Class 11 Geography: Solar Radiation, Heat Balance and Temperature — Chapter Question Set

(c) 23.5° N — This is the textbook-supported choice for the question.

(b) Chandigarh — This is the textbook-supported choice for the question.

(c) Long wave terrestrial radiation — This is the textbook-supported choice for the question.

(a) Subtropical areas tend to have less cloud cover than equatorial areas. — This is the textbook-supported choice for the question.

a) HEAT BALANCE AND TEMPERATURE — The textbook states: SOLAR RADIATION, HEAT BALANCE AND TEMPERATURE D o you feel air around you?

d) huge pile of air? — The textbook states: Do you know that we live at the bottom of a huge pile of air?

c) in motion — The textbook states: We inhale and exhale but we feel the air when it is in motion.

b) surrounded by air all around — The textbook states: You have already learnt about the fact that earth is surrounded by air all around.

a) atmosphere which is composed of numerous gase — The textbook states: This envelop of air is atmosphere which is composed of numerous gases.

d) over the earth’s surface — The textbook states: These gases support life over the earth’s surface.

c) energy from the sun — The textbook states: The earth receives almost all of its energy from the sun.

b) received from the sun — The textbook states: The earth in turn radiates back to space the energy received from the sun.

a) a period of time — The textbook states: As a result, the earth neither warms up nor does it get cooled over a period of time.

d) not the same — The textbook states: Thus, the amount of heat received by different parts of the earth is not the same.

c) differences in the atmosphere — The textbook states: This variation causes pressure differences in the atmosphere.

b) the other by winds — The textbook states: This leads to transfer of heat from one region to the other by winds.

a) over the earth’s surface — The textbook states: This chapter explains the process of heating and cooling of the atmosphere and the resultant temperature distribution over the earth’s surface.

d) energy in short wavelengths — The textbook states: SOLAR RADIATION The earth’s surface receives most of its energy in short wavelengths.

c) known as incoming solar radiation which in sh — The textbook states: The energy received by the earth is known as incoming solar radiation which in short is termed as insolation.

b) a geoid resembling a sphere — The textbook states: As the earth is a geoid resembling a sphere, the sun’s rays fall obliquely at the top of the atmosphere and the earth intercepts a very small portion of the sun’s energy.

a) 1.94 — The textbook states: On an average the earth receives 1.94 calories per sq.

d) earth and the sun — The textbook states: The solar output received at the top of the atmosphere varies slightly in a year due to the variations in the distance between the earth and the sun.

c) 152 million — The textbook states: During its revolution around the sun, the earth is farthest from the sun (152 million km) on 4th July.

b) called aphelion — The textbook states: This position of the earth is called aphelion.

a) 147 million — The textbook states: On 3rd January, the earth is the nearest to the sun (147 million km).

d) January — The textbook states: Therefore, the annual insolation received by the earth on 3rd January is slightly more than the amount received on 4th July.

c) masked by other factors like the distribution — The textbook states: However, the effect of this variation in the solar output is masked by other factors like the distribution of land and sea and the atmospheric circulation.

b) surface of the earth — The textbook states: Hence, this variation in the solar output does not have great effect on daily weather changes on the surface of the earth.

a) Insolation — The textbook states: Variability of Insolation at the Surface of the Earth The amount and the intensity of insolation vary during a day, in a season and in a year.

d) terms of its aspect — The textbook states: The factors that cause these variations in insolation are : (i) the rotation of earth on its axis; (ii) the angle of inclination of the sun’s rays; (iii) the length of the day; (iv) the transparency of the atmosphere; (v) the configuration of land in terms of its aspect.

c) received at different latitudes — The textbook states: The fact that the earth’s axis makes an angle of 66½ with the plane of its orbit round the sun has a greater influence on the amount of insolation received at different latitudes.

b) CHAPTER — The textbook states: The second factor that determines the amount of insolation received is the angle of CHAPTER inclination of the rays.

a) the angle they make with the surface of the e — The textbook states: The higher the latitude the less is the angle they make with the surface of the earth resulting in slant sun rays.

d) always less than the slant rays — The textbook states: The area covered by vertical rays is always less than the slant rays.

c) covered — The textbook states: If more area is covered, the energy gets distributed and the net energy received per unit ar ea decreases.

b) required to pass through greater depth of the — The textbook states: Moreover, the slant rays are required to pass through greater depth of the atmosphere resulting in more absorption, scattering and dif fusion.

a) Solar Radiation — The textbook states: The Passage of Solar Radiation through the Atmosphere The atmosphere is largely transparent to short wave solar radiation.

d) striking the earth’s surface — The textbook states: The incoming solar radiation passes through the atmosphere before striking the earth’s surface.

c) the near infrared radiation — The textbook states: Within the troposphere water vapour , ozone and other gases absorb much of the near infrared radiation.

b) towards the earth surface — The textbook states: Very small-suspended particles in the troposphere scatter visible spectrum both to the space and towards the earth surface.

