Class 9 Geography Chapter 4 Question Answers - Climate

Q1: What does ‘climate’ refer to?
Ans: Climate refers to the sum total of weather conditions and variations over a large area for a long period of time.

Q2: What does ‘weather’ refer to?
Ans: Weather refers to the state of the atmosphere over an area at any point in time.

Q3: The elements of weather and climate are the same. What are these elements?
Ans: These elements are—temperature, atmospheric pressure, wind, humidity, and precipitation.

Q4: What is the climate of India described as?
Ans: The climate of India is described as the ‘monsoon’ type.

Q5: What does monsoon refer to?
Ans: Monsoon refers to the seasonal reversal in wind direction during a year.

Q6: When does most parts of the country receive rainfall?
Ans: Most parts of the country receive rainfall from June to September.

Q7: When does the Tamil Nadu coast get rainfall?
Ans: The Tamil Nadu coast gets rainfall during October and November.

Q8: Which areas experience less contrast in temperature conditions?
Ans: Coastal areas experience less contrast in temperature conditions.

Q9: What do you mean by the Coriolis force?
Ans: Coriolis force is an apparent force caused by the Earth’s rotation. It is responsible for deflecting winds towards the right in the northern hemisphere and towards the left in the southern hemisphere.

Q10: What is known as the Southern Oscillation or SO?
Ans: The periodic change in pressure conditions is known as the Southern Oscillation or SO.

Q11: How is the intensity of the monsoon predicted?
Ans: The difference in pressure over Tahiti (Pacific Ocean, 18°C/149°W) and Darwin in Northern Australia (Indian Ocean, 12°30’S/131°E) is computed to predict the intensity of the monsoons. If the pressure differences were negatives, it would mean below-average and late monsoons.

Q12: What is known as ‘mahawat’?
Ans: The total amount of winter rainfall is locally known as ‘mahawat’. It is small but very important for rabi crops.

Q13: What is known as ‘Kaal Baisakhi’?
Ans: Violent thunderstorms in the Gangetic plains of India are locally known as Kaal Baisakhi. These localized events are generally associated with thunderstorms accompanied by strong winds and torrential rainfall.

Q14: What are ‘mango showers’?
Ans: Towards the close of the summer season, pre-monsoon showers are common, especially in Kerala and Karnataka. They help in the early ripening of mangoes and are often referred to as mango showers.

Q15: How is the weather at the retreat of the monsoon?
Ans: The retreat of the monsoon is marked by clear skies and a rise in temperature.

Q16: What is Mawsynram reputed for?
Ans: Mawsynram is the wettest place on Earth. It is also reputed for its stalagmite and stalactite caves.

Q17: Name two regions where rainfall is low.
Ans: The interior of the Deccan plateau and east of the Sahyadris.

Q18: What do you mean by October heat?
Ans: The weather becomes oppressive during the daytime in the month of October due to conditions of high temperature and humidity. This is commonly known as October heat.

Q19: Name the two branches of the monsoon.
Ans: The Arabian Sea branch and The Bay of Bengal branch.

Q20: What is known as the ‘burst’ of the monsoon?
Ans: Around the time of the monsoon’s arrival, the normal rainfall increases suddenly and continues constantly for several days. This is known as the “burst” of the monsoon.

Q21: When does the Bay of Bengal branch of the monsoon arrive in Assam?
Ans: It arrives in Assam in the first week of June.

Q22: When does Delhi receive the monsoon showers and from which branch?
Ans: Delhi generally receives the monsoon showers from the Bay of Bengal branch by the end of June.

Q23: Mention summer months.
Ans: From March to May, it is the hot weather season or summer in India.

Q24: The peninsular region does not have a well-defined cold season. Why?
Ans: There is hardly any noticeable seasonal change in temperature pattern during winters in the peninsular region due to the moderating influence of the sea.

Q25: When does the monsoon reach Himachal Pradesh and the rest of the country?
Ans: The monsoon reaches Himachal Pradesh and the rest of the country by mid-July.