Chapter 10. Climate Textbook Solutions

NIOS Social Science Class 10 Chapter 10 Solutions

INTEXT QUESTIONS 10.1

Look at the map given above and answer the following questions:

(a) Name the important latitude drawn on the map which has divided India in two heat zones. Also tell the degree of that latitude.

Ans: Tropic of Cancer, ²³1⁄2° N

(b) Name the cities located on a map which are influenced by the sea and cities which are not influenced by the sea.

Ans:

Influenced by the sea
- (i) Mumbai
- (ii) Chennai
Not influenced by the sea
- (iii) Lucknow
- (iv) Delhi

(c) Which mountain range protects our country from the cold breeze of Central Asia?

Ans: Himalayan Mountain Ranges

(d) Observe the wind direction given on the map and tell why we have a dry winter season?

Ans: Winds are coming from the North-East. Since they are coming from land, they are dry and unable to give rain to the country.

INTEXT QUESTIONS 10.2

Look at maps (Fig. 10.2, Fig. 10.3) of advancing monsoon and answer the following questions:

1. Name the states which lie within the low pressure regions.

Ans: Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and parts of Odisha.

2. As the monsoon winds are coming from the south-west, which state they will strike first.

Ans: Kerala

3. When the monsoon winds reach the Bay of Bengal, what is their direction?

Ans: South to North and North-East and North-West.

4. Observe the rainfall data of the following cities and find out the average duration of monsoon in four cities. Name of the cities are:

(a) Mumbai

(c) Delhi

(b) Jaisalmer

(d) Shillong

Ans:

(a) Mumbai: 4 months
(c) Delhi: 4 months
(b) Nagpur: 4 months
(d) Shillong: 6 months

INTEXT QUESTIONS 10.3

Choose the correct answer:

(i) The hot and dry wind blowing in the northern plain in the summer are called—

(a) Kaal Baisakhi

(b) Loo

(d) All of the above

Ans: (b) Loo

(ii) Which mountain range acts as a barrier in the path of the Arabian Sea branch?

(a) Aravallis

(b) Eastern Ghats

(d) Raj Mahal hills

Ans: (c) Western Ghats

(iii) The tropical cyclones of the Bay of Bengal usually occurs during

(a) South-west monsoon

(b) Hot weather season

(d) Cold weather season

Ans: (c) Retreating monsoon season

(iv) Which place would be the hottest one in March?

(a) Delhi

(b) Shillong

(d) Punjab

Ans: (c) Deccan Plateau

(v) Monsoons are called ……………………

(a) Seasonal winds

(b) Temporary winds

(d) Local winds

Ans: (a) Seasonal Winds

INTEXT QUESTIONS 10.4

1. Why do we find the rainfall distribution in India highly uneven?

Ans: When monsoon winds enter from the coast, they give the maximum rain there. When they reach the central or northern regions, they become dry, resulting in less rainfall.

2. Name the three regions of India receiving lowest rainfall.

Ans: Regions of low rainfall –

1. Northern Leh-Ladakh region
2. Western Rajasthan
3. South-Central part

3. Name the months of Kharif and Rabi seasons.

Ans: Kharif – June and July Rabi – October and November

4. When do we have the zaid season?

Ans: From the end of the winter season i.e. March to May.

5. Which human activities are responsible for global warming?

Ans: Urbanization, Industrialization, Deforestation, burning of fossil fuels, etc.

TERMINAL EXERCISES

1. Describe any five factors which are responsible for affecting the climate? Explain with the help of examples for each factor.

