Q 1. According to the atmospheric composition shown in the chapter, if we exclude Nitrogen (78%) and Oxygen (21%), which of the following represents the correct descending order of the remaining atmospheric components by volume?
(a) Carbon Dioxide > Argon > Others
(b) Argon > Carbon Dioxide > Others
(c) Others > Argon > Carbon Dioxide
(d) Carbon Dioxide > Others > Argon
(b) Argon > Carbon Dioxide > Others
Q 2. Imagine a weather balloon ascending from the tropopause to the stratopause.
Identify the correct temperature trend and physical conditions it will experience during this transit:
(a) Temperature will decrease continuously, and it will encounter dense convective storm clouds.
(b) Temperature will increase, and it will enter a cloud-free zone containing protective ozone gas.
(c) Temperature will remain strictly constant at -80°C, and it will experience severe weather turbulence.
(d) Temperature will first decrease and then increase, passing through a region where meteorites burn up.
(b) Temperature will increase, and it will enter a cloud-free zone containing protective ozone gas.
Q 3. As a parcel of air travels horizontally from the polar regions towards the equator, what logical shift occurs in its physical properties based on the principles of insolation and humidity?
(a) Insolation decreases, lowering its temperature and decreasing its capacity to hold water vapour.
(b) Insolation increases, raising its temperature and increasing its capacity to hold water vapour.
(c) Insolation increases, raising its temperature but reducing its capacity to hold water vapour due to pressure changes.
(d) Insolation remains constant, but the air parcel’s water-holding capacity increases due to ocean proximity.
(b) Insolation increases, raising its temperature and increasing its capacity to hold water vapour.
Q 4. If a localized region on Earth undergoes extreme cooling relative to its surrounding areas, what is the atmospheric pressure outcome and the corresponding weather condition?
(a) Sinking air, creating a high-pressure zone associated with clear and sunny skies.
(b) Rising air, creating a low-pressure zone associated with cloudy skies and wet weather.
(c) Sinking air, creating a low-pressure zone associated with severe storms and fog.
(d) Rising air, creating a high-pressure zone associated with hot and humid conditions.
(a) Sinking air, creating a high-pressure zone associated with clear and sunny skies.
Q 5. Analyze the winter season (December to early April) temperature gradient in mainland India. Which of the following observations is correct?
(a) The north-west is warmer (20–25°C) than the south-east (10–15°C) because of western disturbances.
(b) The average temperatures are uniform at 10–15°C throughout the country due to global winter conditions.
(c) Temperatures increase from about 10–15°C in the north-west to about 20–25°C in the south-east.
(d) The south-east experiences sub-zero temperatures due to the retreating winter monsoons.
(c) Temperatures increase from about 10–15°C in the north-west to about 20–25°C in the south-east.
Q 6. Although the cold, dry winter monsoon (north-east monsoon) winds generally do not bring rain to most of India, they bring heavy rainfall to the south-eastern coast (especially Tamil Nadu). What is the exact physical reason?
(a) They cross the Himalayas, causing orographic precipitation on the eastern coastal plains.
(b) They are heated intensely over the Deccan Plateau, resulting in convective rainfall.
(c) They flow across the Bay of Bengal, picking up moisture before hitting the eastern coast.
(d) They merge with the advancing south-west monsoon over Karnataka.
(c) They flow across the Bay of Bengal, picking up moisture before hitting the eastern coast.
Q 7. In the history of meteorological science in India, which of the following ancient methods or texts is correctly matched with its contribution
(a) Kalidasa’s Meghadutam – Contains scientific measurements of rainfall to manage revenue and relief.
(b) Varahamihira’s Brihatsamhita – Considered lunar mansions (nakshatras) in predicting seasonal rainfall.
(c) Kautilya’s Arthashastra – Described the onset of monsoon over central India using moon positions.
(d) Krishiparashara – Traced the paths of monsoon clouds over South India.
(b) Varahamihira’s Brihatsamhita – Considered lunar mansions (nakshatras) in predicting seasonal rainfall.
Q 8. According to the 2025 Punjab Floods case study, what compounding meteorological factor exacerbated the heavy monsoon rainfall to cause severe economic and environmental devastation?
