- (C) Deserts are arid regions defined by the amount of rainfall an area
receives in a year (less than 10 inches [approximately 25 cm]), not by
temperature. Deserts are often hot, but dry; cold places, such as Antarctica,
qualify as deserts too. Since there is more direct sunlight at the equator,
warm air rises and begins to cool. Since the rising cooler air holds less
water than warmer air, precipitation is common at the equator (e.g., tropical
rainforests). This drier air mass then moves both north and south. At around
±30 degrees north and south latitudes, the dry air begins to sink and warm.
The warmer air can now hold more water, resulting in the evaporation of
water and the formation of deserts.
marvins-underground-k-12
(Marvins-Underground-K-12)
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