Ans:

1. Location: The places that are closer to the equator have high temperatures. As one moves towards the poles temperature decreases. Broadly speaking, parts lying south of the Tropic of Cancer receive more solar heat than those lying north of it.
2. Distance from the sea: The southern half of India is surrounded by sea from three sides: the Arabian Sea in the west, the Bay of Bengal in the east, and the Indian Ocean in the south. Due to the moderate influence of the sea, this region is neither hot in summer nor very cold in winter. For example, the area of North India, which is far away from the sea, has an extreme type of climate, and the area of south India, which is nearer to the sea, has an equal type of climate.
3. Altitude: It means the height above the average sea level. The atmosphere becomes less dense and we feel breathlessness as we go higher above the Earth’s surface, and thus the temperature also decreases with height. For example, the cities located on the hills are cooler, like Shimla, whereas the cities lying in the plains will have a hot climate, like Ludhiana.
4. Mountain Ranges: Mountain ranges also affect the climate of any region to a great extent. The Himalaya Mountain is located in the northern part of our country with an average height of 6000m. It protects our country from the cold winds of Central Asia. On the other hand, they check rain-bearing South-West Monsoon winds and compel them to shed their moisture in India. Similarly, the Western Ghats force rain-bearing winds to cause heavy rainfall on the Western slopes of the Western Ghats.
5. Direction of surface winds: The wind system also affects the Indian climate. This system consists of monsoon winds, land and sea breeze, and local winds. In winter, the winds blow from land to sea, so they are cold and dry. On the other hand, in summer wind blows from sea to land, bringing the moisture along with it from the sea, and they cause widespread rain in most parts of the country.
6. Upper air Currents: Besides surface winds, there are strong air currents called Jet streams, which also influence the climate of India. These jet streams are a narrow belt of fast blowing winds located generally at 12,000 metres above the sea level. They bring western cyclonic disturbances along with them.

2. Differentiate between climate and weather.

Ans: Climate is the conditions for a large area like a country or a big region, and generally, it does not

change, like India has a monsoon climate, whereas the weather is always for a smaller area, like that of your city or village, where it may frequently change, like raining in the morning and sunny in the afternoon.

3. How are winds and their directions responsible for affecting the climate? Explain by giving examples.

Ans: The wind system consists of monsoon winds, land and sea breeze, and local winds. In winter, the winds blow from land to sea, so they are cold and dry. On the other hand, in summer wind blows from sea to land, bringing the moisture along with it from the sea, and they cause widespread rain in most parts of the country.

4. Define monsoon. Identify the main reason which is responsible for moving trade winds in the opposite direction?

Ans: Monsoon refers to the seasonal reversal in the wind direction during a year. The general movement of air is from the equatorial region of the Indian Ocean to the Indian subcontinent

5. Mention any four characteristics of the cold weather season.

Ans:

The duration of the cold weather season is from December to February.
The temperature decreases from the South to the North.
December and January are the coldest months, and the average temperature in the North is (12° to 15°C) and in the South (25°C).
Frost is common in the North and North-West India.
There is light rainfall in this region due to Western disturbances.
Higher slopes of the Himalayas experience snowfall.

6. List any four main features of the hot weather season?

Ans:

By the end of February, the temperature starts rising, and from March to May, it is the hot weather season.
Plains are higher in temperature, especially in the western part of India and in the central part of peninsular India.
In the Northern plains, an elongated low-pressure system called the monsoonal trough is created, which extends from Jaisalmer in western Rajasthan to Jharkhand and parts of Odisha to the East. Over the Indian Ocean south of the equator, a high-pressure belt begins to develop in this season.
In North-West India, afternoon dust storms are common.
During summer, very hot and dry winds called Loo blow over the North Indian plains.
This is also the season for localized thunderstorms, associated with violent winds, torrential downpours, and often accompanied by hail.

7. By giving examples explain the effects of global warming in India. What are the causes behind it?

Ans: Human activities increase the amount of carbon dioxide, chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), and other dangerous gases. But now, due to pollution, some of the reflected heat is trapped by greenhouse gases (GHGs), mainly carbon dioxide. It has increased the temperature of the Earth’s surface. There is evidence to show that CO2 levels are still increasing. Unpredictable weather conditions, excess rainfall or lack of rainfall, melting of the ice caps, and flooding, etc are all effects of global warming. Any temperature change will have an adverse effect on agriculture. This will have a serious social and economic impact on India. Floods and droughts are hindrances to the economic growth of the nation, as our economy is agro-based.