 60°. In the polar regions, cold air at the poles becomes dense and sinks, creating high-pressure areas. As the cold air sinks, it eventually flows toward the equator, where it warms and becomes less dense. However, around 60° latitude, this cold, dense air encounters warmer air from the mid-latitudes, leading to uplift as the warmer, less dense air rises over the colder air. This rising air at approximately 60° latitude is a key feature of the polar cell, contributing to the formation of the polar front.

This region of rising air at 60° is also where we commonly see the development of storm systems, as it marks the boundary between polar and temperate air masses. The other latitudes provided as options (30°, 0°, and 90°) are associated with different atmospheric circulation patterns, such as the subtropical high at 30° and the equatorial low at 0°, while 90° is where air sinks in the polar regions, not rises.