Question 1

What determines the amount of water vapour in the air?

Answer
The amount of water vapour in the air is determined by
temperature. The hotter the air, the more the water vapour
present in it. When the atmospheric temperature is low, water
vapour is less.

Question 2
How is relative humidity determined?
Answer
Relative humidity is expressed as the ratio between the
absolute humidity of a given mass of air and the maximum
amount of water vapour that it can hold at the same
temperature.

Question 3
Name four chief forms of condensation.
Answer
Four chief forms of condensation are-
1. Clouds
2. Dew
3. Frost
4. Fog and mist

Question 4
Mention the different forms of precipitation.
Answer
The different forms of precipitation are-
1. Rain
2. Snow
3. Hail

Question 5
Give one difference between fog and mist.
Answer

Fog Mist

It refers to the formation of

Droplets of water suspended in the
clouds due to change in
atmosphere close to the surface of
temperature or change in
the earth are termed as fog.
humidity.

Question 6
What do you understand by 'condensation nuclei'?
Answer
Condensation occurs only around tiny solid particles like dust
or carbon dioxide in smoke. These impurities in air are known
as condensation nuclei.

Question 7
State the three types of rainfall.
Answer
The three types of rainfall are-
1. Convectional rainfall
2. Orographic rainfall
3. Cyclonic rainfall

Question 8
Why is orographic rainfall also called relief rainfall?
Answer
Orographic rainfall is caused by the relief of the land as it
occurs from the cooling of warm moist air which ascends
above the mountain barrier lying in the direction of the
prevailing winds. The presence of mountains causes humid air
to rise. The sudden ascent causes cooling of air, leading to
condensation and precipitation. Hence, it is also called relief
rainfall.

Question 9
What is cyclonic rainfall? What are fronts?
Answer
Cyclonic rainfall occurs due to cyclones and depressions
irrespective of relief or convection. It is caused by
convergence of two different air masses with different
temperatures and other physical properties. When warm and
cold air masses confront each other, the warmer air generally
climbs above the colder air. The boundary zones of these air
masses are called the fronts.
The rising air is cooled while undergoing a frontal lift. This
causes precipitation. Such precipitation is called cyclonic
rainfall.
Explain the following terms

Question 1
Precipitation
Answer
The process by which the droplets fall to ground in liquid,
solid or frozen form is known as precipitation.

Question 2
Evaporation
Answer
The process by which water vapour enters the atmosphere on
heating is known as evaporation.

Question 3
Condensation
Answer
The process by which water vapour forms water droplets on
cooling is known as condensation.

Question 4
Humidity
Answer
The amount of water vapour present in air is known as
humidity.
Structured Questions

Question 1(a)
What is 'humidity'? How is humidity measured?
Answer
The amount of water vapour present in air is known as
humidity.
Humidity of the atmosphere is measured with the help of a
hygrometer.

Question 1(b)
Distinguish between Absolute Humidity and Relative
Humidity.
Answer

Absolute Humidity Relative Humidity

It is the measure of the

It measures water vapour in air but relative
actual amount of water
to maximum vapour that the air can hold
vapour in the air,
at that temperature.
regardless of temperature.

It is expressed as the ratio between the

It is expressed as grams of
absolute humidity of a given mass of air
moisture per cubic meter
and the maximum amount of water vapour
of air.
that it can hold at the same temperature.
 Absolute Humidity Relative Humidity

Warm air possesses more water vapour

The higher the amount of than cold air, so with the same amount of
water vapour, the higher is absolute humidity, air will have a different
the absolute humidity. relative humidity depending on
temperature.

In weather calculations,
It is the essential characteristic of weather
absolute humidity is
forecasts, which indicates the likelihood of
generally not taken into
precipitation, dew or fog.
account.

Question 1(c)
Give a geographical reason for each of the following:
(i) The total volume of water in the oceans and seas remains
constant.
(ii) In Equatorial regions the sky often remains overcast with
clouds.
(iii) Human comfort depends on humidity.
Answer
(i) The total volume of water in the oceans and seas remains
constant because all the water that evaporates from the earth's
water bodies is eventually returned to it directly by the
process of condensation and precipitation, and indirectly by
stream and overflow from land surfaces.
(ii) In Equatorial regions the sky often remains overcast with
clouds due to excessive heat. The high temperature leads to
the rapid heating of air. Such heated air rises in convectional
currents, leading to development of clouds at about 10 km
height.
(iii) Human comfort depends on humidity because highly
humid air is more oppressive. The human body dissipates heat
through perspiration and its evaporation. Under conditions of
high relative humidity, the rate of evaporation of sweat from
the skin decreases and the human being feels warm and
uncomfortable.

