Geography · Environmental Studies

Climate, Weather, and Geography

2,121 Questions

Climate, weather, and geography examine temperature variations, wind patterns, atmospheric hazards, and global climate zones. This hub addresses climographs, thunderstorm triggers, and regional climate descriptors. These concepts are essential for UPSC, SSC, and RRB general studies and geography exams.

Temperature variationWind patternsClimate zonesDesert climateWeather events

Climate, Weather, and Geography Questions

Multiple choice

Temperature generally decreases towards the poles because

  1. Air movement is generally towards the equator

  2. Cold polar air masses prevent surface heating of the land

  3. Cold surfaces do not absorb solar energy as readily as warm surfaces

  4. Progressively lesser solar energy per unit area falls on the earth’s surface as we move to polar regions
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

 The declination of the sun in a year's time is 23 ½° + 23 ½° i.e. 47°. The two tropics (of Cancer and Capricorn) represent the farthest limits of the vertical rays of the Sun. As the angle of Sun’s rays decreases pole ward; the amount of insolation received also decreases in that direction.

Multiple choice

A temperature inversion is most likely to occur under which of the following conditions?

  1. Mountain top in late evening

  2. Windy but cloudy night

  3. Calm, cloudy and humid night

  4. Calm, clear and cool winter night
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

 Temperature inversion: upward reversal of the normal environmental temperature lapse rate. So, that the air temperature increases upward. The following types on the basis of relative heights from the earth's surface at which it occurs and the type of air circulation:1. Non-advectional inversion (i) Ground or surface inversion or radiation inversion (ii) Upper air inversion y2. Advectional inversioin (i) Frontal inversion or cyclonic inversion (ii) Valley inversion due to vertical air movement (iii) Surface inversion due to horizontal air movement3. Mechanical inversion (i) Subsidence inversion (ii) Turbulence and Convective inversionThe ground surface inversion occurs under the following conditions: a) Long winter nights, so that the loss of heat by terrestrial radiation from the ground surface during night may exceed the amount of insolation received from the Sun through incoming shortwave electro-magnetic radiation waves and thus the ground surface becomes too cold. b) Cloudless and clear sky, so that the loss of heat through terrestrial radiation proceeds more rapidly without any obstruction. c) Presence of dry air near the ground surface so that it may not absorb much heat radiated from the earth's surface. d) Slow movement of air, so that there is no transfer and mixing of heat in the lower layers of the atmosphere.

Multiple choice

The clouds extending from one side of horizon to other as a dark grey sheet having uniform base are called:

  1. Stratus clouds

  2. Cumulus clouds

  3. Cirrus clouds

  4. Nimbus clouds
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

 Cirrus : 'Cirrus' in latin means a shape similar to a lock of curly hair.
Stratus : 'Stratus' in latin refers to a sheet-like formations. Nimbus : 'Nimbus' refers to rain-bearing cloud. Cumulus : 'Cumulus' in latin refers to a heap or a pile shape and this cloud grows vertically.

Multiple choice

Which one of the following statements is correct? Hurricanes

  1. form at the equator

  2. are not as large as tornadoes

  3. develop over warm ocean areas

  4. tend to intensify when they move over land surfaces
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

 The source of tropical cyclones occurrence lies between 5° to 30° latitudes in both the hemispheres. They never form exactly over the equator. A tropical hurricane is nearly circular vortex averting 500 to 600 km in diameter. The diameter of small sized Tornado violent storm varies from 150 to 600 meters. Hurricanes form only over oceans having a high surface temperature (27°C). Whenever a tropical cyclone moves on to land, much of its severity is reduced simply because its source of moisture is cut off. In other words, no energy is available on land to maintain a cyclone. The weakening of the hurricane over land is also the result of increased friction.

Multiple choice

Assertion (A): Generally, temperature decreases from the equator towards poles which is called temperature gradient. But the highest temperature is never recorded at the equator, instead it is recorded near both the tropics. Reason (R): A sizeable portion of the incoming solar radiation is reflected by clouds and a large part of heat is spent in the process of evaporation.

