Unique in their geological structure are, without exception, all the continents on our planet, including South America. The relief of this area is divided into two parts: mountainous terrain and flat, with large lowlands. Thanks to this structure of the earth's crust, this continent has become the greenest on the planet and the wettest, but in parallel with tropical forests there are the driest desert valleys and very high snow peaks. Well, let us consider in more detail what the relief of South America is and how it is related to the climate of this area.
Geology and its foundations
It is known that the basis of all terrestrial landscapes is lithospheric plates. In some places, they diverge, so they form depressions. In others, they overlap, forming mountains and hills. South America is not without such a phenomenon. The relief of the mainland is usually divided into West and East. The first is presented in the form of mountains and arid valleys, the second - continuous plains with lowlands.
The reasons for this difference lie in the history of the formation of the Earth. The eastern part of the continent is located on the oldest flat platform, which is unshakable. The western part is at the junction of the continental plate and the oceanic plate, which still seem to be pushing each other. Thanks to this process, the Andes formed and continue to form - the longest mountain range in the world. It can be concluded that the relief of South America in the western part is still being formed. The height of the mountains constantly rises, and volcanic processes and earthquakes do not subside.
East and its plains
This geological area occupies most of mainland South America. The relief here, as we already said, was formed billions of years ago, and now it is firmly held on a single lithosphere plate, which is seismically stable. In general, the east of the continent consists of six parts. A large part of the territory is occupied by the Brazilian and Guiana plateaus. They are located on the shields of the South American lithosphere plate. On the plates there are three lowlands: La Platskaya, Amazonian and Orinokskaya. The last component of the relief is Patagonia. This is a stepped plateau, the height of which rises to 2000 m. It is located in the southeast of the continent, in the possessions of Argentina.
The climate of the eastern plains
The relief forms of South America in the eastern part are such that there are no mountains or high hills there. Therefore, winds and cyclones from the Atlantic freely penetrate the land, irrigating it with rains, rewarding with fogs and thick clouds.
Above this territory is a zone of low pressure, which is “fueled” by the Atlantic trade winds. As a result, the maximum rainfall in the world falls here. Thanks to them, the beds of the Amazon, the largest river in the world, are so full-flowing. And they are surrounded by impenetrable tropical jungle, inhabited by unique evergreens.
Western structure
This part of the continent is very narrow, and at the same time it seems to be stretched from north to south. It is still being formed, because there are earthquakes almost every year, and volcanoes erupt every 10-15 years. Here, the relief of mainland South America is usually divided into two parts: the Andes Mountains and the Atacama Plain Desert. The ridge is 9,000 kilometers long - it is the longest in the world. The highest point is Mount Aconcagua, its height is 6962 meters. This ridge is not only a watershed, but also a barrier to Pacific cyclones. The cold winds from the Antarctic currents that pass here reach only the hills of Atacama, without getting deeper into the continent.
Climate data
Andes occupy the entire western coast of mainland South America. The terrain is divided into three parts: North, Center and South. The first of them is the wettest - there is an atmospheric dynamic minimum. The amount of precipitation per year sometimes reaches 7000 mm, and on average - 4000 mm. The middle part of the Andes is the widest (up to 500 km), and the pressure here gradually rises. The amount of precipitation per year is up to 1500 mm, sometimes there are droughts up to 500 mm. Temperature differences are sharper both at the foot and in the zone of high zonation. This is due to the fact that nearby is Atacama - the most arid desert in the world. In some of its areas, rains and fogs were not already 400 years old. The southern Andes are the driest. The temperature drops here are maximum, and sometimes reach 40 degrees. Rainfall - 250 mm.
Landscapes of South America
The geological structure of any continent as a whole determines its fauna and flora, creates a landscape of the area. The landscapes that we can meet in South America are incredibly diverse, and at the same time, every corner of this continent remains unique, because there are no such beauties anywhere else.
So, the eastern shores that are washed by the Atlantic are gently sloping beaches. Gradually they turn into small hills (a typical example is Rio de Janeiro). In other parts of the continent, the terrain is completely flat (Buenos Aires). In the center of the mainland, the level decreases, which contributes to the formation of a wooded area and numerous rivers. These are the famous South American jungle and Amazon. The West appears in the form of tall mountains, covered with perennial snows and glaciers. Closer to the shores of the Pacific Ocean, they pass into the hills, where the land is literally cracked by years of drought. There are often canyons of rocks of a reddish hue, which are covered only with grass and flowers in the spring and turn into a windy desert in the summer.
Summary
We briefly examined what it is like, the relief of South America. Grade 7 - a period when children study in detail the structure of various continents of our planet. In order for them to learn the material, it is best to provide illustrations of each individual section of the continent so that the brain can connect general information with visual images.