GEOGRAPHY QUESTION BANK- Answer Key

GRADE-IX CH: 4-CLIMATE

Q. Choose the correct answer from the four alternatives given below. [1 mark each]
1. By early ______ the low pressure condition over the northern plains intensifies.

a. June b. July c. August d. September

2. Which one of the following is characteristic of the cold weather season in India?

a. Warm days and warm nights b. Warm days and cold nights

c. Cool days and cold nights d. Cool days and warm nights

3. Which one of the following causes rainfall during winters in the north western part of India?

a. Cyclonic depression b. Retreating monsoon

c. Western disturbances d. South west monsoon

4. Which of the following forces is responsible for the deflection of winds from its normal path?

a. Gravitational force b. Coriolis force

c. Centrifugal force d. Centripetal force

5. What happens to the air temperature as we move from the equator to the poles?

a. it increases b. it decreases

c. it remains constant d. none of these

6. The phenomenon of October Heat is a characteristic of _______ season.

a. Summer b. Monsoon

c. Winter d. Retreating monsoon

Q. Very Short Answer Questions. [1 mark each]

A: There are six major controls of the climate of any place. They are: latitude, altitude, pressure and wind system,
distance from the sea (continentality), ocean currents and relief features.

8. Which part of India does experience the highest diurnal range of temperature and Why?
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A: The Thar desert region of Rajasthan experiences the highest diurnal range of temperature because it is in the interior
part where the contrasts in temperature are very high.

9. Explains Coriolis force.

A: Coriolis force is an apparent force caused by the earth’s rotation. The Coriolis force is responsible for deflecting winds
towards the right in the northern hemisphere and towards the left in the southern hemisphere. This is also known as
‘Ferrel’s Law’

10. What are Jet streams?

A: These are narrow belt of high altitude (above 12000 m) westerly winds in the troposphere. Their speed varies from
about 110 km/hr in summer to about 184 km/hr in winter. A number of separate jet streams have been identified. The
most constant are the mid-latitude and the sub tropical jet stream.

11. Which feature of the Indian sub-continent does not allow the south-west monsoon winds to escape from India.

A: The Himalayan mountains do not allow the South-West monsoon winds to escape from India as they act as a barrier
to the monsoon winds and also deflect the monsoon winds westwards from Assam.

Q. Short Answer Questions. [3 marks each]

A: - ITCZ is a broad trough of low pressure in equatorial latitudes.

- This is where the northeast and southeast trade winds converge.

- This convergence zone lies more or less parallel to the equator but moves north or south with the apparent
movement of sun

13. What are Western Cyclonic Disturbances?

A: - It is weather phenomena of the winter months brought in by the westerly flow from the Mediterranean region.

- They usually influence the weather of the north and north western region of India. Tropical cyclones occur during
the monsoon as well as in October-November, and are part of the easterly flow.

14. Why does the rainfall decreases from east to the west in Northern India?

A: -The Southwest monsoon winds cross the warm water of Bay of Bengal and give and give good rainfall to West Bengal
and proceeds through the Ganga plains towards the west.

-As it proceeds towards Punjab and Haryana in the west the moisture content in the winds decreases on the way. They
shed off their moisture and thus the rainfall decreases from the east towards west in Northern India.

- As such Kolkata receives an annual rainfall of 119cm and Delhi receives 56cm.

15. What is Southern Oscillation?

A: - The pressure conditions over the southern oceans also affect the monsoons.

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 - Normally, when the tropical eastern South Pacific Ocean experiences high pressure, the tropical eastern Indian
Ocean experiences low pressure. But in certain years, there is a reversal in the pressure conditions and the eastern
pacific has lower pressure in comparison to the eastern Indian Ocean.

-This periodic change in pressure conditions is known as the Southern Oscillations.

16. Which part of India experiences the highest diurnal range of temperature and why?

A: - Highest Diurnal range of temperature in India- North western part comprising the Indian desert.

- Sand is found in ample quantity which gains and loses heat very quickly.

- As a result of this phenomenon there is a wide difference between day and night temperature in this region.

17. Why are houses in Assam built on stilts?

A: - Assam receives abundant rainfall due to which there are chances of floods.

- In case of flood the water might get inside the houses if they are built on ground level.

- In order to avoid flooding, houses are built on stilts and above the ground level.

18. Why is the monsoon considered as a unifying bond?

A: -The seasonal alteration of the wind system and the associated weather conditions provide a rhythmic cycle of
seasons. Monsoon rains are unevenly distributed and typically uncertain.

- The Indian landscape, plant and animal life, agriculture, the people and their festivities , all revolve around the
monsoon.

- They eagerly wait for its arrival and when it arrives, it binds the whole country by providing water to kick-start
agricultural activities. That is why the monsoon is considered as a unifying bond.

Q. Long Answer Questions. [5 marks each]

A: - The climate of India is described as the monsoon type.

- The factors affecting the climate of an area are latitude, altitude, pressure and wind system as well as distance from
the sea.

- India lies in the region of north-easterly winds. These winds originate from the sub-tropical high pressure belt in the
Northern Hemisphere, get deflected to the right due to coriolis force and move on towards the equatorial low pressure
area.

- In summer, a low pressure area develops over interior Asia and north-western India. This causes complete reversal
of the direction of the winds.

- The upper air circulation in this region is dominated by a Westerly flow.

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 - The duration of the monsoon is between 100-120 days from early June to mid-September.

- The Southern Oscillation and Jet Streams also affect the monsoon.

20. ‘Location and relief are important factors in determining the climate of India’ Explain the statement with examples.

- A: - Following are the ways in which location and relief features affect the climateof a place.
- Location: The amount of solar energy varies according to latitude. Air temperature generally decreases on moving
from equator to poles. This is the reason, in India, Jammu and Kashmir has relatively low temperature as compared
to the rest part of India.
- When we move from the surface of the earth to higher altitudes, the atmosphere becomes less dense and
temperature decreases. The hills, therefore, are cooler during summers.
- Relief: Mountains act as barrier for cold and hot winds. E.g. The Himalayan mountain range acts as a climatic barrier
to India.
- - They may also cause precipitation if they are high enough and lie in the path of rain bearing winds. For example,
the leeward side of Western Ghats remains relatively dry in monsoon season, where as the windward side receives
heavy precipitation.

21. What factors have given rise to Indian Monsoon?

A: - The monsoons are experienced in the tropical area roughly between 20°N and 20°S. To understand the mechanism
of the monsoons, the following facts are important.

- The differential heating and cooling of land and water creates low pressure on the landmass of India while the seas
around experience comparatively high pressure.
- The shift of the position of Inter Tropical Convergence Zone(ITCZ) in summer over the Ganga Plain(t his is the
equatorial trough normally positioned above 5°N of the equator- also known as the monsoon-trough during the
monsoon season)
- The Presence of the high-Pressure area, east of Madagascar, approximately at 20°S over the Indian Ocean. The
Intensity and position of this high-pressure area affects the Indian Monsoon.
- The Tibetan Plateau gets intensely heated during summer which results in strong vertical currents and the formation
of low pressure over the plateau at 9km above the sea level.
- The movement of the westerly jet stream to the north of the Himalayas and the presence of the tropical easterly jet
stream over the Indian peninsula during summer.

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