Question

In which of the continent is the Atacama Desert situated?
A. North America
B. South America
C. Asia
D. Africa

Answer 1

Hint: Our Earth is divided into two hemispheres. The upper part of the earth i.e., the part above the equator is called the Northern Hemisphere and the down part i.e., the part below the equator is called the Southern hemisphere. The Atacama Desert lies in the Southern hemisphere.

Complete Answer: Desert is an arid region which has extremely high or low temperatures and has scarce vegetation. Depending on the temperature the deserts can be classified into two types i.e., the hot deserts and the cold deserts. The Atacama Desert is a dry hot desert. It covers a 1600km strip of land on the Pacific coast. The desert has a stony landscape, salt lakes, sand, and felsic magma that streams towards the Andes. The desert has a constant temperature inversion. The Atacama Desert’s arid region is situated between two mountain chains (the Andes and the Chilean Coast Range) of sufficient height to prevent moisture advection from either the Pacific or the Atlantic Ocean. A rich variety of flora has evolved here despite the geographic and climatic conditions of the desert. The common herbs and flowers in this desert are thyme, arena, and saltgrass. The climatic conditions of the desert limit the number of animals that live permanently. We could find sand-colored grasshoppers, desert wasps, beetles here. This desert lies in South America.

Thus, option (B) is correct.

Note: Astronomical observations are also done in this desert because of its high altitude and very less cloud cover, dry air, lack of pollution and radio interference from widely populated areas and towns. Radio astronomy projects such as the CBI, the ASTE, and the ACT have been operating in the Chajnantor area since 1999.