Which climatic factor is primarily responsible for the formation of wind patterns?

The formation of wind patterns is fundamentally driven by atmospheric pressure differences. When solar radiation heats the Earth's surface, it creates temperature variations that lead to differences in air pressure. Warm air is less dense and rises, while cooler air is denser and sinks. This movement of air creates zones of high and low pressure.

The uneven heating of the Earth’s surface, influenced by factors such as the angle of sunlight, land versus water, and topography, results in these pressure differences across various regions. The movement of air from high to low pressure areas is what we perceive as wind. Additionally, the Coriolis effect, caused by the Earth’s rotation, modifies these wind patterns, influencing their direction.

While solar radiation is a crucial element in initiating these temperature and pressure differences, atmospheric pressure directly drives the wind created by the movement of air. Other options, like ocean salinity and the Earth's magnetic field, do not have a direct role in determining wind patterns. Thus, atmospheric pressure differences are the key factor in understanding how wind patterns are formed.