T

IAS 2020 PRELIMS MODULE

PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY OF INDIA

TARGET
IAS 2020

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Noted -: *
1. Revision Notes IAs 2019 Complete Exam Oriented with diagram.
2. Reference use NCERT, STD Book, Govt Site Like as PIB, ISRO, & DRDO etc.
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 REGIONALIAS ACADEMY
Physical Geography of India

PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY OF INDIA

1 → Earth & Solar System ............................................................................................ 7
Solar System & Planets ................................................................................................................................. 7
Solar System ........................................................................................................................... 7
Famous Space-crafts shot in space........................................................................................................ 9
Sun ...................................................................................................................................................... 10

S
Structure of Sun .................................................................................................................................. 10
Some Generic Space Terms ................................................................................................................ 12

A
Halley’s Comet ................................................................................................................................... 13
Origin of Earth ............................................................................................................................................ 13

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Gaseous Theory (1755) ....................................................................................................................... 13
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Nebular Hypothesis (1796) ................................................................................................................. 14
Planesimal Hypothesis (1900) ............................................................................................................ 14
A
Tidal Hypothesis ................................................................................................................................. 14
Big Bang Theory (1929) ..................................................................................................................... 15
N
Curved Surface of Earth (Spherical form) .......................................................................................... 15
Geographical Division of Earth & its Relation to Solar System ................................................................... 17
IO

Shape of Earth ..................................................................................................................................... 17

Distinct Features ................................................................................................................................. 19
EG

Greenwich Meridian ........................................................................................................................... 20

International Date Line ....................................................................................................................... 20
Graticule.............................................................................................................................................. 21
Great Circles ....................................................................................................................................... 21
R

Rotation of Earth ................................................................................................................................. 22

Solstices .............................................................................................................................................. 23
Equinoxes............................................................................................................................................ 25
Seasonal Changes & Their Effect on Temperature ............................................................................. 25
Dawn & Twilight ................................................................................................................................ 26
Longitude & Concept of time ............................................................................................................. 26
Earth’s Natural Satellite (Moon) ......................................................................................................... 27
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Eclipses ............................................................................................................................................... 28

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2 → Atmosphere .............................................................................................................. 29
Composition and Structure of Atmosphere ................................................................................................ 29
Structure of Atmosphere ..................................................................................................................... 31
Troposphere ........................................................................................................................................ 32
Stratosphere......................................................................................................................................... 33
Mesosphere ......................................................................................................................................... 34
Ionosphere / Thermosphere................................................................................................................. 34
Auroras................................................................................................................................................ 35

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Solar Tsunami ..................................................................................................................................... 36

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Atmosphere – Solar Radiations, Heat Budget, Temperature Inversion...................................................... 36
Solar Radiations .................................................................................................................................. 36

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Specific Heat ....................................................................................................................................... 36
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Heat Budget ........................................................................................................................................ 37
Temperature Variation ........................................................................................................................ 38
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Temperature Inversion ........................................................................................................................ 40
Atmosphere – Pressure Belts of the World ................................................................................................ 44
N
Atmospheric Pressure ......................................................................................................................... 44
Isobar................................................................................................................................................... 44
IO

Variation in Atmospheric Pressure ..................................................................................................... 44

Pressure Belts ....................................................................................................................... 45
Wind.................................................................................................................................................... 47
EG

Atmosphere – Wind Pattern of the world .................................................................................................. 47

Planetary Winds.................................................................................................................... 47
Trade Winds (Tropical Easterlies) ...................................................................................................... 48
R

Westerlies............................................................................................................................................ 49
Polar winds.......................................................................................................................................... 50
Shifting of Wind belts ......................................................................................................................... 50
Periodic / Seasonal winds ................................................................................................................... 51
Atmosphere – Air Masses, Fronts, Cyclones, Anticyclones ........................................................................ 53
Air Masses .......................................................................................................................................... 53
Fronts .................................................................................................................................................. 53
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Cyclones.............................................................................................................................................. 55

