Class 11 Geography (Fundamental of Physical Geography) Chapter 11 World Climate And Climate Change

Key Concept: Climate Classification

c) Precipitation less than potential evapotranspiration

[Solution Description] Climate type ‘B’ under Koeppen’s classification is characterized by dry conditions with precipitation less than potential evapotranspiration. This climate typically supports vegetation such as sparse grasslands.

Key Concept: Causes of Climate Change

c) Sunspot activities

[Solution Description] Astronomical causes of climate change include factors such as Milankovitch cycles and sunspot activities. These involve variations in Earth’s orbit and solar radiation, respectively.

Key Concept: Climate Influence

b) Latitude

[Solution Description] The prolonged dry seasons in Tropical Wet and Dry Climate (Aw) are influenced by its proximity to subtropical high-pressure zones, which tend to block moist air masses from entering the region. This is primarily due to latitude, as these regions lie in areas affected by descending air that inhibits precipitation.

Key Concept: Climate Comparison

c) Steppe receives more rainfall than desert, supporting sparse grasslands.

[Solution Description] Subtropical steppe climates receive slightly more rainfall than subtropical deserts, which supports sparse grassland vegetation. In contrast, subtropical desert climates have lower and highly variable rainfall, making them drier.

Key Concept: Rainfall Impact

c) Leads to frequent crop failures

[Solution Description] Subtropical steppe climates, labeled BSh, are characterized by highly variable rainfall. This irregularity often leads to insufficient water supply for crops, causing crop failures and potential famines. Farmers in these regions may find it challenging to rely solely on rain-fed agriculture without supplementary irrigation or drought-resistant crop varieties.

Key Concept: Climate Location

d) Amazon Basin

[Solution Description] The Tropical Wet Climate (Af) is characterized by constant high temperatures and significant monthly rainfall, typically found near the equator. Some of the most notable regions where this climate is encountered include the Amazon Basin and western equatorial Africa.

Key Concept: Climate Groups

a) A (Tropical)

[Solution Description] The climatic group where no month has a temperature below 18°C belongs to Koeppen’s A (Tropical) type climate. Tropical climates are typically warm throughout the year.

Key Concept: Letter Codes

c) Cold

[Solution Description]

In Koeppen’s climate classification, the letter ‘E’ represents Cold Climates. This includes subtypes like ET (Tundra) and EF (Polar Ice Cap).

Key Concept: Sunspot Activity

c) Warmer and drier

[Solution Description] An increase in sunspot numbers generally leads to warmer and drier weather due to increased solar radiation reaching Earth.

Key Concept: Climate Distribution

c) Southern Europe and Northern Africa

[Solution Description] Mediterranean climates, classified as Cs under Koeppen’s system, are typically found on the western coasts of continents between approximately 30° and 45° latitude. This includes regions such as Southern California, parts of Western Australia, areas around the Mediterranean Sea, and portions of central Chile.

Key Concept: Dry Climates

b) Low precipitation

[Solution Description] Dry climates, under Koeppen’s classification, are characterized by low precipitation. This includes the steppe (BS) and desert (BW) subdivisions, which differentiate based on the degree of aridity.

Key Concept: Location Identification

a) Eastern United States

[Solution Description] Regions with high rainfall throughout the year include eastern USA, southern and eastern China, southern Japan, northeastern Argentina, coastal South Africa, and eastern coast of Australia.

Key Concept: Climate Types

a) Tundra and Ice Cap

[Solution Description]

The syllabus defines two main types of polar climates: Tundra (ET) and Ice Cap (EF). These are distinguished by their unique characteristics such as vegetation and temperature.

Key Concept: Vegetation Type

b) Deciduous forest

[Solution Description] According to the syllabus, deciduous forest and tree-shredded grasslands are common in these climates due to the harsh conditions.

