With reference to atmospheric pressure, consider the fallowing statements: 1. Atmospheric pressure decreases towards poles 2. Atmospheric pressure decreases with altitude 3. High pressure is experienced over continents during winter 4. All deserts experience low pressure throughout the year Which of these statements are correct?

Statement 1 is incorrect because atmospheric pressure generally increases towards the poles, forming the Polar High Pressure Belts due to permanently low temperatures and subsiding cold air [3]. Statement 2 is correct as atmospheric pressure decreases rapidly with altitude; for instance, it drops by approximately 34 millibars every 300 metres [5]. Statement 3 is correct because during winter, landmasses cool faster than oceans, leading to the formation of high-pressure systems over continents, such as the Siberian High [3]. Statement 4 is incorrect because while many hot deserts are located in the Subtropical High Pressure Belts (Horse Latitudes), pressure patterns oscillate with the sun's movement and are not uniformly low throughout the year [4]. Therefore, only statements 2 and 3 are accurate representations of atmospheric dynamics.

Sources

1. [1] FUNDAMENTALS OF PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY, Geography Class XI (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 9: Atmospheric Circulation and Weather Systems > World Distribution of Sea Level Pressure > p. 77
2. [2] Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Manjunath Thamminidi, PMF IAS (1st ed.) > Chapter 23: Pressure Systems and Wind System > Formation > p. 314
3. [3] Certificate Physical and Human Geography , GC Leong (Oxford University press 3rd ed.) > Chapter 14: Climate > Pressure and Planetary Winds > p. 139
4. [5] Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Manjunath Thamminidi, PMF IAS (1st ed.) > Chapter 23: Pressure Systems and Wind System > Vertical Variation of Atmospheric Pressure > p. 305
5. [4] Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Manjunath Thamminidi, PMF IAS (1st ed.) > Chapter 23: Pressure Systems and Wind System > 23.3. Horizontal Distribution of Pressure > p. 311