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Tropical Cyclone Distribution & its various names worldwide.......................................................... 58
Difference between Tropical & Extra Tropical Cyclones................................................................... 58
Anticyclones ....................................................................................................................................... 59
Atmosphere – Evaporation, Humidity, Condensation, Precipitation ......................................................... 60
Evaporation ......................................................................................................................................... 60
Humidity ............................................................................................................................................. 60
Condensation....................................................................................................................................... 61
Form of Condensation......................................................................................................................... 62

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Clouds ................................................................................................................................................. 63

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Precipitation ........................................................................................................................................ 64
Types of Rainfall .................................................................................................................................. 65

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Atmosphere – Weather and Climate .......................................................................................................... 67
Elements of Weather & Climate............................................................................................. 68
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Rainfall................................................................................................................................................ 68
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Pressure ............................................................................................................................................... 68
Temperature ........................................................................................................................................ 69
N
Factors influencing Temperature ........................................................................................................ 70
Winds .................................................................................................................................................. 72
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Sunshine .............................................................................................................................................. 72
Clouds ................................................................................................................................................. 73
Haze .................................................................................................................................................... 73
EG

Koeppen’s Scheme of Climate classification...................................................................................... 74

Thornthwaite Scheme of Climate classification ................................................................................. 77
3 → Hydrosphere............................................................................................................ 78
R

Hydrosphere – Ocean Floor Division .......................................................................................................... 78

Ocean Floor Division........................................................................................................ 78
Continental Self .................................................................................................................................. 78
Continental Slope ................................................................................................................................ 79
Continental Rise .................................................................................................................................. 79
Abysmal Plains ................................................................................................................................... 80
Some important terms .................................................................................................... 80
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Oceanic Deposits on Ocean Floor....................................................................................................... 82

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Hydrosphere – Albedo, Fresh Water, Salinity & Temperature ................................................................... 82
Water on Earth ..................................................................................................................... 82
Albedo ................................................................................................................................................. 83
Salinity of the Ocean ........................................................................................................................... 84
Temperature of Ocean Water .............................................................................................................. 86
Hydrosphere – Movement of Oceanic Water ............................................................................................. 86
Movement of Oceanic Water → Never Static .................................................................................... 86
Tides.................................................................................................................................................... 87

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Ocean Waves ...................................................................................................................................... 88

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Ocean Currents.................................................................................................................................... 89
Circulation of Atlantic Ocean (1/6th of the earth area) ........................................................................ 90

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Circulation of Pacific Ocean ............................................................................................................... 92
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Indian Ocean Circulation .................................................................................................................... 94
4 → Lithosphere ............................................................................................................. 94
A
Layers of Earth, Composition & Earthquakes ............................................................................................. 94
Crust .................................................................................................................................................... 94
N
Mantle ................................................................................................................................................. 95
Core ..................................................................................................................................................... 96
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Lithosphere ......................................................................................................................................... 97
Composition of the interior of the earth .............................................................................................. 97
EG

Earthquakes.......................................................................................................................... 98
Igneous Rocks, Sedimentary Rocks, Metamorphic Rocks......................................................................... 101
Rocks → Material that form crust of earth ....................................................................................... 101
Igneous Rocks ................................................................................................................................... 101
R

Sedimentary Rocks ........................................................................................................................... 103

Metamorphic Rocks .......................................................................................................................... 104
Formation of Continents – Continental Drift Theory & Plate Tectonics ................................................... 105
Wagner’s Continental Drift Theory .................................................................................................. 105
Plate Tectonics .................................................................................................................... 107
Earth Plates ....................................................................................................................................... 108
Plate Interactions ............................................................................................................................... 108
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Divergent boundaries ........................................................................................................................ 109

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Mountains and Plateaus ........................................................................................................................... 111
Mountains........................................................................................................................... 111
Fold Mountains ................................................................................................................................. 112
Block Mountains ............................................................................................................................... 112
Volcanic Mountains .......................................................................................................................... 113
Residual / Dissected / Relict Mountains ........................................................................................... 114
Plateaus .............................................................................................................................. 114
Tectonic Plateaus .............................................................................................................................. 115

