NCERT Solutions for Class 7 Social Science Part 1 Chapter 3 Climates of India

Quick Links:

• Exercises Question Answers
• Very Short Answer Type Questions
• Short Answer Type Questions
• Long Answer Type Questions

Download Class 7 Social Science App to study Class 7 Social Offline.

Class 7 Social Science Part 1 Chapter 3 Question Answer

Answer:

a) What is the difference between weather and climate?
Answer:
Weather is what’s happening outside your window right now. It’s the rain falling today, the heat wave this week or the snow that might come tomorrow. Weather changes quickly – sometimes even within the same day!
Climate, on the other hand, is the pattern of weather in a place over a long time – usually 30 years or more. It’s like looking at the big picture of what the weather is usually like in your area during different seasons.
For Example: If you look outside and see it’s raining, that’s the weather. But if I tell you that Cherapunji gets a lot of rain throughout the year, especially in winter, that’s describing Seattle’s climate.
Even though Cherapunji has a rainy climate, it can still have sunny days with no rain at all (weather). And even though jaipur has a hot, dry desert climate, it can occasionally have rainy days (weather).

b) Why do places near the ocean have milder temperatures than places far away from it?
Answer:
Places near the ocean have milder temperatures because water heats up and cools down more slowly than land. This means:

• In summer, the ocean absorbs heat and keeps coastal areas cooler.
• In winter, the ocean releases stored heat, keeping coastal areas warmer.
• Places far from the ocean (like deserts or plains) experience extreme temperatures because land heats and cools quickly.

Example – Example: Mumbai has moderate weather, while Delhi has very hot summers and cold winters.

c) What role do monsoon winds play in affecting India’s climate?
Answer:
Monsoon winds are seasonal winds that bring heavy rainfall to India, mainly in summer. Their effects are:

• Summer Monsoon (June-September): Moist winds from the Indian Ocean bring rain, helping farmers grow crops like rice.
• Winter Monsoon (October-February): Dry winds from land to sea bring little rain, leading to cooler and drier weather.
• Without monsoons, India would face droughts, affecting agriculture and water supply.

(Example: Kerala receives heavy monsoon rains, while Rajasthan gets less rain.)

d) Why is Chennai warm or hot throughout the year, while Leh is cold?
Answer:
Chennai and Leh have different climates due to latitude, altitude and distance from the sea:
Factors: Chennai (Hot) and Leh (Cold)

• Latitude Near equator → More sunlight → Hotter Far from equator → Less sunlight → Colder
• Altitude Low-lying → Warmer High in Himalayas → Thin air → Very cold
• Distance from Sea Coastal → Ocean moderates temperature (but still hot due to tropical location)
• Inland → No ocean influence → Extreme cold

Answer:

• Leh (Ladakh)
  Climate Type: Cold Desert Climate
  Characteristics: Extremely cold winters, short cool summers, very low rainfall and high altitude desert conditions.
• Chennai (Tamil Nadu)
  Climate Type: Tropical Wet and Dry Climate
  Characteristics: Hot and humid year-round, distinct wet (monsoon) and dry seasons, with most rainfall (October–December).
• Delhi
  Climate Type: Semi-Arid Climate
  Characteristics: Extreme summer heat, mild winters, monsoon rains (July–September) and occasional winter fog.
• Panaji (Goa)
  Climate Type: Tropical Monsoon Climate
  Characteristics: Heavy monsoon rains (June–September), hot and humid weather and a short dry season.
• Jaipur (Rajasthan)
  Climate Type: Hot Semi-Arid Climate
  Characteristics: Hot summers, mild winters, low rainfall and frequent droughts.

• Is the place near the sea, in the mountains or in the desert?
Answer:

• • Leh (Ladakh) Situated in the mountains
  • Chennai (Tamilnadu) is situated near to sea.
  • Delhi is situated in the plane. Far from Mountain, Dessert and Sea.
  • Panaji (Goa) is a coastal area.
  • Jaipur (Rajasthan) is situated near to dessert.