(a) Severe heatwaves causing rapid glacier melting in Tibet.
(b) Sinking air masses from the exosphere that suppressed cloud formation.
(c) Western disturbances that brought additional moisture and rain.
(d) An early retreating monsoon that reversed the flow of the Satluj river.
(c) Western disturbances that brought additional moisture and rain.
Q 9. If you are attempting to walk outside and find that large branches of trees are swaying continuously and your umbrella is extremely difficult to use, what is the estimated wind speed range?
(a) 0–1 km/hr
(b) 6–11 km/hr
(c) 39–49 km/hr
(d) 103–117 km/hr
(c) 39–49 km/hr
Q 10. Which of the following represents the complete set of greenhouse gases identified in the text that are increased by human activities, leading to global warming?
(a) Carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and water vapour.
(b) Nitrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide, and helium.
(c) Carbon dioxide, argon, neon, and krypton.
(d) Nitrous oxide, hydrogen, oxygen, and methane.
(a) Carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and water vapour.
Directions: Choose the correct option:
(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.
Q 11. Assertion (A): The exosphere contains extremely thin air, and light gases like helium and hydrogen float into space from this layer.
Reason (R): The force of gravity in the exosphere is very weak, which is unable to retain these light gases.
(a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
Q 12. Assertion (A): We do not feel the significant atmospheric force exerted by the column of air above us.
Reason (R): The air above us is extremely light and exerts almost zero pressure on our bodies at sea level.
(b) Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A.
Q 13. Assertion (A): The stratosphere is considered the most ideal layer of the atmosphere for flying aeroplanes.
Reason (R): The stratosphere contains a layer of ozone gas that absorbs harmful ultraviolet radiation from the Sun.
(b) Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A.
Q 14. Assertion (A): Temperatures decrease systematically from the Equator towards the Poles.
Reason (R): The amount of insolation (incoming solar energy intercepted by the Earth) decreases from the equator towards the poles.
(a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
Q 15. Assertion (A): During the summer monsoon (south-west monsoon), moist winds blow from the Indian Ocean towards the Indian subcontinent.
Reason (R): During summer, the landmass of India cools down much faster than the surrounding oceans, creating a high-pressure zone over the land.
(c) A is true but R is false.
Q 16. FILL IN THE BLANKS:
1. The transition zone that separates the troposphere from the stratosphere is known as the ________.
2. Atmospheric pressure is ________ at sea level and decreases rapidly with altitude.
3. ___________ are the curves which connect different geographical locations where at specific climate event occurs at the _________ time .
4. The seasonal reversal of the wind system was named ‘monsoon’ by Arab traders, derived from the Arabic word ________.
5. Under the traditional Indian calendar, the season of Sharad corresponds to the Gregorian calendar months of ________ and ________.
6. In the western and southern regions of India, the hottest month of summer is ________, whereas in northern regions, it is ________.
7. According to the Punjab floods case study of 2025, the severe floods resulted from the swelling of the Ravi, Beas, and ________ rivers.
8. The colorful display of light seen in the sky near the poles, caused by solar wind interacting with atmospheric gases, is called ________ in the Southern Hemisphere.
9. As the air gets warmer, its capacity to hold ________ increases, leading to higher humidity levels.
10. The amount of water vapour in the atmosphere generally ranges from ________ percent to ________ per cent.
1. tropopause
2. highest
3. thirty / 30
4. mausim
5. September, October
6. April, May
7. Satluj
8. Aurora Australis
9. water vapour
10. 0.1, 0.4
Q 17. Explain why the density of the atmosphere is not uniform throughout.
The atmosphere is pulled down around the Earth by gravity. Consequently, the density of air is highest near the Earth’s surface and decreases rapidly with increasing altitude
Q 18. What are Lunar Mansions ?
- Fixed Sections of the Sky: Each of the 27 equal parts is associated with a specific star or a group of stars, representing a fixed section of the night sky.
- Daily Transition: Because the Moon takes about 27 days to orbit the Earth relative to the stars, it moves through exactly one nakṣhatra each day.
- The “Mansion” Metaphor: They are poetically called “lunar mansions” because it acts as though the Moon resides in a different “house” in the sky every single night.
