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UPSC Prelims 2021 · World Geography · Oceans, Seas and Straits
Consider the following statements:
- In the tropical zone, the western sections of the oceans are warmer than the eastern sections owing to the influence of trade winds.
- In the temperate zone, westerlies make the eastern sections of oceans warmer than the western sections.
- (a) 1 only
- (b) 2 only
- (c) Both 1 and 2
- (d) Neither 1 nor 2
Show the answer and explanation
Answer: (c) Both 1 and 2
Each wind belt pushes warm water towards the side it blows to.
Statement by statement
1. ✓ CORRECT The easterly trade winds push warm surface water WEST (to the Caribbean, Indonesia). Cold water wells up along the eastern sides (Peru, West Africa).
2. ✓ CORRECT The westerlies drive warm drifts EAST — the North Atlantic Drift keeps Norway’s coast ice-free while Labrador, on the west, freezes.
The idea
Surface water follows the prevailing wind.
Trade winds blow east → west → warm west in the tropics → Westerlies blow west → east → warm east in the temperate zone
Why the others are wrong
(a) Thinks the two statements contradict each other. They are about different wind belts — westerlies push warm water to the EAST side in the temperate zone.
(b) Same confusion the other way. In the tropics the easterly trades pile warm water on the WEST side.
(d) Would mean the winds don’t move surface water — but surface currents are wind-driven.
The trap
The two statements look contradictory (“west warmer” vs “east warmer”). They describe DIFFERENT wind belts, so both can be true.
🔒 Tropics (trades): west side warm. Temperate (westerlies): east side warm.
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