• How do these factors affect the climate there?
Answer:

• Label where the winds blow in summer and winter
• Show the direction of winds during the monsoon
Answer:

Answer:

Answer:
Diary Entry
June 1, 2024
Preparing for rains—cleaning irrigation canals, repairing bunds and buying seeds. Hope the monsoon is timely! Praying for a good harvest this year. Fields ready, waiting for the first showers.
Diary Entry
June 15, 2024
Monsoon has arrived! Planted saplings today. Fields are lush and muddy. Worried about pests, so applied neem mix. Hope the rains stay steady, not too heavy.
—Farmer

Answer:Odisha, a coastal state in India, frequently faces devastating floods due to heavy monsoon rains, cyclones and overflowing rivers like the Mahanadi. Deforestation, poor drainage systems, and unplanned urbanization worsen the situation. These floods destroy homes, crops and infrastructure, leading to loss of life, Farmers suffer huge losses and children miss school for months.
To reduce flood impacts, individuals should avoid building houses in flood-prone areas and plant trees to prevent soil erosion. Communities can build raised shelters, store emergency supplies and create early warning systems. The government must improve drainage and Better disaster response teams and public awareness campaigns can save lives.

Class 7 Social Science Part 1 Chapter 3 Very Short Answer Type Questions.

1. What is climate?
See AnswerClimate is the long-term pattern of weather in a region over several decades.

2. Name the six traditional seasons or ritus of India.
See AnswerVasanta, grishma, varsha, sharad, hemanta and shishir.

3. What type of climate does the Himalayan region have?
See AnswerThe Himalayas have an alpine climate with cold, snowy winters and cool summers.

4. What type of climate does the Thar Desert have?
See AnswerThe Thar Desert has an arid climate with hot days, cool nights and little rainfall.

5. Name the five factors that determine climate.
See AnswerLatitude, altitude, proximity to the sea, wind and topography.

6. What does “monsoon” mean and where does the word come from?
See AnswerMonsoon comes from the Arabic word “mausim,” meaning season.

7. Which direction does the summer monsoon wind blow from?
See AnswerThe summer monsoon blows from the southwest, called the southwest monsoon.

8. Which place receives the highest average annual rainfall in the world?
See AnswerMawsynram in Meghalaya receives the highest average annual rainfall.

9. What is a microclimate?
See AnswerA microclimate is a climate localised in a small area, different from its surroundings.

10. What is an “urban heat island”?
See AnswerA city with many buildings and little vegetation that traps heat, becoming warmer than surroundings.

11. What is the “eye of the cyclone”?
See AnswerThe cloudless centre of a cyclone is called the eye of the cyclone.

12. Name the force specially trained to respond to disasters in India.
See AnswerThe National Disaster Response Force (NDRF).

13. What caused the 2013 Uttarakhand disaster?
See AnswerA sudden glacial burst caused by continuous heavy rain over several days.

14. What are fossil fuels?
See AnswerFossil fuels are energy sources like coal, petroleum and natural gas formed from ancient remains.

15. What is climate mitigation?
See AnswerMitigation means adopting steps to slow down global warming and reduce its causes.

Class 7 Social Science Part 1 Chapter 3 Short Answer Type Questions.

1. How is climate different from weather and seasons?
See AnswerWeather is what we experience daily, like rain or sunshine and keeps changing. Seasons recur yearly and affect weather patterns. Climate is the long-term pattern of weather in a region, studied over several decades and stays relatively stable.

2. Why is the climate near the Equator hotter than near the poles?
See AnswerAt the Equator, the sun’s rays fall almost perpendicular, focusing energy on a smaller area. Near the poles, rays are oblique and spread over a larger surface and pass through more atmosphere, resulting in less heat received.

3. Why do coastal areas have milder temperatures than inland areas?
See AnswerThe sea absorbs and loses heat slowly, acting as a temperature moderator for nearby coastal regions. This keeps coastal summers cooler and winters milder, while inland areas away from the sea experience more extreme temperatures.

4. Explain how the southwest monsoon brings rain to India.
See AnswerIn summer, the Asian landmass heats up faster than the ocean, creating low pressure over land. This draws moisture-laden winds from the ocean towards the land and this moisture condenses and falls as heavy monsoon rain.

5. Why does the Western Ghats’ western slope receive more rainfall than the Deccan Plateau?
See AnswerThe Western Ghats act as a natural barrier to the monsoon winds coming from the sea. Their western slopes receive heavy rainfall as winds rise and cool, while the Deccan Plateau to the east receives comparatively less rainfall.

6. How are cyclones formed?
See AnswerCyclones form when atmospheric pressure near the sea becomes very low compared to surrounding areas. Air rushes in from the surroundings, bringing moisture that forms clouds, which rotate around a calm centre called the eye of the cyclone.

7. What causes floods in the Himalayan regions specifically?
See AnswerIn the Himalayas, floods often occur due to glacial bursts, where glacial lakes held back by rock and ice barriers overflow or break due to fast glacier melting or heavy rainfall, releasing large amounts of water suddenly.

