Question

questions 14 through 16 refer to the following. the atacama desert lies to the west of the andes mountains in northern chile. it is the oldest, most constantly arid place in the world. 16 based on the map, which of the following best explains the area of the andes mountains that would have the greatest number of rivers? a equal numbers of rivers would be found on both the east and west sides of the andes mountains because water flows downhill. b more rivers would be located on the west side of the andes mountains because it is the leeward side. c more rivers would be located on the east side of the andes mountains because the trade winds are coming from the east. d more rivers would be located on the south side of the andes mountains because it is protected from the drying sunlight.

Explanation:

The trade - winds coming from the east bring moisture. As they encounter the Andes Mountains, they rise, cool, and condense, leading to precipitation. This results in more rivers on the wind - ward (east) side of the Andes. The leeward side (west) is drier due to the rain - shadow effect. The south side having protection from sunlight is not a major factor in river formation compared to wind patterns and precipitation. And water flow downhill does not mean equal river numbers on both sides as precipitation levels vary.

Answer:

C. More rivers would be located on the east side of the Andes Mountains because the trade winds are coming from the east.