Key Concept: Seasonal Changes

a) Hot, dry summers and mild, rainy winters

[Solution Description] The Mediterranean climate is known for its distinct seasons, with hot and dry summers due to the presence of subtropical high pressure, and mild, rainy winters influenced by westerly winds.

Key Concept: Variables in Classification

c) Temperature and precipitation

[Solution Description] Koeppen’s climate classification is an empirical system that primarily uses temperature and precipitation as its basis for classifying different climates. This method helps in distinguishing between various major climatic groups by considering these two main variables.

Key Concept: GHG Concentration

d) Carbon Dioxide

[Solution Description] The greenhouse gas with the largest concentration in Earth’s atmosphere is carbon dioxide ($CO_2$). It is more prevalent than other greenhouse gases such as methane or nitrous oxide.

Key Concept: Terrestrial Causes

d) Temporary cooling due to aerosol reflection

[Solution Description] Volcanic eruptions release aerosols into the atmosphere, which reflect solar radiation back into space. This reflection reduces the amount of solar energy reaching Earth’s surface, leading to temporary cooling.

Key Concept: Climate Comparison

a) Mediterranean has hotter summers and colder winters than Oceanic

[Solution Description] The Mediterranean climate is characterized by hot, dry summers and mild, rainy winters with an average summer temperature around 25°C and winter temperature below 10°C. On the other hand, the Oceanic climate generally has moderate temperatures year-round without extreme highs or lows. Thus, the key difference lies in the more pronounced seasonal temperature variation in the Mediterranean climate compared to the relatively stable temperature pattern in the Oceanic climate.

Key Concept: Basic Definition

c) Carbon Dioxide

[Solution Description] A primary greenhouse gas is one that significantly contributes to the greenhouse effect by trapping heat in the Earth’s atmosphere. Among the options provided, carbon dioxide ($CO_2$) is widely recognized as a major contributor to this effect.

Key Concept: Precipitation Patterns

d) Precipitation types and intensity vary spatially due to topography

[Solution Description] In highland climates, topography affects the types and intensity of precipitation which varies spatially across the region.

Key Concept: Climate Variables

c) Temperature and precipitation

[Solution Description]

The Koeppen climate classification system is based on temperature and precipitation as the primary climatic variables. These two factors significantly influence vegetation types, which Koeppen also considered in his classification approach.

Key Concept: Temperature Range

c) 5°-10°C

[Solution Description] The Marine west coast climate (Cfb) is known for its moderate temperatures with little variation between winter and summer. Winter temperatures typically range from 5°C to 10°C.

Key Concept: GHG Concentration

c) Carbon Dioxide

[Solution Description] Among the listed greenhouse gases, Carbon Dioxide ($CO_2$) is the most abundant in the atmosphere by volume.

Key Concept: Diurnal Temperature Range

c) High

[Solution Description] In this climate type, the diurnal temperature range during the dry season is high due to the significant difference between day and night temperatures.

Key Concept: Greenhouse Analogy

b) They re-emit absorbed long wave radiation back to Earth.

[Solution Description] Greenhouse gases allow incoming solar radiation to pass through but absorb and re-emit long wave radiation from the Earth’s surface, warming the planet.

Key Concept: Climate Comparison

c) Cold Climate with Dry Winters (Dw)

[Solution Description] The climate with summer precipitation and extremely low winter temperatures, according to the syllabus, is the Cold Climate with Dry Winters (Dw). This climate occurs mainly over Northeastern Asia and experiences a pronounced winter anti-cyclone.

Key Concept: Basic Causes

d) Milankovitch oscillations

[Solution Description] Astronomical causes involve changes related to the position or activities in space, such as Sunspot activities and Milankovitch oscillations. These are distinct from terrestrial causes like volcanic activity.

Key Concept: Basic Concept

b) Absorbs ultraviolet radiation

[Solution Description] The ozone layer primarily functions to absorb ultraviolet radiation from the sun, protecting living organisms on Earth from harmful UV rays. It also absorbs some of the infrared radiation emitted by the Earth.

