GEOGRAPHY

STD 9

2021 -2022
ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE AND WINDS
Q1. What is Atmospheric pressure?
The weight of a column of air at a given place or time is called atmospheric pressure or
air pressure.
Q2. a. What is wind?
Air in motion is called wind. It is the horizontal movement of air from high pressure to
low pressure.
b. How are winds named?
Winds take their name from the direction from which they blow eg westerlies.
Q3. Why is Atmospheric pressure greatest in lower layers of the Atmosphere?
This is because air is compressible and Earth’s gravity pulls molecules and gases towards
the ground. The lowest layer of the atmosphere is the densest and exerts the greatest
pressure.
Q4. Why does increase in temperature decrease Pressure?
This is because air molecules expand when temperature increases. The density of air
decreases and hence warm air exerts less pressure.
Q5. How does pressure vary with altitude?
With increase in altitude there is a decrease in pressure.
Q6. A. How does moisture in the air affect air pressure?
Moist air is less dense and hence exerts less pressure as compared to dry air.
Q6.B. What is an isobar?
The imaginary line joining places with the same air pressure is called an isobar.

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Q7. Name the instruments that measure atmospheric pressure.

Mercury
Barometer Aneroid Barometer

Q8. Name the major pressure belts of the world.

The four major pressure belts of the Earth are:
• Equatorial Low Pressure Belt. (5ºN to 5ºS)
• Sub-tropical High Pressure Belt. (20 ºN to35 ºN and 25 ºS to35 ºS)
• Sub-polar Low Pressure Belt. (55 ºN to 65 ºN and 55 ºS to 65 ºS)
• Polar High Pressure Belts. (around 90 ºN and around 90 ºS)

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Q 9. What are Trade Winds?
Trade winds are the breeze that streams towards the equator from the north-east in the
Northern Hemisphere or from the south-east in the Southern Hemisphere. These are
otherwise tropical easterlies. They are called so because of their consistency in force
and heading.
Q.10.Why are equatorial Low-Pressure belts also called the Belt od Doldrum?
The equatorial pressure belt is also called doldrums (the zone of calm) because of the
virtual absence of strong surface winds.
Q11. What are Horse latitudes?
The horse latitudes are located at about 30 degrees north and south of the equator, which
are the Subtropical High-Pressure Belts. From this belt the winds diverge and flow
toward the poles (known as the prevailing westerlies) or toward the equator (known as
the trade winds). These diverging winds are the result of an area of high pressure, which
is characterized by calm winds, sunny skies, and little or no precipitation.
Q 12. What are the Roaring Forties, Furious Fifties or Shrieking Sixties?
They are the names given to Westerlies in the respective latitudes of the southern
hemisphere where they blow with great force because of the wide expanse of the
oceans.
Q13. What is understood by the swing of the pressure belts?
During revolution, with the apparent movement of the sun, the pressure belts are
pushed 5º northwards in summer and 5º southwards in winter from their normal
positions.
The shifting of the pressure belts and the wind systems have seasonal changes in the
climatic conditions, specially in the middle latitudes.

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Q14. How does pressure determine the direction of wind?
Winds blow from high pressure areas to low Pressure areas. The greater is the difference
in pressure the greater is the speed of wind.
Q15. What is explanation given by Gustave Casper de Coriolis about winds?
He explained that winds curve as they blow because of the rotation of the Earth. The
curving or deflecting motion of the winds is called Coriolis force.
Q16. What does Ferrel’s Law state?
It states that winds are deflected to their right in the Northern hemisphere and to their left
in the southern hemisphere.
Q17. Name the instruments used to measure the direction of wind?

Wind Vane or weather cock and wind sock

Q18. Name the instrument used to measure the speed of wind.

Anemometer.

