L-2: Weather and Climate (Tulips Social Studies) Oxford Education Press

Textbook Questions and Answers

Keywords:

1. Atmosphere: The mixture of gases around the Earth.
2. Pattern: A repeated form.
3. Altitude: Height above sea level.
4. Humidity: The amount of moisture (water vapor) in the air.

Define the following:

1. Weather: The condition of the atmosphere at a given place over a short period of time.
2. Climate: The average weather condition of a region over a long period of time.

Answer the Following Questions:

1. What are the differences between weather and climate?

2. Name the factors that influence the climate of a place.

Ans: The factors that influence the climate of a place are as follows:

1. Distance from the equator
2. Climate zones
3. Distance from the sea
4. Altitude
5. Winds
6. Humidity
7. Influence of human beings

3. Name the main climate regions of the Earth.

Ans: The main climate regions of the Earth are Tundra, Equatorial, Tropical, Temperate, Desert, and Mediterranean.

4. What is the effect of humidity on the climate of a place?

Ans:

• Humidity is the amount of moisture in the air.
• In places near the equator, there is a lot of humidity because of the heat of the sun.
• This results in plenty of rainfall in these regions.
• Thus, the climate near the equator is hot and wet.

5. How do winds determine the climate of a place?

Ans:

• The direction of wind is an important factor in determining the climate of a place.
• Winds are hot, cold, or moist depending on where they originate from.
• Ex: The monsoon winds blowing from the Indian Ocean and the Arabian Sea bring rain to India.
• Hot, dry winds blowing from the desert make North India hot during summer.

6. Why do coastal areas have an extreme climate?

• Coastal areas have a extreme climate because they are close to the sea.
• Water heats up and cools down slowly.
• During the day, the sea absorbs heat and keeps the surrounding area cool, and at night it releases heat, keeping the area warm.
• In contrast, in land areas far from the sea, the land heats up and cools down quickly.

7. How can humans affect the climate? Give simple examples.

Ans: Humans can affect the climate through their activities, especially by harming the environment.

Ex:

• Cutting trees (deforestation): Trees help control temperature and rainfall.
• Pollution from vehicles and factories: Smoke and harmful gases increase the Earth’s temperature.
• Burning fuel: Releases gases that trap heat in the atmosphere.

8. Write about the different types of houses based on geographical conditions.

Ans: The different types of houses based on geographical conditions are as follows:

1. Igloos are houses built by people living in cold regions like the Arctic region. These houses are built with blocks of ice.
2. Wood houses are found in cold and forested areas. People build their houses with wood because it is a good insulator and helps keep the house cool in summer and warm in winter.
3. Mud houses are built by people living in hot and dry climates.
4. Brick houses are houses built using baked mud called bricks.

Assertion and Reasoning Questions

1. Assertion (A): Climate helps us decide what clothes to wear daily.

Reasoning (R): Climate tells us the average weather of a place.

Ans: Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A. (Note: Weather dictates daily clothing, not climate).

2. Assertion (A): Weather forecasting helps people plan their activities.

Reasoning (R): It tells the expected weather conditions in advance.

Ans: Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.

Case-Based Question

While climbing a mountain, Rohan noticed that the temperature became cooler as he went higher.

Questions:

1) Why did the temperature decrease?

Ans: Because altitude (height) increased.

2) What does this show about climate?

Ans: It changes with height.

3) Which place is warmer, the top or bottom of the mountain?

Ans: The bottom.

4) What should Rohan carry while climbing?

Ans: Warm clothes.