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Volcanic Plateau ............................................................................................................................... 115

A
Dissect Plateaus ................................................................................................................................ 115
Type of Plains ............................................................................................................................................ 116

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Plains .................................................................................................................................. 116
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Structural Plains ................................................................................................................................ 116
Depositional Plains ........................................................................................................................... 117
A
Erosional Plains ................................................................................................................................ 119
Volcanoes & its Types ............................................................................................................................... 119
N
Volcanoes............................................................................................................................ 120
Types of Volcanoes........................................................................................................................... 122
IO

Distribution of Volcanoes in the world ............................................................................................. 123

Geysers.............................................................................................................................................. 124
EG

Hot springs ........................................................................................................................................ 125

Weathering – Chemical + Physical + Biological ......................................................................................... 125
Weathering ......................................................................................................................... 125
Chemical Weathering........................................................................................................................ 125
R

Physical Weathering ......................................................................................................................... 127

Biological Weathering ...................................................................................................................... 129
Mass movement & Ground Water............................................................................................................ 130
Mass movement ................................................................................................................................ 130
Soil Creep.......................................................................................................................................... 130
Soil Flow / Mud Flow (Solifluction)................................................................................................. 131
Landslide (Slumping or Sliding) ....................................................................................................... 132
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Groundwater ..................................................................................................................................... 133

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Water table ........................................................................................................................................ 135

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Physical Geography of India
1 → Earth & Solar System
Solar System & Planets
Solar System
Our solar system consists of Sun + 8 Planets + 1 Dwarf planet (Pluto) + No. of
Natural Satellites
Pluto was demoted to dwarf planet at 26th general assembly of International
Astronomical Union held at Czech republic in 2006

S
Only sun has its own light, which is also the nearest star to the earth

A
LI
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N
Jupiter > Saturn > Uranus > Neptune > Earth > Venus
IO

Size – Wise >Mars > Mercury

Inner / Terrestrial
EG

Planets Earth, Venus, Mars, Mercury

Jovian / Outer
Planets Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune, Uranus
R

Jupiter (63) > Saturn (60) > Uranus (27) > Neptune
(13) > Mars (2) > Earth (1) > Venus (0) & Mercury
No. of Satellites (0) →(Moon at Jupiter were found by Galileo)
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Time Period of
revolution of
Planets around Neptune > Uranus > Saturn > Jupiter > Mars > Earth >
the sun Venus > Mercury (88 days)

Asteroids – A belt of minor planets revolving around the sun between Mars &

S
Jupiter
All Planets revolve west to east around the sun except Uranus & Venus which

A
moves east to west around the sun (Retrograde motion)
A ray of light from sun takes about 8 mins 17 secs to reach the earth. Light takes

LI
about 1 second to reach us from the moon.
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A
Maximum inclination of 98* towards the sun → known as
Uranus lopsided planet
N
Inclination of 23.5
IO

Earth
Blue planet due to presence of water (Approx. 71% area)
EG

Mercury No inclination at all

Hottest planet → due to total absence of atmosphere at Mercury

Earth’s twin because of their close proximity in size, mass &
Venus
R

density

Red planet due to presence of Feo (Iron oxide) dust

Named after roman god of war
Mars
Believed to have the possibility of some plant life
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Distinguished from other planets by a circular light & dark
Jupiter bands

Saturn Planet with three rings around it

S
Famous Space-crafts shot in space

A
Spacecraft Planet Agency

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Messenger Mercury NASA
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Curiosity Mars NASA
A
N
Viking Mars NASA
IO

Pioneer Jupiter NASA

NASA / ESA /
EG

Cassini Saturn ASI (Italy)

New Horizon Pluto NASA

R

Aditya (2017-
18) Solar Corona ISRO

Rosetta Asteroids & Comets ESA (Europe)

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Collection of soil samples near the
northern pole to search for water at
Phoenix Mars NASA

