Question

Assertion (A): Tropical deserts are located on the western margins of the continents in the zone of trade winds.

Reason (R): Tropical deserts are the hottest places in the world.

Options

• Both A and R are true, and R is the correct reason for A.

• Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct reason for A.

• A is true, and R is false.

• A is false, and R is true.

Answer 1

Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct reason for A.

Explanation:

Tropical deserts form on western continental margins because easterly trade winds lose moisture on the eastern coasts, and the subtropical high‑pressure (sinking) air, often reinforced by cold offshore currents, leaves the western sides dry. They are also among the hottest places (clear skies, low humidity, and sandy surfaces give very high daytime temperatures), but that heat is a result of the dry, cloudless conditions created by the circulation/oceanic factors, not the cause of the deserts’ location.