Question 2(a)
What is condensation? Explain briefly the process of
condensation.
Answer
The process by which water vapour forms water droplets on
cooling is known as condensation.
During condensation, the latent heat locked in water vapour is
released back into the atmosphere. Condensation can take
place only when water vapour is added to saturated air or
when the temperature falls below the temperature at which air
becomes saturated.

Question 2(b)
Explain the atmospheric conditions that favour condensation.
Answer
The atmospheric conditions that favour condensation are-
1. There should be a high amount of water vapour present
in atmosphere.
 2. Minuscule particles of dust, salt and even smoke act as
condensation nuclei.
3. The temperature of air must be below dew point
temperature so as to encourage condensation.

Question 2(c)
Give a geographical reason for each of the following:
(i) Condensation is the reverse process of evaporation.
(ii) Coasts receive more rainfall than the interior of the
continents.
(iii) The windward sides of mountains receive more rainfall
than the leeward sides.
Answer
(i) Condensation is the reverse process of evaporation as
evaporation is the process by which water vapour enters the
atmosphere on heating while condensation is the process by
which water vapour is converted back to water droplets on
cooling.
(ii) Coasts receive more rainfall than the interior of the
continents because the humidity in the clouds is high when
they are at the coast. When they reach the interior of the
continents, they have already shed water in the form of rain,
and so, they do not have much humidity left to cause rainfall.
(iii) The windward sides of mountains receive more rainfall
than the leeward sides because the sudden ascent of warm
moist air on the windward sides causes cooling of air, leading
to condensation and precipitation.
On the contrary, on descending the leeward slope, a decrease
in altitude increases both the pressure and the temperature,
leading the air to get compressed and warm. Consequently,
the relative humidity drops and there is evaporation and little
or no precipitation in the rain shadow area.

Question 3(a)
How is dew formed? What is the difference between fog and
mist?
Answer
When water vapour condenses on the surface, it forms tiny
droplets of water called dew.
The difference between fog and mist is as follows-

Fog Mist

It refers to the formation of

Droplets of water suspended in the
clouds due to change in
atmosphere close to the surface of
temperature or change in
the earth are termed as fog.
humidity.

The density of fog is quite high. The density of mist is quite low.

The visibility in fog is lower when The visibility in mist is higher

compared to mist. when compared to fog.

The duration of fog is The duration of mists is

comparatively longer than mist. comparatively shorter than fog.

Question 3(b)
Describe briefly the orographic and convectional rainfall.
Answer
Orographic rainfall — It occurs from the cooling of warm
moist air which ascends above the mountain barrier lying in
the direction of the prevailing winds. The presence of
mountains causes humid air to rise. The sudden ascent causes
cooling of air, leading to condensation and precipitation.
Convectional rainfall — This type of rainfall is common in
equatorial regions. The high temperature leads to the rapid
heating of air. Such heated air rises in convectional currents,
leading to development of clouds at about 10 km height.
Ascending currents of hot and humid air causes condensation
of the clouds, resulting in heavy rainfall.

Question 3(c)
Give a geographical reason for each of the following:
(i) A rain shadow area is generally dry.
(ii) Frontal rain is common in mid-latitudes.
(iii) Convectional rainfall is called 4 o'clock rainfall.
Answer
(i) The sudden ascent of warm moist air on the windward
sides causes cooling of air, leading to condensation and
precipitation.
On the contrary, on descending the leeward slope, a decrease
in altitude increases both the pressure and the temperature,
leading the air to get compressed and warm. Consequently,
the relative humidity drops and there is evaporation and little
or no precipitation in the rain shadow area. Hence, a rain
shadow area is generally dry.
(ii) Frontal rain is common in mid-latitudes due to the meeting
of the sub-tropical and polar air masses. It is caused by
convergence of two different air masses with different
temperatures and other physical properties. When warm and
cold air masses confront each other, the warmer air generally
climbs above the colder air. The rising air is cooled while
undergoing a frontal lift. This causes precipitation. Such
precipitation is called cyclonic rainfall.
(iii) Convectional rainfall is called 4 o'clock rainfall as this
type of rainfall occurs in the afternoon at about 4 o'clock. This
is because the heat from the sun builds up throughout the day,
causing the air to rise and form clouds that eventually bring
rain in late afternoon around 4 o'clock.

Question 3(d)
Define precipitation. Explain briefly the three forms of
precipitation.
Answer
The process by which products of condensation, water
droplets, ice crystals, sleet, etc., fall to ground is known as
precipitation.
The three forms of precipitation are-
1. Rain — It is the most common form of precipitation.
Raindrops of smaller size and less intensity are known as
drizzle.
2. Snow — Water droplets which rise higher and freeze on
account of drop in temperature is called snow. Snowfall
usually occurs in winters in cold climates or on high
mountains.
3. Hail — Sometimes, vertical air currents may push water
droplets or ice particles higher. They form into solid ice
and fall as hail. Hailstones cause great damage to crops.