9. What are winds and how are they caused?

Ans:Winds are horizontal movements of air from areas of high pressure to low [Link]
are caused due to unequal heating of the Earth’s surface, which creates pressure differences.
10. How is a wind named?
Ans: A wind is named after the direction from which it blows, not the direction it moves
[Link]: A wind blowing from the north is called a north wind.
11. (a) Explain why air does not move in a straight path.
Ans:Air does not move in a straight path due to the rotation of the Earth, which causes
deflection of winds.
(b) What is this curving motion of winds called?
Ans:This curving motion is called the Coriolis Effect.
(c) Name the law that determines the direction of this curving motion.
Ans: Ferrel’s Law
(d) State the law named in (c).
Ans:According to Ferrel’s Law:
a)Winds are deflected to the right in the Northern Hemisphere
b)Winds are deflected to the left in the Southern Hemisphere
12. Name the two quantities used to describe a wind.
Ans: a)Direction. B)Speed (velocity)
13. (a) What are permanent winds?
Ans:Permanent winds are winds that blow throughout the year in a fixed direction.
(b) State their name and direction in:
(i) Tropical latitudes – Trade Winds —Blow from subtropical high pressure belts to equatorial
low pressure belt.
Direction: NE Trades (NH), SE Trades (SH)
(ii) Temperate latitudes – Westerlies —Blow from subtropical highs to subpolar lows
Direction: West to East
(iii) Polar latitudes – Polar Easterlies —Blow from polar highs to subpolar lows
Direction: East to West
14. Why are the Westerlies known as the “Roaring Forties” and the “Furious Fifties” in the
Southern Hemisphere?
Ans:Because in the Southern Hemisphere there are few landmasses, allowing the westerlies
to blow strongly and continuously over oceans between 40°–60° S, producing very stormy
conditions.
15. What are periodic winds? Give two examples.
Ans: Periodic winds are winds that change direction at regular intervals.
Examples: a)Monsoon winds b) Land and sea breezes
16. Differentiate between land breeze and sea breeze.
Land Breeze Sea Breeze
a)Blows at night b) Blows during day
b)From land to sea b) From sea to land
c) Generates due to c) Generates due to
faster cooling of faster heating of
land land.

17. (a) Why are Monsoon Winds considered to be periodic winds?

Ans: Because they reverse their direction seasonally (i.e in summer and winter).
(b) State one similarity and one difference between Monsoon winds and land & sea
breezes.
Similarity: Both are caused due to unequal heating of land and sea
Difference:Monsoons change seasonally. Where as, Land & sea breezes change daily.
18. State one effect of each:
(i) Land and sea breezes :They moderate the coastal climate.
(ii) Monsoon winds :They bring seasonal rainfall, especially important for agriculture in
India.
19. What are Variable Winds?
Ans: Variable winds are winds that do not blow in a fixed direction and occur irregularly.
Example: Cyclones, anticyclones.
20. Differentiate between the following:
Cyclone Anti-cyclone
i)Low pressure centre i) High pressure centre
ii)Air moves inward ii) Air moves outward
iii) Associated with bad weather iii) Associated with fair weather
 Tornado Water-spouts
i)Forms over land. i)Forms over waterbody.
ii)Very destructive. ii)Less destructive.

22. What are Jet Streams? Where and how are they formed?
Ans: Jet streams are narrow bands of very fast-moving winds in the upper troposphere.
They are formed due to sharp temperature differences between air masses.
23. (a) Name two hot depression winds and mention the region over which they blow.
Ans: i)Loo – Northern India. ii)Sirocco – Sahara to Southern Europe
(b) Name two cold depression winds and mention the region over which they blow.
Ans: i)Blizzard – USA and Canada. Ii)Mistral – Southern France
(c) Name two descending winds and mention the region where they blow.
Ans: i)Chinook – Eastern slopes of the Rockies. ii)Foehn – Alps.
24. Explain why:
(i) Atmospheric pressure decreases with increase in altitude.
Ans: Because the density of air decreases with height. At higher altitudes there is less air
above, so the weight of the air column decreases, resulting in lower pressure.
(ii) Atmospheric pressure increases with decrease in temperature.
Ans: When temperature decreases, air becomes colder and denser, causing it to sink and
exert greater pressure on the Earth’s surface.
(iii) Moist air exerts less pressure than dry air.
Ans: Moist air contains water vapour, which is lighter than dry air. Hence moist air is less
dense and exerts less pressure.
(iv) Low pressure is associated with cloudy skies and wet weather.
Ans: In low-pressure areas, air rises, cools and condenses to form clouds and rainfall, leading
to wet weather.
(v) High pressure is associated with clear and sunny skies.
Ans: In high-pressure areas, air subsides (moves downward), preventing condensation and
cloud formation, resulting in clear skies.
(vi) Pressure belts are not continuous.
Ans: Pressure belts are disrupted by unequal distribution of land and water, seasonal
temperature changes, and relief features, making them discontinuous.
(vii) The Equatorial low-pressure belt is also known as the “Doldrums”.
Ans: Because this region experiences calm conditions with little or no wind, often causing
sailing ships to be stranded.
(viii) The latitudes 30°–35° North and South of the Equator constitute high-pressure belts.
Ans: Air rising at the Equator moves poleward and descends around 30°–35°, becoming
denser and creating subtropical high-pressure belts.
(ix) The Trade Winds bring rain to the eastern margins of continents.
Ans: Trade winds blow from oceans toward continents, carrying moist air, which causes
orographic or convectional rainfall on eastern coastal regions.
(x) The Westerlies bring rain to the western margins of continents.
Ans: Westerlies blow from west to east, picking up moisture from oceans and causing rainfall
on western coastal areas of continents.
29. Countries like the United States experience tornadoes and hurricanes, which are
examples of variable winds.
(i) How do these systems relate to the global wind system?
Ans: Tornadoes and hurricanes develop due to disturbances in the global wind and pressure
systems, especially where warm moist air meets cold air or over warm ocean waters
influenced by prevailing winds like the Trade Winds and Westerlies.
(ii) What is their impact on rainfall and weather?
Ans: They cause heavy rainfall, violent winds, thunderstorms, floods, and severe destruction,
leading to extreme and unstable weather conditions.
30. Early sailors relied heavily on trade winds to navigate their ships across the Atlantic
Ocean to the Americas.
(i) Explain how trade winds are created.
Ans: Trade winds are created due to the movement of air from the subtropical high-pressure
belts (30° N & S) towards the equatorial low-pressure belt, deflected by the Coriolis Effect,
resulting in NE Trade Winds in the Northern Hemisphere and SE Trade Winds in the Southern
Hemisphere.
(ii) Why are trade winds helpful for navigation?
Ans: Trade winds are regular, steady, and blow in a fixed direction, making sea voyages
predictable and faster, which helped early sailors cross oceans safely.