Climates of India
1. What is the main difference between weather and climate?
Answer: Weather refers to short-term atmospheric conditions (e.g., rain, sunshine) experienced hourly or daily, while climate is the long-term pattern of weather in a region over decades.
2. How do seasons relate to both weather and climate?
Answer: Seasons influence daily weather patterns (e.g., rainy during monsoon) and are part of the long-term climate, as the recurring cycle of seasons shapes a region’s climate.
3. Name the six traditional Indian seasons (ṛitus) mentioned in the chapter.
Answer: The six traditional Indian seasons are vasanta (spring), grīṣhma (summer), varṣhā (rainy season), śharad (autumn), hemanta (pre-winter), and śiśhir (winter).
4. Why is India’s climate described as diverse?
Answer: India’s climate is diverse due to its varied geography, including the Himalayas, Thar Desert, coastal areas, and Deccan Plateau, each with distinct climatic conditions.
5. What is the alpine climate found in the Himalayas like?
Answer: The alpine climate in the Himalayas has cold, snowy winters and cool summers, requiring thick clothing.
6. How does the tropical wet climate of the western coastal strip support agriculture?
Answer: The tropical wet climate, with heavy monsoon rainfall, supports the growth of crops like rice and spices.
7. What role does latitude play in determining India’s climate?
Answer: Latitude affects climate by determining the angle of the sun’s rays. Near the Equator (e.g., Kanniyakumari), it’s warmer due to direct rays; farther north (e.g., Srinagar), it’s cooler due to oblique rays.
8. Why are hill stations like Ooty cooler than nearby plains like Coimbatore?
Answer: Hill stations like Ooty are cooler due to higher altitude, where lower air density and distance from the Earth’s heated surface reduce temperatures.
9. How does proximity to the sea moderate temperatures in coastal areas?
Answer: The sea absorbs and releases heat slowly, keeping coastal areas like Mumbai cooler in summer and milder in winter compared to inland areas like Nagpur.
10. What are monsoon winds, and how do they form?
Answer: Monsoon winds are seasonal winds caused by differences in heating between land and ocean. In summer, heated land creates low pressure, drawing moist ocean winds; in winter, cooler land creates high pressure, pushing dry winds toward the ocean.
11. Why do the Western Ghats receive more rainfall than the Deccan Plateau during the southwest monsoon?
Answer: The Western Ghats act as a barrier, forcing moist monsoon winds to rise and condense, causing heavy rainfall on their western slopes, while the Deccan Plateau in their rain shadow receives less.
12. What is the significance of the northeast monsoon for south and east India?
Answer: The northeast monsoon brings rainfall to parts of south and east India as dry land winds pick up moisture over the Bay of Bengal, supporting agriculture in those regions.
13. How does topography influence India’s climate?
Answer: Topography, like the Himalayas, blocks cold winds from Central Asia, while flat areas like the Thar Desert are exposed to hot, dry winds, shaping regional climates.
14. What is a microclimate, and where might it occur?
Answer: A microclimate is a localized climate differing from the surrounding area, occurring in places like enclosed valleys, forests, or urban heat islands with many buildings.
15. How does climate influence cultural festivals in India?
Answer: Climate influences festivals tied to seasons and agriculture, such as Baisakhi and Onam, which celebrate harvests and rainfall, reflecting local traditions.
16. What economic impacts does a monsoon failure have?
Answer: A monsoon failure reduces rainfall, harming agriculture, causing water shortages, increasing food prices, fueling inflation, and prompting migration of laborers to cities.
17. How are cyclones formed, and what is the “eye of the cyclone”?
Answer: Cyclones form when low-pressure systems over the sea draw in moist air, forming clouds that rotate. The eye is the calm, cloudless center of the cyclone.
18. Why are states like Bihar and Assam particularly vulnerable to floods?
Answer: States like Bihar and Assam are flood-prone due to heavy monsoon rainfall, flat terrain, and large river systems that overflow, causing water to inundate land.
19. What human activities increase the risk of landslides in hilly regions?
Answer: Deforestation, improper infrastructure construction, and building too many structures that block water flow increase landslide risks in hilly areas.
20. How does the burning of fossil fuels contribute to climate change?
Answer: Burning fossil fuels releases greenhouse gases like CO2, which trap extra heat in the atmosphere, causing rapid global warming and disrupting climate patterns.
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