Key Concept: Climate Identification

c) Subtropical Steppe

[Solution Description] The question asks about a climate with very low precipitation frequently found in areas like Sahel and Central Asia, which aligns with the characteristics of dry climates. These regions are typically classified under subtropical steppe or desert climates due to their arid nature.

Key Concept: Wind Reversal

c) Cold Climate with Dry Winters

[Solution Description]

The Cold Climate with Dry Winters (Dw) exhibits characteristics similar to those of a monsoon, including the reversal of wind patterns, which can be attributed to pronounced winter anticyclones commonly found in Northeastern Asia.

Key Concept: Precipitation Variation

c) 50-250 cm

[Solution Description] The Marine West Coast Climate is characterized by consistent precipitation throughout the year. The annual precipitation typically varies between 50 cm and 250 cm.

Key Concept: Greenhouse Gases Identification

d) Oxygen

[Solution Description] The primary greenhouse gases include $CO_2$, CFCs, $CH_4$, $N_2O$, and $O_3$. Oxygen is not a greenhouse gas in this context.

Key Concept: Wind Reversal

d) Winter anti-cyclone

[Solution Description] In cold climates with dry winters, such as those in Northeastern Asia, winter anti-cyclones play a crucial role in causing the monsoon-like reversal of winds. These anti-cyclones develop due to the high-pressure systems that form during the colder months.

Key Concept: Basic Identification

d) Tropical

[Solution Description] In Koeppen’s climatic classification, the capital letter ‘A’ represents Tropical climates. These are typically warm and have high temperatures throughout the year.

Key Concept: Precipitation Pattern

b) Throughout the year

[Solution Description] According to the syllabus, precipitation in the Marine West Coast Climate occurs throughout the year, ensuring a consistent water supply which is characteristic of this climate type.

Key Concept: Coastal Features

c) Fog

[Solution Description] Fog is a common phenomenon in coastal deserts that border cold ocean currents. This occurs due to the cooling effect of the cold water on the air above it, causing condensation and fog formation.

Key Concept: Climate Change Causes, Recent Temperature Trends

d) Assertion is false, but Reason is true.

[Solution Description]

The assertion that the increase in global temperature during 1977-99 can solely be attributed to increased greenhouse gas emissions is false. While greenhouse gas emissions do contribute significantly to climate change by trapping heat, the temperature rise is also influenced by other factors such as sunspot activities and Millankovitch oscillations. Hence, attributing the temperature increase solely to greenhouse gas emissions ignores these additional influences. On the other hand, the reason provided is true; greenhouse gases indeed play a crucial role in warming the planet by retaining heat in the atmosphere.

Key Concept: Climate Types

b) Tropical Monsoon Climate (Am)

[Solution Description] The Tropical Monsoon Climate (Am) is known for its distinct wet and dry season pattern, with heavy rain during the summer months followed by a dry period in winter.

Key Concept: Climate Classification

c) Highland Climate

[Solution Description] Koeppen’s Climate Classification uses letters to categorize different climates. The capital letter “H” represents Highland Climates, characterized by topographic influences that cause significant variation in temperature and precipitation.

Key Concept: Climate Variability

c) Colder temperatures in Europe

[Solution Description]

The Little Ice Age was a period of cooler climate conditions that predominantly affected the Northern Hemisphere, particularly from the 16th to the early 19th century. It was characterized by colder winters and shorter growing seasons.

Key Concept: Climate Effects

d) Subtropical Desert (BWh)

[Solution Description] The Subtropical Desert (BWh) climate experiences extreme temperatures both annually and daily, causing stress on living organisms that must adapt to these conditions.

Key Concept: Climate Types

d) Subtropical Steppe (BSh)

[Solution Description] The climate type known for short, intense thundershowers is typically the Subtropical Steppe (BSh). This climate experiences periods of concentrated rainfall in a brief time, often accompanied by thunderstorms.

