Q1. Explain Water cycle with the help of a diagram.

The process by which water continually changes its form and circulates between oceans,
atmosphere and land is know as water cycle.

The suns heat causes evaporation of water into vapour. When this water vapour cools down, it
condenses and forms clouds. From there it may fall on the land or sea in the form of rain, snow or
sleet.

Q2. What is precipitation?

The sun’s heat vaporizes water into water vapour and this being lighter rises up in the air. AT a
higher altitude, this water vapour cools down & condenses to form clouds. These water droplets join
together becomes heavier and then falls down on the surface of the earth as rain, show, hail or
sleet. This process is know as precipitation.

Q3. Why is water considered precious resource even though 3/4 th of the earth is covered by
water?

Even though 3/4th of the earth is covered with water, around 97.3% of this water is present in oceans
which is saline water and another 2% of the water is present in ice caps which is not available to us
for consumption.

The remaining only 0.7% of water is present in round water reserves, freshwater lakes, inland seas &
salt lakes, atmosphere and rivers which is available to us for consumption. Hence water is
considered a precious resource.

Q4. What are the different types of ocean movements? Explain each briefly.

The different types of ocean movements are:

1. Waves: Waves are formed when winds scrape across the ocean surface. The stronger the wind
blows, the bigger the wave becomes.
2. Tides: The rhythmic rise and fall of ocean water twice in a day is called a tide. It is high tide when
water covers much of the shore by rising to its highest level. It is low tide when water falls to its
lowest level ad recedes from the shore.
3. Ocean currents: Ocean currents are streams of water flowing constantly on the ocean surface in
definite directions. The ocean currents may be warm or cold.

Q5. How is Tsunami formed?

Tsunamis are formed due to earthquakes, underwater volcanos or under water slides. When one
plate went under another plate, there is a sudden movement o the sea floor, causing the
earthquake. As a result, the ocean floor gets displaced, and a huge mass of ocean water flows to fill
this gap that was being created by the displacement. This is marked by the withdrawal of the water
mass from the coastlines of the landmasses. After this, the water mass rushes back to the shores
causing a tsunami.

Q6. What factors affect the height of the waves?

The factors that affect the height of the waves are:

1. Speed & duration of the wind and the distance the wind blows over water
2. Earthquakes, underwater volcanos & underwater landslides

Q7. What are the early indications of a Tsunami? What precautions must be taken to

The early indication of a tsunami is Rapid withdrawal of the water from the coastal region, followed
by destructive waves.

Precautions that should be taken from a tsunami are people should move away from the coast and
move to a higher ground.

Q8. How are tides formed? Explain the different types of tides and how they are formed.

The strong gravitational pull exerted by the sun and the moon on the earth’s surface causes tides.

High tides / Spring tides: The water of the earth closer to the moon gets pulled under the influence
of the moon’s gravitational force and causes high tide. During the full moon and new moon days, the
sun, the moon and the earth are in the same line and the tides are highest. These tides are called
high tides / spring tides.

Low tides / neap tides: When the moon is in its first and last quarter, the ocean waters get drawn in
diagonally opposite directions by the gravitational pull of the sun and the moon resulting in low
tides.
Q9. What are ocean currents? What are the different types of ocean currents and where do they
originate?

Ocean currents are streams of water flowing constantly on the ocean surface in definite directions.
The ocean currents may be warm or cold. Hot ocean currents usually originate from the equatorial
regions and move towards the poles. The cold ocean currents originate from the poles and move
towards the equator.

Q10. How do ocean currents help us?

The ocean currents in the following ways:

1. Ocean currents influence the temperature conditions of the area, warm ocean currents
bring about warm temperature over the land surface.
2. The areas where the warm and cold currents meet provide the best fishing grounds of the
world. Seas around Japan and the eastern coast of North America are such examples.

Q11. Which factors affect the movement of ocean currents.

The factors that affect the movement of ocean water are as follows:

1. Temperature
2. The gravitational pull of the sun and the moon
3. Warm and cold ocean currents
4. Wind

Q12. Explain why ocean water is salty.

The ocean water is salty because it contains a large amount of salt dissolved in it. The salt present in
ocean water is mostly sodium chloride or common salt that we eat with food. The average salinity of
sea water is 35 gms of salt per 1000 gms of water.