Mars Orbiter
Mission Mars ISRO

S
A
Sun
Sun is the only star in our Solar System as it has its own source of light and

LI
energy.
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Mass of the Sun accounts to 99.86% of our Solar System.
A
Its average distance from the Earth is around 149,600,000 km.
Sunlight takes about 8 min 17 secs to reach the Earth.
N
Sun’s energy is produced by constant nuclear fusion in its core through a series
IO

of processes called the p-p (proton-proton) chain. This process converts

Hydrogen into Helium.
EG

Composition of sun
Hydrogen → 74.9%
Helium → 23.8%
Metals → 1.3%
R

Structure of Sun
The structure of the Sun can be divided into several different layers as follows:
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Core
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The core of the Sun has the highest temperature and pressure among all layers.

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The temperature of the core is around 15 million degree Celsius – is in ionized
state called plasma
The solar energy is produced in the core by controlled nuclear fusion process.
The high temperature in the core helps in removing the electrons from hydrogen
atoms and in creating numerous electrons and protons for nuclear fusion.

Radiative Zone

S
The Sun’s radiative zone is the of the solar interior between the innermost core
and the outer convective zone.

A
In the radiative zone, energy generated by nuclear fusion in the core moves

LI
outward as electromagnetic radiation.
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Convective zone
In this zone the density of plasma is low.
A
N
This zone transports hot and light density fluids from the core region of high
energy & temperature to the outer region of low energy & temperature.
IO
EG
R

Photosphere
This is the first visible layer of the Sun.
The temperature here is around 6000 degree Kelvin (5370 degree Celsius).
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The solar spots are formed on this layer. The temperature of a solar spot is
around 4500 degrees.
Solar spots → Temporary dark spots formed when the magnetic field bursts through the surface.
It can slow down the flow of energy from the inside of the Sun – that’s what makes the sun spots
cooler & darker than the surrounding photosphere.
Chromosphere
Chromosphere literally mean as ‘sphere of colour’.
This layer is dominated by emission lines.

S
A
Corona
This is the outermost layer of the Sun.

LI
High temperature in this region gives it an unusual spectral feature of a highly
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ionised ion. A
Chromosphere & corona are visible only during formation of Diamond Ring
during Solar eclipse.
N
IO

Some Generic Space Terms

EG

A celestial body bigger than 10 m orbiting the Sun, mainly

between Mars and JupiterMade of rock and metal, they can
also contain organic compounds.Are similar to comets but do
Asteroid not have a visible coma (fuzzy outline and tail) like comets do
R

A meteoroid is a small rock or particle of debris in our solar

system. They range in size from dust to around 10 metres in
Meteoroid diameter (larger objects are usually referred to as asteroids).

A meteoroid that burns up as it passes through the Earth’s

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Meteor
atmosphere is known as a meteor. If you’ve ever looked up
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at the sky at night and seen a streak of light or ‘shooting star’
what you are actually seeing is a meteor.

Fireball A very bright meteor (brighter than the planet Venus).

A fireball that explodes during its atmospheric flight, often

Bolide with visible fragmentation.

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The part of a meteoroid or asteroid that survives the passage

A
Meteorite through our atmosphere and reaches the Earth’s surface.

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A smaller celestial body mainly composed of ice, rock and
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dust. As comets travel close to the Sun, some of the ice melts
A
off and becomes a gas. This melting process causes bits of
dust and debris to trail behind the comet. This tail can be
N
Comet seen in the night sky as a bright, quickly-moving light
IO

Halley’s Comet
Halley’s Comet is arguably the most famous comet.
EG

It is a “periodic” comet and returns to Earth’s vicinity about every 75 years,

making it possible for a human to see it twice in his or her lifetime.
The last time it was here was in 1986, and it is projected to return in 2061.
R

The comet is named after English astronomer Edmond Halley, who examined
reports of a comet approaching Earth in 1531, 1607 and 1682. He concluded
that these three comets were actually the same comet returning over and over
again, and predicted the comet would come again in 1758.