- Predicting Rainfall: Historically, these lunar mansions played a significant role in weather forecasting. For instance, the scholar Varāhamihira, in his ancient text Bṛihatsaṁhitā, used the positions of lunar mansions to predict seasonal rainfall—a practice that still influences some traditional farming methods in India today.
Q 19. Distinguish between ‘weather’ and ‘climate’ based on their defined parameters in the text.
Weather refers to the temporary, hour-to-hour and day-to-day conditions of the atmosphere in a specific place. Climate represents the cumulative average weather conditions and variations over a large area for an extended period of thirty years or more.
Q 20. What is ‘insolation’ and how does it determine the temperature distribution on the Earth’s surface?
Insolation is the incoming solar energy from the Sun intercepted by the Earth. Because the angle of sunlight varies, insolation decreases from the equator to the poles, causing temperature to decrease from the equator towards the poles.
Q 21. Describe about the Mission Mausam in detail ?
- Mission Mausam: This initiative is designed to position India as a global leader in weather and climate sciences. Its primary goals are to make the nation “Weather Ready” and “Climate Smart” to meet global standards. It focuses on upgrading weather and climate services by ensuring timely and precise observation, modelling, and forecasting information across multiple key sectors, most notably agriculture, disaster management, and rural development.
- National Monsoon Mission (NMM): Under this initiative, the Ministry of Earth Sciences (Government of India) has developed state-of-the-art weather and climate prediction models to enhance monsoon predictions for India across all time frames.
Q 22. Mention three differences between Land Breeze and Sea Breeze.
1. Direction of Wind Flow:
- A land breeze blows from the land towards the sea.
- A sea breeze blows from the sea towards the land.
2. Time of Occurrence:
- A land breeze occurs during the night.
- A sea breeze occurs during the day, especially in the afternoon.
3. Physical Cause and Wind Speed:
- A land breeze is driven by differential surface cooling at night, where the land cools faster than the sea. Because the temperature and pressure difference between the sea and land is relatively low, the wind speed of a land breeze is low.
Q 23. According to the case study of Punjab Floods 2025, explain how natural factors combined to cause severe flooding.
Very heavy monsoon rains were compounded by western disturbances bringing extra moisture. High antecedent water levels in the Satluj, Beas, Ravi, and Ghaggar rivers overflowed when additional runoff arrived from the local hills and J&K/Himachal Pradesh.
Q 24. Analyze the thermal and weather-related differences between the Troposphere and the Stratosphere.
- Thermal Differences: In the troposphere, temperature decreases with increasing altitude. In contrast, in the stratosphere (stretching from the tropopause up to 50 km), the temperature increases with altitude.
- Weather-Related Differences: The troposphere contains the air we breathe, most water vapour, and clouds. Almost all weather phenomena (such as rainfall, fog, and hail) occur here. The stratosphere, however, is free of clouds and weather disturbances, making it ideal for flying aeroplanes. It also contains the protective ozone layer
Q 25. Explain the physical and pressure-driven mechanism of the South-West Monsoon (Summer Monsoon) in India.
The south-west monsoon is seasonal and driven by the unequal heating of land and sea. During summer, India’s massive landmass heats up rapidly, creating a localized low-pressure system over the subcontinent. Meanwhile, the surrounding Indian Ocean remains cooler, maintaining a high-pressure zone. Because winds naturally travel from high-pressure to low-pressure areas, moist and heavy winds blow from the ocean toward the landmass, bringing widespread monsoon rainfall across India between June and September.
Q 26. What is a ‘Carbon Footprint’? Detail how daily habits influence global climate change as discussed in the text, and suggest two actions to reduce it.
- Carbon Footprint: It is defined as the total amount of greenhouse gases (like carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and water vapour) released into the atmosphere as a result of human activities.
- Influence of Daily Habits: Activities such as using private cars instead of public transport, leaving electrical appliances on, wasting water, and using single-use plastics release high volumes of greenhouse gases. These gases trap solar heat, driving global warming, glacier melting, rising sea levels, and extreme floods.
- Mitigation Actions: 1) Walk or use a cycle for short distances. 2) Judiciously switch off electrical appliances when not in use and avoid single-use plastics