Key Concept: Historical Events

d) 1990s

[Solution Description] The 1990s were known for recording the warmest temperatures of the 20th century due to significant global warming during that period.

Key Concept: Vegetation Identification

b) Low growing mosses and lichens

[Solution Description] Tundra climates are known for supporting low-growing mosses, lichens, and a few flowering plants due to harsh conditions and permafrost.

Key Concept: International Efforts on GHG Reduction, Kyoto Protocol Challenges

b) Both Assertion and Reason are true, but Reason is NOT the correct explanation of Assertion.

[Solution Description] The assertion addresses the ineffectiveness of the Kyoto Protocol’s flexibility mechanisms because they lacked stringent enforcement, causing issues like non-compliance by some nations. The reason provides a plausible explanation, suggesting that these mechanisms led to carbon leakage, where reductions in one country might result in increased emissions elsewhere. While both statements are true, the reason given is not directly explaining why the enforcement measures were lacking, as it focuses more on the potential consequence (carbon leakage) rather than the enforcement aspect. Hence, the correct answer is b).

Key Concept: Greenhouse Effect

c) To trap heat inside

[Solution Description] The primary function of a greenhouse is to trap heat inside by allowing sunlight in and preventing long wave radiation from escaping, which is analogous to how greenhouse gases operate in the Earth’s atmosphere.

Key Concept: Vegetation and Climate

c) Tundra Climate

[Solution Description] The Tundra Climate is known for its harsh conditions, where only low-growing plants can survive due to extremely cold temperatures.

Key Concept: Greenhouse Gases Identification

c) Methane

[Solution Description] Methane ($CH_4$) is listed among the primary greenhouse gases responsible for trapping heat in the atmosphere.

Key Concept: Location Identification

d) Amazon Basin

[Solution Description] The Tropical Wet Climate (Af) is found near the equator in regions such as the Amazon Basin, western equatorial Africa, and East Indies. Among these, the Amazon Basin is globally recognized for this type of climate.

Key Concept: Temperature Extremes

c) Lower summer temperatures and extremely low winter temperatures

[Solution Description] In Cold Climate with Dry Winters (Dw), summer temperatures are lower as one moves poleward, and winter temperatures can be extremely low due to the pronounced winter anti-cyclone effect. Therefore, the correct characterization would be the occurrence of lower summer temperatures along with extremely low winter temperatures.

Key Concept: Concept Identification

c) Tropical Wet and Dry Climate (Aw)

[Solution Description] The climate that typically has wet summers and dry winters is known as the Tropical Wet and Dry Climate, also referred to as the Tropical Savanna Climate (Aw). This climate exhibits distinct seasonal patterns with precipitation concentrated in the summer months.

Key Concept: Temperature Range

c) 58°C

[Solution Description] According to the syllabus, the highest recorded temperature in a subtropical desert was 58°C at Al Aziziyah, Libya.

Key Concept: Vertical Zonation

b) Layering of climatic types with elevation

[Solution Description] Vertical zonation refers to the layering of different climatic types as elevation increases. This means that as one moves higher in altitude, distinct climatic bands can be observed, each with unique characteristics.

Key Concept: Temperature Range

b) Low annual range

[Solution Description] The syllabus notes that the annual range of temperature in the Tropical Monsoon Climate (Am) regions is low. This means there is not much variation between the temperatures throughout the year.

Key Concept: Historical Events

d) 1990s

[Solution Description] The syllabus states that the warmest temperatures of the 20th century were recorded in the 1990s.

Key Concept: Temperature Trends

c) 1901-1944 and 1977-1999

[Solution Description] The greatest warming of the 20th century occurred during two main periods due to industrialization and increased greenhouse gas emissions. These periods are generally recognized as 1901-1944 and 1977-1999.