Origin of Earth
Gaseous Theory (1755)
13

By Imanuel Kant (German)

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Primordial matter was evenly distributed in shape of small & cold particles from
which our earth & other planets of solar system formed

Nebular Hypothesis (1796)

By Laplace (French)
Primordial matter existed in form of intensely hot & rotating gaseous mass
(Nebula), Which cooled with time

S
This resulted in decrease of its volume & increase in its rotational speed, which
in turn increased its centrifugal force

A
The centrifugal force when exceeded gravitational force, a ring shape deformed

LI
from nebula & many other rings formed out of its breaking.
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These rings on cooling became planets & satellites & remaining part of nebula is
sun
A
N
Planesimal Hypothesis (1900)
By Chamberlain & Moulton
IO

A wandering star approached the sun & exerted its gravitational pull on the sun,
which resulted in separation of cigar shaped material from the sun.
EG

As star moved away from the sun, material separated from the sun started
revolving around the sun & condensed into planets at later stage.

Tidal Hypothesis
R

By Sir James Jeans (British) & Harold Jeffrey

Sun was a gaseous mass; another star several times larger than sun accidentally
came close to it & pulled gaseous mass away from the sun due to its
gravitational pull.
Giant tongue of matter came out from the sun & planets were formed
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Big Bang Theory (1929)
By Edwin Hubble (American)
Everything in the world emerged from a point known as singularity (of
indefinite mass & indefinite density) about 13.7 billion years ago.
As galaxies moved away, space between them expanded (Red shift).
As the universe expanded, hot radiation in original firewall cooled down, which
led to formation of different galaxies which further broke into stars & finally

S
stars broke to form planets.

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Curved Surface of Earth (Spherical form)

Ship’s visibility → When a ship appears over the distant horizon, top of the
R

mast is seen before the hull & vice a versa. 15

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A
Sunrise & Sunset → Sun rises & sets at different times in different places. As
earth rotates from west to east, places in east see sun earlier than those in the

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west.
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EG
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Lunar eclipse → Shadow cast by earth on the moon during the lunar eclipse is
always circular
Driving poles on level ground on curved earth
Engineers while driving poles of equal length at regular intervals on the ground
have found that they do not give a perfect horizontal level.
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Centre pole normally projects slightly above the poles at either end because of
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curvature of the Earth

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Hence they have to make certain corrections for this inevitable curvature i.e. 8”
to a mile

Aerial Photographs
Pictures taken from high altitudes by rockets & satellites show clearly the curved
edge of the earth.
This is perhaps the most convincing & up to date proof of earth’s sphericity

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Geographical Division of Earth & its Relation to Solar

A
System

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Shape of Earth
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Oblate spheroid or oblate ellipsoid shape
A
Slightly flattering at poles & slightly bulging at equator
Polar radius approx. 21 km shorter than equatorial radius
N
IO
EG
R

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A
Earth rotating around an imaginary line running through

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Axis of Earth North pole & South pole via its center
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Center most parallel, dividing earth into two equal
hemispheres namely Northern & Southern hemisphere
N
Equator
Lying at 0* latitude with L = 40000 Km Approx.
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Tropic of
Cancer Parallels at 23.5* north of equator
EG

Tropic of
Capricorn Parallels at 23.5* south of equator

Arctic Circle Parallels at 66.5* north of Equator

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Antarctic
circle Parallels at 66.5* south of Equator

Angular distance of a place, along meridian on earth’s

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Latitudes surface as measured from center

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Distance between them increases towards the poles

Imaginary lines which joins poles & perpendicular to all

parallels
Drawn as a semicircle on the globe
Also known as meridians
Longitudes
Equidistant in nature

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N
Distinct Features
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Length of latitudes decreases from equator to poles i.e. max. at equator & 0 at
poles
As earth’s axis is inclined by 23.5* to its orbital plane, therefore 23.5* is max.
EG

latitude upto which sunrays can be perpendicular to any place

Means all places between Tropic of cancer & Tropic of Capricorn experience
vertical rays of sun twice a year but both the tropics only once
R

