At the Earth’s surface, winds generally move in response to which pressure-direction rule?

Concept overview / definitionWind is the horizontal movement of air, and one of its primary drivers is pressure difference across the surface. Air tends to move in response to a pressure gradient, producing flow we observe as wind.

Why the correct option is correctAt the surface, if two nearby regions have different air pressures, air is pushed away from the relatively higher pressure region and drawn toward the relatively lower pressure region. This is the basic direction you identify first before considering turning effects.

Why the other options are incorrectFlow from low to high would require air to move against the pressure gradient, which is not the basic behavior. Options based on temperature alone are incomplete because temperature influences pressure, but the immediate driver for wind direction is pressure difference.

UPSC exam tip / common confusionStart with pressure, then refine with modifiers. Many questions test whether you confuse “temperature causes wind” with the direct rule. Temperature differences matter mainly because they create pressure differences; the direction check is still pressure-based.