Which statement describes a low-pressure system?

• A. Winds blow toward the center, air rises, and clouds form.
• B. Winds blow away from the center.
• C. Air pressure at the center is higher than the surroundings.
• D. Air sinks toward the center.

Answer: (C)

A low-pressure system is characterized by a center where the air pressure is lower than the air pressure around it. At the surface, air streams toward the center (converges) and must rise because the surface can't absorb all the incoming air. As this air rises, it cools and condenses, leading to cloud formation and often precipitation. So the key idea is that the center has lower pressure than the surroundings, with surface convergence and rising air causing cloudy, unsettled weather. In contrast, options describing air moving away from the center, higher pressure at the center, or air sinking toward the center describe high-pressure conditions or subsidence rather than a low-pressure system.