Tropic of cancer will get vertical sunrays at summer solstice, when Northern
hemisphere of earth is at max. inclination from sunrays
Tropic of Capricorn will get vertical sunrays at winter solstice, when southern
hemisphere of earth is at max. inclination from sunrays
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Physical Geography of India
Greenwich Meridian
Also known as Prime Meridian or Time Meridian
Meridian passing through Royal observatory at Greenwich near London which
divides earth in eastern & western hemisphere

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A
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N
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International Date Line

Exact opposite to Greenwich meridian at longitude of 180*
EG
R

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Graticule
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Network of parallels & meridians drawn on the globe

Helps to locate a place with given longitudes & latitudes
EG

Great Circles
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Imaginary circles which divides the earth into two equal parts & whose center
lies at the center of the earth
Largest circles that can be drawn on the globe i.e. Equator & all meridians
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Rotation of Earth
Earth’s rotate around its own axis from west to east viz. anticlockwise direction
Earth’s rotate around the sun (Elliptical path) from west to east viz.
anticlockwise direction
Axis of earth rotation is inclined at 66.5* to its plane of elliptic

Axis of earth rotation is inclined at 23.5* to perpendicular to the plane of elliptic

Plane of earths equator to plane of elliptic or earth’s axis to axis of revolution is inclined at 23.5 *

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Velocity of earth’s rotation decreases from equator to poles
Correlated with length of the parallels which also decreases from equator to poles
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velocity at equator & 0 velocity at poles

Weight of body is less at equator & greater at poles
Because of greater centrifugal force at the equator (mv^2 / r) due to greater velocity at equator
EG

Because of higher gravitational force at poles (GMm/r) due to lesser radius of poles than the equator
The earth moves in space in two distinct ways viz.
It rotates on its own axis from west to east once in every 24 hours causing day & night
R

It revolves around the sun in an orbit every 365(1/4) days causing the seasons & the year
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A
LI
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Throughout the revolution of earth around the sun, its axis remains tilted in the
same direction
N
Its axis continues to point to same spot in heaven known as Polaris / polestar/
IO

parallelism of axis
Polestar >> Brightest star in the sky in north direction or northern star
EG

Solstices
When sun is at the greatest distance from the equator
R

Its rays falls vertical either at tropic of Cancer or tropic of Capricorn

Summer Solstice
Earth’s axis leans at max 23.5* in northern hemisphere towards the sun
Sun’s ray fall vertical at Tropic of cancer around 21/22 June
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This brings summer season in Northern hemisphere

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With this duration of days starts decreasing
Means June 21/June 22 is longest day in Northern hemisphere
Daylights of 14 hrs at Tropic of Cancer; 12 hrs at Equator; 10 hrs at Tropic of
Capricorn
Between Arctic Circle & North Pole day lasts for 24 hours & between Antarctic
Circle & South Pole same duration of night lasts.

S
At North Pole day last for 6 months & at South Pole night last for 6 month
approx.

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N
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EG

Winter Solstice
Earth’s axis leans at max 23.5* in southern hemisphere towards the sun
R

Sun’s ray falls vertical at Tropic of Capricorn around 21/22 Dec.

This brings summer season in Southern hemisphere
With this duration of days starts increasing in Northern hemisphere
Means Dec 21/June 22 is shortest day in Northern hemisphere
Daylights of 14 hrs at Tropic of Capricorn; 12 hrs at Equator; 10 hrs at Tropic of
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Cancer
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Between Antarctic Circle & South Pole day lasts for 24 hours & between Arctic
Circle & North Pole same duration of night lasts.
At South Pole day last for 6 months & at North Pole night last for 6 month
approx.

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Equinoxes
The sun is vertically overhead at the equator on two days of the year usually on

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21 March & 21 September
Dates changes because a year is not exactly of 365 days

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These two days are termed as equinox means on these two days all parts of the
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world have equal days & nights A
N
Seasonal Changes & Their Effect on Temperature
IO

In summer, sun is overhead & its sunrays fall almost vertically on the earth,
concentrating its heat on a small area;
EG

Temperature therefore rises & summers are always warm

In winters, the oblique rays of sun come through atmosphere less directly &
have their heat absorbed by atmosphere & water vapour;
Sun rays fall obliquely & spread over greater area, hence temperature remain
R

low.

