NCERT QUESTIONS
monsoonwinds over the
Exercises
The summer monsoons cause sub-continent.
rainfall when they blow from seatoheavy
four
1. Choose the correct answer from the
alternatives given below. The winter monsoon winds blow land.
(ü) Which one of the following places receives the interior of the continent to the
the highest rainfall in the world? and do not cause much rain. There
(a) Silchar (6) Mawsynram a seasonal reversal of the wind
c) Cherrapunji (d) Guwahati
'monsoon'.
system
The wind blowing in the northern plains (ii) Which part of India does experience the
in summers is known as: highest diurnal range of temperature and
(a) Kaal Baisakhi (b) Lo0 why?
(c) Trade Winds (d) None ofthe above Ans. The Thar desert experiences the highest
Ans. diurnal range of temperature. This js
(iüü) Which one of the following causes rainfall because during the day the temperature
during winters in north-western part of rises to over 50°C, and at night due to the
India. absence of the sun and lack of vegetation
(a) Cyclonic depression the temperature drops to below 15°C the
(b) Retreating monsoon same night.
(c) Western disturbances (iv) Which winds account for rainfall along
() Southwest mnonsoon the Malabar coast?
Ans. Ans. Arabian Sea Branch of the South West
(iv) Monsoon arrives in India approximately summer Monsoons.
in:
(v) What are jet streams and how do they
(a) Early May (b) Early July affect the climate of India?
(c) Earlv June (d) Early August
Ans. Jet streams are a narrow belt of high
Ans.
altitude (above 12,000 m) westerly winds in
(v) Which one of the following characterises the troposphere. Their speed varies from
the cold weather season in India? about 110 km/h in summer to about 184
(a) Warm days and warm nights
(b) Warm days and cold nights km/h in winter. A number of jet streams
exist but the most constant are the mid
(c) Cooldays and cold nights
(d) Cold days and warm nights latitude and the sub-tropical jet stream.
Ans. ) The jet streams located over 27°-30°
north latitudes are known as subtropical
2. Answer the following questions briefly. westerly jet streams. These jet streams
(i) What are the factors affecting the climate blow south of the Himalayas throughout
of India?
Ans. The factors controlling the climate of the year except in summer. These are
India are: responsible for the western cyclonic
(a) Latitude disturbances experienced in the north
(b) Altitude and north western parts of the country
(c) Pressure and winds (jet streams) These jet streams move north of the
(d) Distance from the sea Himalayas with the apparent migration
(e) Relief or mountains of the sun.
(iü) Why does India have a monsoon type of During the summers at about 14°N, an
climate?
easterly jet stream called the subtropical
Ans. India has a monsoon type of climate easterly jet stream blows over peninsulat
because of the strong influence of the India.
(vi) Define
monsoons. What do you
by break" reverfotClimate 149
twind dvetio
Ans. The word
in monsoon? understand -ekePlace
Ans. Land and water are of the trdian sut Coreh
monsOon has been derived
from the Arabic so the rate of heatingdifferent densities,
means season. In word mausim' which The Indian and cooling varies.
subcontinent is surrounded
blow from land to this season the winds by water on three
sides.
from sea to land forsea for 6 months and land mass of India is In summer the
warmer than the
The break in the 6 months.
monsoon rainfall refers surrounding sea, therefore there is low
to the dry spells when pressure. The sea is c0oler, thereby
takes place only for a the monsoon rain having higher pressure. So the
These breaks are few days at a time. blow from sea to land. winds
of the monsoon related to the movement In winter the land has high
the monsoon trough. When the axis of the sea has low pressure. pressure while
trough lies over the
then the rainfall plains, winds blow towards the sea. Therefore, the
is Thus a seasonal
the trough moves heavier there. When reversal of wind direction takes place.
the plains are drytowards the Himalayas, (ii) The bulk of rainfall
in India is
but there is heavy
rainfall occur Over the concentrated over a few months.
(viü)) Why is the monsoon mountains. Ans. In India the bulk of
the rainfall is
bond? considered a unifying Concentrated over a few months. The
Ans. The subcontinent main source of rainfall is the
of India has a great monsoon
wind which blows when
variation in temperature there is
conditions,
despite the moderating influence intense low pressure on the land. The
by other factors. The created surrounding waterbody is cool and has
monsoons
unifying influence as the rainfall have a high pressure. This ideal temperature
that is and pressure is caused in May, when the
caused affects the entire country. rain falls between June - September and
is thus supplied for agricultural Water it becomes cooler (high pressure).
as well as to activities Rest
the rivers for use all over of the year is practically dry.
the country. The monsoons thus bind the (iü) The Tamil Nadu coast receives winter
entire continent, where all wait eagerly rainfall winds.
for their arrival. Ans. During the winter season the Tamil
3. Why does the rainfall decrease from the east Nadu coast receives rain from the north
to the west in Northern India? east Monsoon which blow from land to
Ans. The low pressure area in India lies in the sea. They do not cause any rain in the
north west, towards which the South West northern part of the country. But while
Monsoon winds are attracted. After depositing crossing the Bay of Bengal they pick up
moisture and cause rain on the eastern
moisture in south India, the Bay of Bengal coat of south India, mainly the Tamil
branch of the South West Monsoons strike
Nadu coast.
