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(d) Beaufort

Low pressure area is an area in the atmosphere where the pressure is lower than its surrounding areas. In this situation, the wind from the surroundings blow towards the centre of low pressure.

Brazil has a large area where the average wind speed is low.

The horizontal movement of air is called wind. The wind systems are broadly categorized into three as follows.

• Planetary winds
• Seasonal winds
• Local winds 

1. Planetary Winds are the ones which blow almost in the same direction throughout the year. So, they are called as Permanent or planetary winds. Trade winds, Westerlies and polar easterlies are the types of prevailing winds.

2. Seasonal winds are those which change their direction according to season in a year. They are called as monsoon winds. These winds blow from sea to land during summer and land to sea during winter.

3. Local winds are the winds blow over a small area only during a particular time of a day or a short period of a year. Land and sea breezes are example of these winds.

Low pressure leads to cloudiness, wind, and precipitation. High pressure leads to fair and calm weather.

Insolation is the solar radiation that reaches the earth’s surface. The earth and its atmosphere get heated from the sun through insolation.

Temperature varies both horizontally and vertically. Temperature always decreases with increasing height is known as Lapse rate which is 6.5 degree Celsius per 1000 meters in troposphere.

1. True

2. False

Correct statement: The Scientific study of weather is called meterology.

3. True

4. False

Correct statement: Air pressure is calculated by Aneroid Barometer

Permanent winds: 

• The ones which blow almost in the same direction throughout the year.
• Also called Planetary winds.

Example Trade wings, Weather winds

Seasonal winds

•  Winds which change their direction according to season in a year. Blow from sea to land in summer and land to sea in winter.
• Also called Monsoon winds.

Example North east monsoon winds, South west monsoon winds

Angle of the sun’s rays, the length of daytime, altitude, distribution of land and water bodies, location and direction of mountain ranges, air pressure, winds and ocean currents are the major factors which affect the weather and climate of a region.

1. Switching over to renewable energy sources.

2. Reduce water wastage 

3. Shrinking carbon profile.

1. iii 

2. i

3. iv 

4. ii

Earth’s atmosphere contains about 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, 0.97% argon, 0.03% carbon dioxide and 0.04% trace amounts of other gases and water vapour.

We should use fossil fuels judiciously because:

1. Fossil fuels (Coal and petroleum) left in the earth are limited which will get exhausted soon. 

2. The products of combustion of fossil fuels pollute the environment

Fossil fuels are obtained from the remains of plants and animals which got burried under the earth some millions of year ago. They changed into fuel due to tremendous heat and pressure. 

The fossil fuels should be used judiciously because they are non-renewable resources, and can not be made again. It releases harmful and polluting gases like CO₂, which causes green house effect and oxides of nitrogen and sulphur which causes acid rain.

It is because these resources are limited, non-renewable and polluting.

● Damage to the environment is one of the biggest threats that are being looked at in the world today. 

● Environmental degradation can happen in a number of ways. When resources are exhausted, the environment is considered to be damaged or harmed. 

The following factors damage the environment: 

(a) Overpopulation: Rapid population growth demands more food, clothes, and shelter. This puts pressure on natural resources which damages our environment. 

(b) Pollution: Air, water, land or noise pollution is harmful to the environment. Air pollution pollutes the air that we breathe which causes health issues. Water pollution degrades the quality of water that we use for drinking and other purposes. 

(c) Deforestation: Rapid growth in population and industries are two of the major causes of deforestation. Deforestation contributes to global warming as decreased forest size puts carbon back into the environment.

Fossil fuels are the natural resources which are important sources of energy. For example: Coal and Petroleum. Coal is used as fuel in homes and industry. Petroluem products such as petrol and diesel are used in transports like scooters, cars, buses etc. 

Coal and petroleum were formed from degradation of biomass of plants and animals respectively, which were buried deep under the Earth millions of years ago. We obtain coal from ‘coalmines’ into the Earth and petroleum is obtained from ‘oilwells’ deep in the Earth. 