In addition days are longer than nights in summer & more heat is received over
longer daylight duration; Nights are shorter & less heat is lost. Hence, there is
net gain in total heat received & temperature rises in summer. Shorter days &
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longer nights in winters accounts for reverse effect.

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Physical Geography of India
Dawn & Twilight
The brief period between sunrise & full daylight is called dawn & that between
sunset & complete darkness is termed as twilight.
This is caused by the fact that during the periods of dawn & twilight earth
receives diffused or refracted light from the sun while it is still below the
horizon.
Since the sun rises & sets in vertical path at the equator, the period during which
refracted light is received is short.

S
A
LI
REGIONALIAS

REGIONALIAS
A
N
IO
EG

But in temperate latitudes, the rises & sets in oblique path & hence the period of
refracted light is longer than that at equator, which is much longer at poles.
R

Longitude & Concept of time

Earth completes 1 rotation in 24 hours means swept 360* in 24 hours >>> 15 *
in one hour or 1* in 4 minute
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Since earth rotates west to east places located in the east gain time while those
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located in the west loose time

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Physical Geography of India

Generally, 12: 00 noon at a place is considered when sun’s altitude is highest

S
& exactly over the meridian at that place
Time at all the places located at particular meridian i.e. north & south will be

A
same, however places located at east & west will have different local time

LI
REGIONALIAS

REGIONALIAS
Standard time of a country
Standard time of a country is local time of a selected longitude crossing through
A
a place in the country of due importance
Standard time of India is local time of longitude passing through Allahabad
N
situated at 82.5* East of Prime meridian i.e. Five & half hours ahead of GMT
IO

Calendar date is changed by one day when someone crosses international date
line
Although line is deviated at some places to mark same date at some countries &
EG

islands
Thumb Rule → Loose 12 hrs west of Prime meridian & gain 12 hrs east of
prime meridian
R

Earth’s Natural Satellite (Moon)

Moon rotates around the earth in an elliptical orbit as earth rotates around the
sun
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Axis of moon is inclined at 58.4 * approx. wrt Plane of ecliptic, as a

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result distance of moon from earth keeps on changing

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Physical Geography of India
Only 59 % of moon’s surface is visible from earth at the max

S
A
LI
Perigee Nearest point to the moon’s orbit from Earth
REGIONALIAS

REGIONALIAS
Apogee
A
Farthest point to the moon’s orbit from Earth
N
Sidereal Moon completes 1 rotation in 27 days 7 hrs & 43 min
Month approx. wrt earth
IO

Synoptic Moon completes 1 rotation in 29 days 12 hrs & 44 min

Month approx. wrt sun
EG

Eclipses
R

Partial or total obstruction of light from a celestial body as it passes through

shadow of another celestial body
Apparently, eclipse shall occur every month because of revolution of earth
around the sun & moon around the earth, but Plane of moon’s orbit around
the earth is inclined at 5.9* to the plane of earth’s orbit around the sun
28
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Physical Geography of India

S
A
LI
REGIONALIAS

REGIONALIAS
Solar Eclipse
A
N
When moon comes exactly between
earth & sun & obstructs a part or
whole of the sun then a partial or Lunar Eclipse
IO

total eclipse occur When earth comes exactly between

Sun & moon
Usually at sunrise or sunset at new
EG

moon Usually occurs at full moon

2 → Atmosphere
Composition and Structure of Atmosphere
R

About 99% of total mass of atmosphere is within the height of 32 km from earth
surface, rest above merges with outer space
Atmospheric Air → Colorless, Tasteless, Odorless, Compressible, Mobile &
Expandable
Atmospheric air mainly consists of -
Nitrogen → 78.03 %
29

Oxygen → 20.99 %
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Argon → .94 %

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