8. How do human activities increase the risk of landslides and forest fires?
See AnswerCutting down forests, building infrastructure without proper planning, and constructing too many buildings block natural water flow, increasing landslide risk. Similarly, human carelessness alongside dry conditions and high winds often triggers forest fires.

9. How does climate affect the economy, according to the chapter?
See AnswerPoor rainfall or “monsoon failure”, harms agriculture, forces women to walk long distances for water and pushes agricultural labourers to migrate to cities. Food becomes costlier, causing inflation and industries dependent on water and predictable weather also suffer.

10. How do human activities contribute to climate change?
See AnswerSince the 19th century, burning fossil fuels, deforestation and harmful industrial practices have released excess greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide. This traps extra heat in the atmosphere, causing rapid global warming and disrupting long-standing climate patterns.

Class 7 Social Science Part 1 Chapter 3 Long Answer Type Questions.

1. Describe the different types of climates found across India, as explained in the chapter.
See AnswerIndia shows remarkable climatic diversity. The Himalayas have an alpine climate with cold, snowy winters and cool summers, while lower hilly areas have a temperate climate, home to many hill stations. The northern plains experience a subtropical climate with hot summers and cold winters, ideal for wheat cultivation. The Thar Desert in the west has an arid climate with extremely hot days, cool nights and scarce rainfall. The western coastal strip has a tropical wet climate favourable for rice and spices, the Deccan Plateau has a semi-arid climate and eastern India along with the southern peninsula experiences a tropical climate with distinct wet and dry periods controlled by monsoon winds.

2. Explain the five factors that determine the climate of a region, with examples from India.
See AnswerClimate is shaped by five main factors. Latitude affects temperature since places near the Equator, like Kanniyakumari, receive more direct sunlight and stay warmer than places at higher latitudes, like Srinagar. Altitude cools temperatures at higher places since air becomes less dense, explaining why hill stations like Shimla and Darjeeling are cooler. Proximity to the sea moderates temperature, making coastal Mumbai milder than inland Nagpur at a similar latitude. Wind patterns carry either dry, hot air from deserts or moist air from oceans, affecting rainfall and temperature. Finally, topography, such as mountain ranges like the Himalayas, can block cold winds or like the flat Thar Desert, offer no such protection.

3. Explain the mechanism of the southwest and northeast monsoons and their importance for India.
See AnswerThe monsoon mechanism is based on the fact that land heats and cools faster than the ocean. In summer, the Asian landmass heats up rapidly, creating a low-pressure zone that draws moisture-laden winds in from the cooler, high-pressure ocean, resulting in the southwest monsoon, which advances from southern India in June and covers the subcontinent by mid-July. In winter, the land cools faster than the ocean, reversing the wind direction from land to sea; while these winds are generally dry, a portion passing over the Bay of Bengal picks up moisture and brings rainfall to parts of east and south India as the northeast monsoon. These monsoons are vital for agriculture, replenishing rivers and soil and are deeply woven into India’s festivals and cultural traditions.

4. Describe the major climate-related disasters discussed in the chapter and their causes.
See AnswerIndia’s diverse climate can trigger several disasters. Cyclones form when intense low-pressure systems develop near the sea, especially affecting the eastern coast, causing loss of life, property damage and soil erosion. Floods occur when heavy rainfall or overflowing rivers submerge normally dry land, common in states like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Kerala and Assam, while in the Himalayas, floods often result from glacial bursts, as tragically seen in the 2013 Uttarakhand disaster near Kedarnath. Landslides, triggered by heavy rain or human activities like deforestation, are common in hilly states like Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. Forest fires, fuelled by dry conditions, droughts, high winds or human carelessness, damage forests, wildlife and air quality, particularly in states like Uttarakhand and Chhattisgarh.

5. What is climate change, and what are its causes and consequences, according to the chapter?
See AnswerClimate change refers to significant, long-term shifts in temperature, precipitation, and weather patterns, occurring either globally or regionally. While natural processes drove climate change for millions of years, since the 19th century, human activities like burning fossil fuels, deforestation and harmful industrial practices have released excessive greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, intensifying the planet’s natural greenhouse effect and causing rapid global warming. In India, this is already visible – for instance, early 2025 saw average temperatures 1 to 3°C above normal, leading to a shorter, milder winter that affected agriculture and small industries. To address this, governments promote mitigation measures like reducing emissions, planting trees and adopting renewable energy, though these efforts often compete with the demand for continued economic growth and consumption.