A. Picture Study
Questions:
1. Identify the water
body.
2. What is the length
of this water body?
3. Where does the
river originate and where does it drain into?
Answers:
1. Water Body: The image depicts
the Amazon River.
2. Length: The Amazon River
is approximately 6,800 kilometers long, making it the second-longest
river in the world after the Nile.
3. Origin and Drainage: The Amazon River
originates in the Andes Mountains in Peru and drains into the Atlantic
Ocean in Brazil.
B. Answer the questions in 10-20
words
Questions:
1. Name the water
bodies that surround South America.
2. What is the Pacific
Ring of Fire?
3. Name the three
river basins that make up the Central Lowlands.
4. Give the eastern
extent of South America in terms of latitudes and longitudes.
5. What are the
features of the Guiana Highlands?
6. Which rivers make
up the La Plata Basin?
7. What is the
location of the Atacama Desert? What is special about the desert?
8. Mention two ways in
which the rivers of South America are used.
Answers:
1. Water bodies
surrounding South America: The Pacific Ocean (west), Atlantic Ocean (east),
Caribbean Sea (north), and Southern Ocean (south).
2. Pacific Ring of
Fire: A region around the Pacific Ocean characterized by frequent
earthquakes and volcanic eruptions due to tectonic plate movements.
3. Three river basins
in Central Lowlands: The Amazon Basin, Orinoco Basin, and La Plata Basin.
4. Eastern extent of
South America: Latitudes: 12°N to 55°S; Longitudes: 35°W to 81°W.
5. Features of Guiana
Highlands: Composed of old crystalline rocks, rich in minerals, and home to Angel
Falls, the world's highest waterfall.
6. Rivers in La Plata
Basin: The Paraná, Paraguay, and Uruguay rivers.
7. Atacama Desert: Located in northern
Chile; it is the world's driest desert.
8. Uses of South
American rivers: Rivers are used for hydroelectricity generation and irrigation
for agriculture.
C. Answer the questions in 50-60
words
Questions:
1. What are the
different divisions of the Eastern Highlands? Mention the characteristic
features of each.
2. Explain the river
basins of the Amazon in the Central Lowlands.
3. Briefly explain the
Coastal Plains.
Answers:
1. Divisions of
Eastern Highlands:
o Guiana Highlands: Located in the
north, these highlands are rich in minerals and home to Angel Falls.
o Brazilian Highlands: Larger and higher
than the Guiana Highlands, they slope steeply toward the Atlantic Ocean and are
drained by rivers like São Francisco and Paraná.
o Patagonian Plateau: Located in the
south, it is a cold desert that slopes gently toward the Atlantic Ocean.
2. Amazon River Basin: The Amazon Basin is
the largest river basin in the world by volume. It originates in the Andes
Mountains and flows eastward across Brazil, draining into the Atlantic Ocean.
The Amazon River supports the world's largest rainforest, which is crucial for
global biodiversity and climate regulation.
3. Coastal Plains: The coastal
plains of South America are narrow along the Pacific coast but broader near the
Atlantic, especially around the Amazon and Plata river deltas. The Atacama
Desert, the world's driest desert, is located along the Pacific coastal plains
in Chile.
D. Answer these questions in 75-100
words
Questions:
1. Describe the
physical features of the Andes Mountains.
2. Describe the
Eastern Highlands.
3. Explain the Central
Lowlands.
Answers:
1. Physical Features
of the Andes Mountains: The Andes Mountains form the longest continuous
mountain range in the world, stretching approximately 7,250 kilometers along
the Pacific coast of South America. They are young fold mountains with high
peaks, including Mount Aconcagua (6,960 meters), the highest peak
outside Asia. The Andes are volcanic and seismically active, part of the
Pacific Ring of Fire. They feature deep gorges, snow-capped peaks, and
intermontane plateaus like the Bolivian Plateau, which is home to Lake
Titicaca, the world's highest navigable lake.
2. Eastern Highlands: The Eastern
Highlands consist of three main regions: the Guiana Highlands, Brazilian
Highlands, and Patagonian Plateau. The Guiana Highlands are mineral-rich and
home to Angel Falls. The Brazilian Highlands are vast and slope steeply toward
the Atlantic Ocean, drained by major rivers like São Francisco and Paraná. The
Patagonian Plateau, located in the south, is a cold desert that slopes gently
toward the Atlantic Ocean.
3. Central Lowlands: The Central
Lowlands are located between the Andes Mountains and the Eastern Highlands.
This region is dominated by three major river basins: the Amazon, Orinoco, and
La Plata. The Amazon Basin is the largest, with the Amazon River flowing 6,800
kilometers and supporting the world's largest rainforest. The Orinoco Basin
drains into the Caribbean Sea, while the La Plata Basin, formed by the Paraná,
Paraguay, and Uruguay rivers, drains into the Atlantic Ocean. These lowlands
are vital for agriculture, biodiversity, and hydroelectric power generation.
E. Why do you think so?
Questions:
1. The Andes Mountains
are prone to volcanic eruptions and earthquakes.
2. Deserts have been
formed on both sides of the Andes Mountains.
3. South America is a
peninsula.
4. Hydroelectricity is
harnessed on the eastern slopes of the Andes.
Answers:
1. Andes Mountains are
prone to volcanic eruptions and earthquakes: The Andes are part of the Pacific
Ring of Fire, where tectonic plates collide, causing frequent seismic and
volcanic activity.
2. Deserts on both
sides of the Andes: The western side of the Andes is arid due to the rain shadow effect,
creating the Atacama Desert. The eastern slopes are wet, feeding the Amazon
Rainforest. The Patagonian Plateau is a cold desert due to its location and
altitude.
3. South America is a
peninsula: South America is connected to North America by the narrow Isthmus of
Panama, making it almost peninsula-like, although it is technically a
continent.
4. Hydroelectricity on
the eastern slopes of the Andes: The steep eastern slopes and
abundant rainfall create fast-flowing rivers, which are ideal for generating
hydroelectric power.
G. Think Tank
Question: The Amazon rainforests are called the ‘lungs of the Earth’ and are
considered to be the most important biodiversity zone in the world. Why?
Answer: The Amazon rainforest is called the "lungs of the Earth"
because it produces approximately 20% of the world's oxygen and absorbs
massive amounts of carbon dioxide, playing a crucial role in regulating the
global climate. It is also the most biodiverse region on Earth, home to
millions of species of plants, animals, and microorganisms, making it vital for
maintaining ecological balance and supporting global biodiversity.
H. Case-Based Question
Paragraph: The Western Mountains, also called the Andes, form the longest
continuous mountain range in the world. They are an extension of North
America’s Western Cordilleras. The Andes stretch about 7,250 km along the
Pacific Coast, from the Caribbean Sea in the north to Cape Horn in the south,
and are located near the Equator.
Questions:
1. Discuss the origin
and meaning of the name ‘Andes’.
2. What is the highest
peak in the Andes mountain range and which country is it located in?
3. Despite being
located near the Equator, the peaks in the Andes are snow-capped throughout the
year. Why?
Answers:
1. Origin and meaning
of ‘Andes’: The name "Andes" is derived from the Quechua word
"anti," which means "east" or "high crest,"
referring to the mountain range's towering presence and location.
2. Highest peak in the
Andes: The highest peak in the Andes is Mount Aconcagua, which is 6,960
meters high and located in Argentina.
3. Snow-capped peaks
near the Equator: The Andes' high altitude (over 6,000 meters) results in permanently
low temperatures, keeping the peaks snow-capped despite their proximity to the
Equator. The altitude causes the temperature to drop significantly, leading to
year-round snow and ice.
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