Lesson 14 - HUMIDITY

Multiple Choice Questions (Correct answers are highlighted in Bold Italics)

1. What is the term used to describe the amount of water vapour present in the atmosphere?
(a) Precipitation (b) Condensation (c) Humidity (d) Dew
3. What is absolute humidity?
(a) The total amount of precipitation in an area.
(b) The actual amount of water vapour present in the air.
(c) The percentage of water vapour in the air relative to temperature.
(d) The temperature at which water vapour condenses.
3. Absolute humidity is expressed in …………..
(a) Percentage (b) Grams per cubic meter (c) Millimeters (d) Atmosphere
4. If the air temperature decreases while absolute humidity remains constant, what happens to
the relative humidity?
(a) It decreases (b) It remains constant (c) It increases (d) It reaches 0%
5. When air reaches its saturation point, the relative humidity is ………………
(a) 50% (b) 75% (c) 100% (d) 25%
6. What causes condensation to occur in the atmosphere?
(a) Increase in temperature (b) Loss of heat
(c) Increase in air pressure (d) Decrease in altitude

7. The given below picture shows thin, feathery clouds. ldentify the type of clouds.

(a) Cumulus
(b) Cirrus
(c) Stratus
(d) Cumulonimbus

8. Which of the following is not a form of condensation?

(a) Dew (b) Frost (c) Hail (d) Fog
9. The temperature at which air becomes fully saturated is known as
(a) Saturation temperature (b) Absolute temperature
(c) Dew point (d) Humidity level
10. If the dew point is below freezing, which of the following is most likely to form?
(a) Frost (b) Rain (c) Clouds (d) Snow
10. Which among the following is the basis of difference between mist and fog?
(a) The density of the air (b) Visibility range
(c) Temperature (d) Formation process
1
11. What is the visibility range of mist?
(a) Less than 1,000 meters (b) 1,000-2,000 meters
(c) 2,000-3,000 meters (d) Over 3,000 meters

12. Precipitation occur when clouds reach 100% relative humidity because
(a) the air can no longer hold water vapour which leads to condensation.
(b) wind forces water droplets out of clouds.
(c) clouds rise to a higher altitude which causes freezing.
(d) temperature increases which forces precipitation.

13. A farmer observes heavy hail during a storm. How would this impact crops?
(a) Hail improves soil moisture (b) Hail damages crops
(c) Hail enriches the soil (d) Hail increases humidity

14. The leeward side of a mountain is also known as the

(a) humid zone (b) rain shadow area
(c) saturation zone (d) frontal zone

15. Which type of rainfall is common in equatorial regions?

(a) Relief rainfall (b) Convectional rainfall (c) Cyclonic rainfall (d) Frontal rainfall

16. Which of the following is an example of cyclonic rainfall?

(a) Rainfall on the windward side of the Western Ghats
(b) Afternoon thunderstorms in the equatorial region.
(c) Winter rain in North-West India.
(d) Snowfall in the Himalayas.

17. If a cyclone passes over a region with both warm and cold air masses, how would you classify
the resulting rainfall?
(a) Relief Rainfall (b) Convectional Rainfall
(c) Cyclonic Rainfall (d) Frontal rainfall

18. If a cyclone passes over a region with both warm and cold air masses, how would you classify
the resulting rainfall?
(a) Convectional (b) Frontal (Relief) (d) Orographic

2
Assertion-Reason Questions
1. Assertion (A): Relative humidity is higher near oceans than on continents.
Reason (R): Oceans contribute to higher levels of moisture in the atmosphere.
(a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A
(c) A is true, but R is false
(b) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A
(d) A is false, but R is true

2. Assertion (A): Relative humidity is a critical factor in determining precipitation.

Reason (R): High relative humidity decreases the chances of precipitation.
(a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A
(b) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A
(c) A is true, but R is false
(d) A is false, but R is true

3. Assertion (A): Relief rainfall is common in equatorial regions.

Reason (R): The equatorial regions experience high temperatures which causes warm air to rise and
condense.
(a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A
(b) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A
(c) A is true, but R is false
(d) A is false, but R is true

4. Assertion (A): Cyclonic rainfall occurs at the meeting point of two air masses.
Reason (R): Cyclonic rainfall is caused by the movement of warm air mass over a colder air mass.
(a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A
(b) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A
(c) A is true, but R is false
(d) A is false, but R is true.

Short Answer Type Questions

1. Explain briefly what determines the amount of water vapour in the air?
 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.

2. With reference to humidity, answer the following-

(i) Define absolute humidity.
(ii) If a mountain range is blocking moist air, what type of rainfall is likely to occur on the windward
side?
(i) Absolute humidity is the actual amount of water vapour present in the air and it is expressed in
grams per cubic meter.
(ii) Orographic rainfall is likely to occur on the windward side.