the Khasi - Garo Hills. After causing heavy (iv) The delta region of the eastern coast is
rainfall on the windward slopes, these winds
turn westwards because of the presence of frequently struck by cyclones.
the lofty Himalayas. These winds then keep Ans. The delta region of the eastern cvast is
depositing rainfall a they go up the Ganga frequently struck by cyclones as the low
pressure conditions over north western
valley towards the low pressure area. The
India get transferred to the Bay the Bengal
rainfall deposited thus keeps on decreasing by early November. This shift is responsible
as the winds proceed from east to west in for the occurrence of cyclonic depressions
Northern India, as this is the last region to which originate over the Andaman
be affected by the monsoons. sea. These then cross the eastern coast
*. Give reasons as to why: causing heavy widespread rain leading to
direction takes great damage to life and property.
() Seasonal reversal of wind
subcontinent?
place over the Indian
-c9
Rajasthan, Gujarat and the
(v) Parts of Ghats are
leeward side of the Western
drought-prone.
Ans. Relief/Mountains play an important role Ansula
India.
in the distribution of rainfall in West 7. Give an account of weather
conditions and
winds (South
The moisture laden characteristics of the cold season.
Monsoons) cause heavy rain on
the
Ghats Ans. During the cold season the skies are clear.
windwardslopes of the Western temperatures and humidity are low and
winds cross
and Khasi-Garo hills. As the winds are fecble and variable.
less
over to the leeward slopes, there is The temperature is higher in the south due
rainfall as most of it has been deposited
to the moderating influence of the sea hut
on the slope facing the winds. All the arca decreases as one goes northwards where it
on the leeward side is deprived of rain ranges between 10° and 15° Celsius. Frost is
and is drought prone. Rajasthan also lies common in the north and there is snowfall
in the rain shadow of the Aravalli hills. in the higher slopes of the Himalayas. Winds
5. Describe the regional variationsin the climatic blow from land to sea and are dry except
conditions of India with the help of suitable when they pick up moisture from the Bav of
examples. Bengal and cause rainfall in Tamil Nadu
Ans. There is a great regional variation in A characteristic feature of the coldweather
the climatic conditions of India (mainly season is the low pressure system which enters
temperature and rainfall). In summer, the north west India from the Mediterranean Sea
temperature rises above 50°C in some parts These are also known as the temperate or
of Rajasthan while in Jammu and Kashmir westerly depression cyclones and cause winter
it is about 20°C. The temperature in Drass rain and snowfall in the hills/mountains. This
during winters goes down to even minus 45°C rain is beneficial for the growth of Rabi crops.
while at Thiruvananthapuram it is 22°C. 8. Give the characteristics and effects of the
The precipitation varies from over 400 cm in monsoon rainfall in India,
Meghalaya to less than 10cm inLadakh and Ans. The monsoon rain has certain characteristics
western Rajasthan. While the precipitation which make it unique.
in most of India is in the form of rain, the (a) Monsoon winds are unreliable, as the
mountains experience snowfall. The larger exact time of arrival and departure is
part of the country receives rain between June not the same year after year.
to September. Parts of Tamil Nadu receive rain (b) The rainfall is unevenly distributed. Certain
between November and December. Coastal areas receive heavy rainfall (windward
regions have a moderate climate whereas areas slopes of the Western Ghats) while in
in the interior have an extreme or continental other areas the rainfall is less (Thar
climate. Desert), causing floods and droughts.
(c) The monsoon rain is concentrated with1n
the three months (June - September)
of the year while the rest of the year 1S
more or less dry.
(d) There is a seasonal reversal of winds.
The monsoon rains are important iin India and
itseffect can be seen when they arrive. All Ove
the country people eargerly wait for its arrival.
The farmers are ready to sow their seeds
is
and the agricultural activities begin. Waterr
different
provided to the rivers which carry itto animals
parts of the country. Plants and
(c) rejuvenate with the coming of the monsoor
rivers
The supply of water through the
is veryimportant for the generation of power
Map Skills
On an outline map of India, show the following.
) Areas receiving rainfall over 400 cm.
(i) Areas receiving less than 20 em of rainfal.
2) The direction of the South-West Monsoon over India.
Ans.
(i)
INDIA
POLITICAL
() 281
h6 ()
(iii)
h2
121
Scale 1: 16,000,000
8 Klomeres 100 100 200 300 400 500 Kilometes
80 84 9
Over 400 cm of Rainfall
Less than 20 cm of Rainfall
Direction of South-West Monsoon
Climate 16
are marked on the
outline map of India. Identify
features
S8. Two
provided and mark them. the features on the basis of informatio
(a) Area receiving rainfall less than 20 cm
(6) Area receiving rainfall more than 400 cm.
INDIA
POLITICAL
LOWEST AND HIGHEST RAINFALL
92
84
BO