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Q19. Name the four main types of winds. Mention some characteristic features of
each.
[a]Planetary or prevailing winds-These winds blow throughout the year in the same
direction in specific latitudes. Because of their regularity they are called prevailing winds.
They never change their direction.
Example-Trade winds -these blow from the North East in the Northern hemisphere and
from the South East in the Southern hemisphere.
[b]Periodic winds -These winds blow during certain times of the day or during certain
seasons only e.g. Land breeze and sea breeze and monsoon winds.
[c]Local winds – These winds blow only in certain localized areas in certain periods
only. e.g. Loo, Chinook.
[d]Variable winds –These winds vary in both speed and direction and are
unpredictable. E.g. cyclones, Jet streams.
Q20. Write a brief note on Tropical and Temperate cyclones.
TROPICAL CYCLONES: They develop in the tropical oceans due to high
temperature and high humidity. Tropical cyclones cause heavy damage to life and
property. Wind blow with great velocity and may uproot trees, roofs of buildings cause
floods etc. they are more frequent in late summer.
An example of the tropical cyclone is the one that builds up over the Indian Ocean and
strike Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Tamil Nadu.
Cyclone is known by different names in different areas of the world Like Hurricanes in
the Caribbean Sea, Typhoons in China Sea, Tornado in USA, Cyclones in Bay of
Bengal, Willy Willies in northern Australia.
TEMPERATE CYCLONES occur when a hot and cold front meet in the sub polar
low pressure belts. These are more frequent in winters and bring light winter showers
and cloudiness. They are not as destructive as the Tropical cyclones.

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Q21. What are Anticyclones?
Anticyclones are centers of high atmospheric pressure from where the wind moves
outwards. They are associated with clear sky and fair weather. Anticyclonic conditions
prevail commonly in winter.

Q22. What are Jet Streams?

They are upper air circulations that move at a high speed and influence the climate of a
place. e.g. Westerly Jet Stream or Easterly Jet Stream.
Q23. Explain how land breeze and sea breeze occur?
These periodic winds are based on the principle of differential rate of heating and
cooling of land and water.
Land heats faster than sea, also cools faster than sea. This is due to the higher specific
heat capacity of water.
SEA BREEZE

HP
LP

During the day land heats faster and is hotter than the surrounding water body which is
the sea.
At this point of time sea is much cooler than land.
Because the land is hot the warm air over it rises and forms an area of low pressure
over the land.
The Sea being cooler the air over it denser and heavier there is high pressure over sea.

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Since there is high pressure over sea and low pressure over land winds blow from the
sea to the land. This is called sea breeze
LAND BREEZE

During the Night land cools faster and is cooler than the surrounding water body.

HP
LP

At this point of time sea is much warmer than land.

Because the sea conserves its heat and the wind over it is warm it becomes an area of
Low pressure.
Land being cooler there is an area of high pressure on land and an area of low
pressure on sea.
Winds blow from high pressure areas to low pressure areas so now the wind blows from
the land to the sea.
This is called Land breeze.
Q24. What does the name Monsoon imply?
Word monsoon is taken from the word Mausim which means season.
Q25. In what way are monsoon winds similar to land and sea breeze?
Like land and sea breeze reverse their direction during the day and night, so also the
monsoon winds reverse their directions during summer and winter and blow due to
differential heating of land and sea.
Q26. Name the two seasons when India receives rainfall.
South West Monsoon in summer and North East Monsoon in winter.

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Q27. Explain the mechanism of monsoon in summer.
During summer the Indian landmass is hotter than the surrounding water bodies that is
the Arabian Sea.An acute Low-pressure trough forms in the interior of the India
subcontinent.
The south-east trade winds which are blowing in the southern hemisphere, once they
cross the equator they are deflected to right and blow as South West monsoon wind.
They pick up moisture from over the Arabian sea.
Since the sea is cooler than Indian landmass the winds blow from sea to land giving rain
to the country especially to the coastal areas.
This takes place from June to September.
Q28. Explain the mechanism of monsoon in winter.
In winter the Indian subcontinent is cooler than the water bodies surrounding it.
Since the landmass is cooler the pressure over it becomes higher compared to the
surrounding water bodies. Winds now blow from the continent towards the water body.
So now the North-east trade winds as they blow over the land are weak and lack
moisture but once they cross the Bay of Bengal, they gather moisture from over the
water body and give rain to the East coast of India.
Q29. (A) Name the region in which the following local winds blow:
(i) Chinook
A: Canadian Parries and north western interior of America
(ii) Mistral
A: Southern France
(iii) Foehn
A: Leeward slope of Atlas Mountain In southern Germany
(iv) Loo
A: Northern plains of India

(B) Draw a well labelled diagram of sea breeze.

Give reasons for the following:
(i) Roaring forties and furious fifties are found in the Southern hemisphere.
(ii) Low atmospheric pressure prevails over the sub-polar region.
(iii) Cyclones are always followed by anticyclones.
(iv) Hot deserts are located on the western margins of continents in the Trade Wind
belts.
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