Key Concept: Geological Records

c) Wet and dry periods

[Solution Description] Tree rings can show variations in climate conditions over the years. The width of tree rings varies according to wet and dry periods; wider rings indicate wetter periods, while narrower rings suggest drier conditions. Therefore, tree rings provide clues about wet and dry periods.

Key Concept: Kyoto Protocol

c) 1997

[Solution Description] The Kyoto Protocol, an international treaty aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions, was adopted in the year 1997.

Key Concept: Climate Group Identification

a) Tropical Rainforest (Af)

[Solution Description] The climate with consistently warm or hot temperatures and abundant rainfall throughout the year is classified as Tropical Rainforest, denoted as ‘Af’. In this type, there is no dry season, which means that precipitation occurs all year round.

Key Concept: Greenhouse Effect Basics

c) Allows sunlight to pass through but traps heat

[Solution Description] The greenhouse effect involves the trapping of heat in Earth’s atmosphere due to certain gases, like carbon dioxide and methane. These gases allow solar radiation to enter but absorb the outgoing longwave radiation, thus warming the planet.

Key Concept: Geological Records

c) Sediment deposits

[Solution Description] Key evidences for studying past climate changes include geomorphological features, sediment deposits, and tree rings. Sediment deposits provide significant insights into past climatic conditions.

Key Concept: Climate Comparison

b) Cfa has no dry season, Cs has a dry summer

[Solution Description] The Humid Subtropical (Cfa) Climate experiences rainfall throughout the year with no dry season, while the Mediterranean (Cs) Climate has wet winters and dry summers. Thus, Cfa climate differs from Cs in having no dry season as opposed to Cs’s dry summer.

Key Concept: Latitude Range

b) 30° – 50°

[Solution Description] From the syllabus, the Humid Subtropical Climate (Cwa) is mainly situated between 30° – 50° latitude.

Key Concept: Vegetation Type

b) Low growing mosses and lichens

[Solution Description] The tundra climate is characterized by low growing vegetation due to harsh environmental conditions. Typical plants include mosses, lichens, and some flowering plants which have adapted to survive in these circumstances.

Key Concept: Seasonal Characteristics

c) Cold Climate with Dry Winters

[Solution Description] In the Cold Climate with Dry Winters, many locations experience below freezing point temperatures for extended periods, often up to seven months per year.

Key Concept: Basic Definition

c) Below freezing temperatures even in summer

[Solution Description] The Ice Cap Climate (EF) is known for its extremely cold temperatures, where it remains below freezing even during summer. This climate is found in regions such as Antarctica and interior Greenland.

Key Concept: Comparative Analysis

b) Abrupt and short weather changes.

[Solution Description] Cold climates with humid winters exhibit abrupt and short weather changes, distinguishing them from climates like marine west coast, which have more gradual weather shifts.

Key Concept: Historical Events

d) 1550-1850

[Solution Description] The Little Ice Age was a period of cooler climate and increased glaciation occurring between 1550-1850.

Key Concept: Greenhouse Effect

c) To allow short wave solar radiation to enter and trap heat

[Solution Description] The primary role of a greenhouse is to allow short wave solar radiation to enter and then trap the long wave thermal radiation emitted by the ground, thereby warming the interior.

Key Concept: Climate and Geography, Climate Change Impact

c) Mountain ranges channel winds that can intensify warming locally

[Solution Description] The topography of Antarctica, with its high elevation plateaus and mountain ranges, influences local climates by guiding wind patterns and affecting temperature distributions. Under warming scenarios, these features may exacerbate warming effects as they alter atmospheric circulation and trap heat over certain areas. To answer, examine how elevation and physical barriers interact with climatic elements.

Key Concept: Rainfall Pattern

b) Highly variable

[Solution Description] In low-latitude semi-arid climates, the rainfall pattern is highly variable and considerably less than other climate types like Af and Am climates. The variability contributes to the severe droughts experienced during the dry season.