Fossil fuels should be used judiciously because they are limited in the Earth out which petroleum is expected to last for about 40 years and coal for 200 years. once exhausted, they will be not available to us till a very long period as they are formed at extremely slower rate. Secondly, the products of combustion of fossil fuels pollute the environment to large extent and lead to global warming.

The steps which can be taken to reduce the consumption of coal and petroleum products are: 

1. Switch of the lights, fans, television and other electrical appliances to save electricity. 

2. Use energy efficient electrical appliances to save electricity. This can be done by using CFL and Fluorescent tube lights. 

3. Use stairs to climb at least up to three floors of a building instead of taking a lift to save electricity. 

4. Pressure cookers should be used for cooking food to save fuels like Kerosene and LPG. 

5. Solar cookers should be used to cook food whenever possible.

Coal is used to produce electricity. So, if we can save electricity, then the coal consumption will be automatically reduced. Similarly, the petroleum products such as kerosene and LPG are used for cooking food, and petrol and diesel are used as fuel in motor vehicles, so to reduce the consumption of petroleum we should practice some smart ways to reduce it. 

Some of the steps which can be taken to conserve energy resources (like coal and petroleum) are as follows: 

(a) Switch off the electrical appliances when they are not in use. Use energy efficient electrical appliances such as Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFL) and fluorescent tubelights to save electricity 

(b) Use stairs instead of lift to go up at least t 3 floors. This will save electricity. 

(c) Pressure cookers should be used for cooking food to save fuels. 

(d) Solar cookers should be used to cook food whenever possible. 

(e) Use public transport as far as possible to reduce be improved so that people do not commute in their personal vehicles. This will save a lot of petrol and diesel.

CO₂, H₂O, oxides of sulphur and nitrogen are released from the combustion of coal and petroleum. Effect on environment: 

(i) CO₂ — Green house effect, global warming.

(ii) Oxides of sulphur and nitrogen causes acid rain.

Temperature is one of the key elements of weather and climate. The degree of heat present in the air is termed as temperature.

The temperature influences the level of humidity, the process of evaporation, condensation and precipitation.

When coal and petroleum based fuels are burned, the products of combustion are: carbon  dioxide, water, sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides. If combustion takes place in an insufficient  supply of air then carbon monoxide is also produced.  

These products are harmful to human beings and also pollute the environment in the following  ways-  

1. Sulphur dioxide attacks the lungs and causes bronchitis and other diseases. It also  produces acid rain.  

2. Nitrogen oxides also attacks the breathing system and causes acid rain.

3. Carbon dioxide traps sun’s heat energy falling on the earth and increases the  temperature which leads to global warming.  

4. Carbon monoxide gas is poisonous and if it gets into our blood stream, it stops the red  blood cells from carrying oxygen from lungs to the rest of the body causing suffocation  and may even cause death.

The ‘Chipko Andolan’ (Hug the Trees Movement) originated from an incident in a remote village called ‘Reni’ in Garhwal in the early 1970’s. A logging contractor had been allowed to cut down trees in a forest close to a village. One day, when the men folk of the village were out for work, the contractor’s workers came in the forest to cut down the trees. In the absence of the men, the women of the village reached the forest quickly and clasped the tree trunks with their arms, preventing the workers from cutting down the trees. The forest trees were thus saved. The Chipko Movement quickly spread across all the communities and helped in the conservation of forests.

Sunder Lal Bahuguna was started the Chipko Andolan and Gaura Devi was the lady behind the success of the movement. 

(a) Use of solar energy instead of electricity. 

(b) Use public transport, avoid using personal vehicle 

(C) Using LED bulbs or fluorescent tubes in your homes.

Isohyets represents places with equal amount of rainfall

Gabon, Congo and DR Congo in Africa, Sumatra, Indonesia and Malaysia are the least windy places on earth.

Heat zones of the earth:

The fact that the earth is spherical in shape results in different parts of the earth getting heated differently. Based on the heat received from the sun, Earth is divided into three heat zones.