3
3. Humidity is significant in weather and climate studies. How?
 Humidity is significant in weather and climate studies as it influences precipitation, cloud
formation and human comfort. High humidity levels can lead to precipitation, while low humidity
levels indicate dry weather.
4. Mention the names of the forms of condensation.
 The names of the forms of condensation are
Clouds- These are the mass of tiny water droplets or ice crystals.
Dew- It is the moisture deposited as water droplets on cooler surfaces like stones, grass and plant
leaves.
Frost- It forms on cold surfaces when condensation occurs below freezing point (0°C).
Fog and Mist- They form when water vapour condenses on dust particles.
5. Mention the conditions necessary for the formation of condensation.
 Conditions necessary for the formation of condensation are
• Air temperature falling below the dew point.
• High water vapour content in the atmosphere.
• Presence of condensation nuclei like dust and salt.
6. With reference to humidity, answer the following.
(i) What is precipitation?
(ii) How do temperature and humidity affect the type of precipitation?
(i) Precipitation is the process by which water in liquid or solid form falls from the atmosphere to the
Earth's surface.
(ii) The type of precipitation depends on temperature (whether it's above or below freezing) and
humidity, which influence whether it falls as rain, snow, hail, or sleet.

7. Mention the forms of precipitation and their features.

 The forms of precipitation and their features are
(i) Rain- It is a precipitation in liquid state.
(ii) Snow- When the temperature is lower than 0°C precipitation takes place in the form of fine flakes
of snow
(iii) Hail- Hail is a type of precipitation that falls as small ice pellets or balls.

8. State two characteristics of convectional rainfall.

 The two characteristics of convectional rainfall are
(i) Convectional rainfall occurs when heated air rises in convection currents.
(ii) Convectional rainfall typically happens in the afternoon, around 4 o'clock, and is also called the '4
o'clock shower.'

9. With reference to humidity, answer the following

(i) State two characteristic features of the rainfall.
(ii) How is dew formed?
(i) The two characteristic features of the rainfall are

4
(a) Intensity- It refers to how the rainfall is heavy or light, ranging from light showers to heavy
downpours.
(b) Duration- It indicates how long the rainfall lasts, from brief showers to continuous rain over a
longer period.
(ii) Dew forms when warm air cools down at night causing moisture in the air to condense on cool
surfaces like grass or leaves. This happens because the temperature of the surface drops below the dew
point

Answer the following questions: ( Textbook Exercise)

1. What is evaporation? Name the factors that affect evaporation.
 Evaporation is the process by which the liquid state of water changes into water vapour.
Factors affecting evaporation include:
 Temperature of air and surface
 Wind speed
 Humidity of air
 Availability of water

2. What is condensation? When does condensation occur?

 Condensation is the process by which invisible water vapour (gaseous state) changes into water
(liquid or snow/ice).
Condensation occurs when air is cooled below its dew point temperature, or when water vapour
directly converts into ice by sublimation if the dew point is below freezing.

3. How does air get cooled?

 Air gets cooled mainly by adiabatic cooling, which happens when air rises, expands, and loses
heat. Cooling also occurs when warm air comes into contact with a colder surface or mixes with
cooler air.

4. State the conditions necessary for precipitation.

 The conditions necessary for precipitation are:
 Air must be saturated
 Cooling of air below its dew point
 Presence of condensation nuclei (dust, smoke, salt particles)
 Suitable temperature for condensation to take place

5. How is the convectional rainfall caused?

 Convectional rainfall is caused due to intense heating of the Earth’s surface. The air near the
ground gets heated, expands, and rises upwards with moisture. As it rises, it cools adiabatically,
condensation occurs, clouds form, and heavy rainfall follows.

5
6. Give two characteristic features of the convectional rainfall. Name an area which commonly
experiences this type of rainfall.
 Characteristic features:
 It usually occurs in the afternoon.
 It is torrential, often accompanied by thunder and lightning.
Area: The Equatorial Zone commonly experiences convectional rainfall.

7. What is the meaning of rain shadow? Give an example.

 Rain shadow is the dry area on the leeward side of mountains where very little rainfall occurs
because the moisture-laden winds lose their moisture on the windward side.
Example: The Deccan Plateau lies in the rain shadow region of the Western Ghats.

8. What is cyclonic rainfall? Name a region which experiences this type of rainfall.
 Cyclonic (or frontal) rainfall occurs when a warm air mass meets a cold air mass. The lighter
warm air is forced to rise over the cold air, condensation takes place, clouds form, and rainfall
occurs.
Region: North-western India experiences cyclonic rainfall in winter.

9. Give two examples of the areas that receive less than 25 cm of rainfall.
 Thar Desert in Rajasthan
 Arid regions of Ladakh

10. Explain the process of precipitation in brief.

 Precipitation occurs when condensed water vapour in clouds grows into droplets or ice crystals
that become too heavy to remain suspended in the atmosphere. When they overcome air
resistance and buoyancy, they fall to the ground as rain, snow, hail, or sleet.

13. Name the three types of rainfall.

 Convectional rainfall
 Orographic rainfall
 Cyclonic (frontal) rainfall

14. Mention two characteristics of orographic rainfall.

 It occurs on the windward side of mountains where moist winds are forced to rise and cool.
 The leeward side remains dry, forming a rain shadow area.

15. Where does cyclonic rainfall occur?

 Cyclonic rainfall occurs in regions where warm and cold air masses meet. It is common in the
temperate regions (frontal cyclones) and in tropical cyclone-prone areas like the Doldrums.