Chapter -5

(Weather and climate)

Back exercise question

Question 1: Why do places near the Equator receive more heat than those near the poles?

Answer 1: Places near the Equator receive more heat because the sun’s rays are vertical near the Equator and are spread over a smaller area. The sun’s rays are slanting near the poles and spread over a large area. Therefore, places near the poles receive less heat.

Question 2: Write a difference between

A. Weather and climate

B. Moderate climate and extreme climate

Answer 2:

A. Weather is the condition of air temperature, air pressure, wind, humidity and rainfall in the atmosphere at a given place and time. Weather changes every day. Climate is the weather conditions that prevail over a large area and for a long period. The climate of a place remains more or less the same, year after year.

B. Places that are neither hot in summers nor very cold in winters have moderate climate. Places such as Chennai, which are near the sea coast, have a moderate climate, places that are extremely hot in summers and extremely cold in winters have an extreme climate. Places such as Delhi, which are away from the sea coast, have an extreme climate.

Question 3: Why does Chennai have a moderate climate?

Answer 3: Chennai is near the sea coast and has a moderate climate. This is due to the effect of sea breezes. In summer, the sea is cooler than the land. Hence, air over the sea is cooler than that over the land. Thus, cool air, called sea breeze, blows from sea to land, making the land cooler. In winter the opposite happens and the land becomes warmer.

Question 4: How do winds influence the climate of a place?

Answer4: winds have a major influence on the climate of a place. Winds coming from hot Regions increase the temperature, while those coming from cold regions decrease the temperature of the place. Sometimes winds bring clouds with them and cause rainfall.

Question 5: Describe the climate conditions of each heat zone.

Answer 5:

1. The torrid zone is hot and humid through out the year.

2. The temperate zone is neither very hot nor very cold.

3. The Frigid zone remains cold throughout the year.

Think and answer

Question: Shimla and Ludhiana are almost at the same distance from the Equator. Then, why is Shimla much colder than Ludhiana?

Answer: Through Shimla and Ludhiana are situated at the same distance from the Equator, Shimla is much colder than Ludhiana as it is situated at a much higher altitude. Places located at higher altitude are colder than those at lower altitudes even if they are situated on the same latitude.