Geostrophic winds are most common near the Earth's surface.

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The statement at hand is: 'Geostrophic winds are most common near the Earth's surface.'
Let's evaluate Item 1: True. This option asserts that geostrophic winds are most common close to the ground. In reality, geostrophic balance—where the Coriolis force balances the horizontal pressure gradient force—holds best where friction is negligible. That condition is typically well above the surface, in the free atmosphere. Near the surface, friction from the ground disrupts the balance, causing winds to cross isobars and deviate from geostrophic flow. Therefore, saying they are most common near the surface is inaccurate because friction prevents a geostrophic balance there.
Next, consider Item 2: False. This choice states that geostrophic winds are not most common near the Earth's surface, which aligns with the physical reality described above: friction near the surface prevents geostrophic balance, so geostrophic winds are more representative of the upper atmosphere where frictional forces are weaker. This explanation explains why the statement in Item 1 is not generally true and why the true characterization places the geostrophic regime higher up rather than at the surface. 
To summarize the reasoning differences: the True option incorrectly locates geostrophic dominance at the surface due to neglecting frictional effects; the False option correctly reflects that geostrophic winds are characteristic of the upper troposphere where friction is minimal and the Coriolis and pressure-gradient forces balance, rather than near the surface where friction dominates.

SMC 2025 Spr - GEOG 5 (3235) - Physical Geography with Lab (O) Module 5 Quiz | Units 6 & 7

Geostrophic winds are most common near the Earth's surface.

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