  1. Both (A) and (R) are true and (R) is the correct explanation of (A).

  2. Both (A) and (R) are true, but (R) is not the correct explanation of (A).

  3. (A) is true, but (R) is false.

  4. (A) is false, but (R) is true.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

 The temperature of the atmosphere of a particular place near the ground surface depends on the amount of insolation received at that place. Since the amount of insolation received by the ground surface decreases poleward from the equator i.e. from low latitudes towards high latitudes because the Sun's rays become more and more oblique (slanting) poleward and hence air temperature also decreases poleward. It may be noted that though Sun's rays are almost vertical over the equator throughout the year but there is no maximum temperature on it rather maximum temperature is recorded along 20°N latitude in July because major portion of insolation is reflected by clouds and sizeable amount of heat is lost in evaporation in the low latitude zone (equatorial zone).

Multiple choice

Assertion (A): The surface winds spiral inwards upon the centre of the cyclone. Reason (R): Air descends in the centre of the cyclone.

  1. Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.

  2. Both A and R are true, but R is NOT the correct explanation of A.

  3. A is true, but R is false.

  4. A is false, but R is true.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The surface winds spiral inwards to the centre of the cyclone, which creates a low pressure area in the centre.

Multiple choice

Consider the following climatic and geographical phenomena:

  1. Condensation
  2. High temperature and humidity
  3. Orography
  4. Vertical wind

Thunder cloud development is due to which of the above phenomena?

  1. 1 and 2

  2. 2, 3 and 4

  3. 1, 3 and 4

  4. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Thunder cloud develops due to high temperature and humidity, which push the wind vertically upwards within the atmosphere. Water vapours condense to form clouds, which precipitate to rain due to the presence of orography.

Multiple choice

A new type of El Nino called El Nino Modoki appeared in the news. In this context, consider the following statements:

  1. Normal El Nino forms in the Central Pacific Ocean, whereas El Nino Modoki forms in Eastern Pacific Ocean.
  2. Normal El Nino results in diminished hurricanes in the Atlantic Ocean, but El Nino Modoki results in a greater number of hurricanes with greater frequency.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. 1 only

  2. 2 only

  3. Both 1 and 2

  4. Neither 1 nor 2
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Normal El Nino forms in Southeastern Pacific, whereas El Nino Modoki forms in Central Pacific and causes greater number of hurricanes.

Multiple choice

Consider the following climatic conditions (northern hemisphere):

 
Temp. Rainfall
oC Cm
J 3.9 4.7
F 4.4 5.7
M 8.3 8.2
A 14.4 9.2
M 20.0 9.2
J 23.3 17.7
J 27.8 14.5
A 27.8 14.0
S 22.3 12.7
O 18.3 7.0
N 12.2 5.0
D 6.7 3.5

These are most likely to be found in the natural regions of

  1. China type

  2. equatorial type

  3. hot desert type

  4. monsoon type
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The climatic conditions which are given in the table denote the climatic condition of China.

Multiple choice

Consider the following statements about ‘Roaring Forties’:

  1. They blow uninterrupted in northern and southern hemispheres.
  2. They blow with great strength and consistency.
  3. Their direction is generally from north-west to east in the southern hemisphere.
  4. Overcast skies, rain and raw weather are generally associated with them.

Which of these statements are correct?

  1. 1, 2 and 3

  2. 2, 3 and 4

  3. 1, 3 and 4

  4. 1, 2 and 4
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

The westerlies in the southern hemisphere are called roaring forties.

Multiple choice

An area which has not been glaciated may show

  1. hanging valleys

  2. corries & pyramidal peaks

  3. drumlins

  4. V-shaped valleys

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Hanging valleys, corries, pyramidal peaks, and drumlins are all landforms created by glacial erosion or deposition. V-shaped valleys are characteristic of river erosion in non-glaciated mountainous regions.