Question

Study the given figures and answer the following questions:

Cross-section of Brazil’s physiography

1. Considering the isotherms of Brazil, what is the average range of temperature in Brazil?
2. In which area does it rain more?
3. From which directions are winds flowing towards Brazil?
4. What could be the reason behind that?
5. What could be the obstruction in the way of these winds?
6. Which type of rainfall will occur because of these winds?
7. Correlate these winds and rainfall.
8. In which part of Brazil are the average temperatures low?
9. Identify the rain- -shadow area in Brazil. Describe its climatic characteristics.
10. In which region do you find a higher temperature?
11. Considering the latitudinal extent of Brazil, where will you find temperate climate in Brazil?
12. Describe the winds blowing between 0° to 5°N and S zones.
13. Which method has been used to show distribution in this map?

Answer 1

1. Considering the isotherms of Brazil, the average range of temperature of Brazil is 10°C (28°C-18°C).
2. It rains more in the northern and central part of Brazil. E.g., Amazon Valley.
3. The winds are blowing from North East and South East directions.
4. These are permanent trade winds which blow from high pressure belt to the equatorial low pressure belt. Brazil being in the tropical zone, a low pressure area is created and wind start blowing from the ocean to the land.
5. What could be the obstruction in the way of these winds? The Escarpment acts as obstruction in the way of the South East Trade Winds coming from the sea.
6. Orographic rainfall will occur because of these winds.
7. The escarpments act as an obstruction to the winds blowing from the sea and cause an orographic type of rainfall in the coastal region. Beyond the Highlands, the effect of these winds gets reduced. As a result, the rainfall is minimal.
8. The average temperatures are low in the southern part of Brazil.
9. The north-eastern part of the Brazilian highlands is a rain shadow region. Beyond the highlands, the effect of the South East Trade Winds gets reduced and the rainfall is minimal. Also, the temperature here is quite high. This rain shadow region is referred to as the ’Drought Quadrilateral’.

10. The northern part of Brazil has higher temperature.

11. The southern part of Brazil lying below 23° 30' S latitude (Tropic of Capricorn) experiences temperate climate.
12. The winds blowing between 0° to 5° N and S zones move in the vertical direction leading to convectional type of rain. The North East and South East Trade winds are very weak in this region.
13. The Isopleth method has been used to show distribution in this map.