They are

1. Torrid Zone:

It is a region between the tropic of cancer and the tropic of Capricorn. This region receives the direct rays of the sun and gets the maximum heat from the sun. This zone known as the torrid or the tropical zone

2. Temperate zone:

This zone lies between the Tropic of cancer and the Arctic circle in the Northern Hemisphere and between the Tropic of Capricorn and the Antartic circle in the southern Hemisphere. This zone gets the slanting rays of the sun and the angle of the sun’s rays goes on decreasing towards as the poles. Thus this zone experiences moderate temperature.

3. Frigid Zone:

The frigid zone lies between the Arctic circle and the North Pole and between the Antartic circle and the South Pole. This region also known as Polar region. Since it receives the extremely low temperature throughout the year,these regions are covered with snow.

Radiation, Conduction and Convection.

Based on the heat received from the sun, the earth is divided into 3 zones.

Relative humidity affects human health and comfortness. Very high and very low humidity are injurious to health. It also affects the stability of different objects, buildings and electrical applications.

Humidity refers to the degree of water vapour present in the atmosphere in gaseous form in particular time and place.

Absolute humidity:

• Mass or weight of water vapour present per unit volume of air.
• Expressed usually in grams per cubic metre of air. 

Relative humidity:

• Ratio between the actual amount of water vapour present in the air and the maximum amount of water vapour it can hold at a given temperature. 
• Expressed as a percentage.

(c) hygrometer

Three reasons are-

a. We should manage our available resources carefully so that our future generations can take benefits from them. 

b. Every one of us can take benefits from them without any shortage. 

c. Some resources are non-renewable so we should use them wisely without leading to any exhaustion of these resources.

Four human activities that cause pollution of river water are-

a. Disposal of sewage, human unburnt corpses. 

b. Bathing and washing of clothes. 

c. Bathing of domestic animals 

d. Immersion of ashes, garbage disposal

Major causes of pollution of river Ganga:

(i) Release of industrial waste into the river.

(ii) People use river water for domestic purposes and add pollutants like surf, detergents, soap to the river. 

(iii) People flow food items, images of gods and goddesses into the river due to ritualistic reasons.

Causes for pollution of water of river Ganga:
(i) Duniping of untreated sewage
(ii) Industrial Wastes
Effects:
(a) Growth of disease-causing microorganisms in the river water.
(b) The river water becomes more acidic which makes the soil acidic and affects productivity of crops.

(i) Essential for living organisms
(ii) It has limited availability
(iii) Conservation of water allows its equitable distribution.
(iv) Essential for sustainable development.

The causes of pollution of river Ganga are as follows:
(i) Dumping of garbage and untreated sewage from all the towns and cities on the banks of the river.
(ii) Millions of people bathe and wash their clothes, animals and vehicles in the river water.
(iii) Releasing chemical effluents from industries directly into the river water.
(iv) Immersion of ashes or even dead bodies in the river, performed as a ritual.

1. a. Modern biofuels

2. b. Traditional biomass

3. b. 1850

4. c. 1950

5. c. Solar

(i) Unused water in the water bottle may be used for watering plants.
(ii) Close all the taps before you go to sleep.
(iii) Avoid using a hose pipe for watering plants and instead use a mug.
(iv) Wash vehicles only when they are dirty.
(v) Use fan and light only when required.
(vi) Use solar water heating devices.
(vii) Use CFL in place of conventional bulbs/tubes.

(a) Unused water in the water bottle may be used for watering plant

(b) Close all the taps before you go to sleep. 

(c) Avoid using a hose pipe for watering plants 

(d) Wash vehicles only when they are dirty 

(e) Use fan and light only when required 

(f) Use solar water heating devices 

(g) Use CFL in place of conventional bulbs/tubes

Amrita Devi Bishnoi.

This statement is  False 

(a) Local people gets benefit from forest produce.

(b) Wild life and nature can be conserved.

Forest are the natural resources known as biodiversity hot spots. 

When there is a loss oi biodiversity there is a loss of ecological stability.

It helps in generating electricity in irrigation.