a) the result of scattering of light within the — The textbook states: The red colour of the rising and the setting sun and the blue colour of the sky are the result of scattering of light within the atmosphere.

d) 320 — The textbook states: Spatial Distribution of Insolation at the Earth’s Surface The insolation received at the surface varies from about 320 W att/m2 in the tr opics to about 70 W att/m2 in the poles.

c) received over the subtropical deserts — The textbook states: Maximum insolation is received over the subtropical deserts, where the cloudiness is the least.

b) than the tr opics — The textbook states: Equator receives comparatively less insolation than the tr opics.

a) more over the continent than over the oceans — The textbook states: Generally, at the same latitude the insolation is more over the continent than over the oceans.

d) radiation than in summer — The textbook states: In winter, the middle and higher latitudes receive less radiation than in summer.

c) ATMOSPHERE There — The textbook states: HEATING AND COOLING OF ATMOSPHERE There ar e dif ferent ways of heating and cooling of the atmosphere.

b) in long wave form — The textbook states: The earth after being heated by insolation transmits the heat to the atmospheric layers near to the earth in long wave form.

a) layers also get heated — The textbook states: The air in contact with the land gets heated slowly and the upper layers in contact with the lower layers also get heated.

d) in contact with one another — The textbook states: Conduction takes place when two bodies of unequal temperature are in contact with one another, there is a flow of energy from the warmer to cooler body.

The factors that cause these variations in insolation are : (i) the rotation of earth on its axis; (ii) the angle of inclination of the sun’s rays; (iii) the length of the day; (iv) the transparency of the atmosphere; (v) the configuration of land in terms of its aspect. Finally the amount of heat received from the sun is returned to space, thereby maintaining constant temperature at the earth’s surface and in the atmosphere. The temperature distribution is generally Temperature The interaction of insolation with the atmosphere and the earth’s sur face creates heat which is measured in terms of temperature.

This chapter explains the process of heating and cooling of the atmosphere and the resultant temperature distribution over the earth’s surface. Spatial Distribution of Insolation at the Earth’s Surface The insolation received at the surface varies from about 320 W att/m2 in the tr opics to about 70 W att/m2 in the poles. Finally the amount of heat received from the sun is returned to space, thereby maintaining constant temperature at the earth’s surface and in the atmosphere.

SOLAR RADIATION, HEAT BALANCE AND TEMPERATURE D o you feel air around you? Thus, the amount of heat received by different parts of the earth is not the same. In tropical regions particularly in northern India during summer season local winds called ‘loo’ is the outcome of advection process.

SOLAR RADIATION, HEAT BALANCE AND TEMPERATURE D o you feel air around you? The highest range of temperature is more than 60° C over the north-eastern part of Eurasian continent. The least range of temperature, 3°C, is found between 20° S a nd 15° N.

SOLAR RADIATION, HEAT BALANCE AND TEMPERATURE D o you feel air around you?

Do you know that we live at the bottom of a huge pile of air?

We inhale and exhale but we feel the air when it is in motion.

You have already learnt about the fact that earth is surrounded by air all around.

This envelop of air is atmosphere which is composed of numerous gases.

These gases support life over the earth’s surface.

The earth receives almost all of its energy from the sun.

The earth in turn radiates back to space the energy received from the sun.

As a result, the earth neither warms up nor does it get cooled over a period of time.

Thus, the amount of heat received by different parts of the earth is not the same.

This variation causes pressure differences in the atmosphere.

This leads to transfer of heat from one region to the other by winds.

This chapter explains the process of heating and cooling of the atmosphere and the resultant temperature distribution over the earth’s surface.

SOLAR RADIATION The earth’s surface receives most of its energy in short wavelengths.

The energy received by the earth is known as incoming solar radiation which in short is termed as insolation.

As the earth is a geoid resembling a sphere, the sun’s rays fall obliquely at the top of the atmosphere and the earth intercepts a very small portion of the sun’s energy.

On an average the earth receives 1.94 calories per sq.

The solar output received at the top of the atmosphere varies slightly in a year due to the variations in the distance between the earth and the sun.

During its revolution around the sun, the earth is farthest from the sun (152 million km) on 4th July.

This position of the earth is called aphelion.

On 3rd January, the earth is the nearest to the sun (147 million km).

Thus, the amount of heat received by different parts of the earth is not the same. The fact that the earth’s axis makes an angle of 66½ with the plane of its orbit round the sun has a greater influence on the amount of insolation received at different latitudes. Roughly 35 units are reflected back to space even before reaching the earth’s sur face. The reflected amount of radiation is called the albedo of the earth. The remaining 65 units are absorbed, 14 units within the atmosphere and 51 units by the earth’s sur face. This can happen only if the amount of heat received in the form of insolation equals the amount lost by the earth through terrestrial radiation. The temperature distribution is generally Temperature The interaction of insolation with the atmosphere and the earth’s sur face creates heat which is measured in terms of temperature.

SOLAR RADIATION, HEAT BALANCE AND TEMPERATURE D o you feel air around you? Thus, the amount of heat received by different parts of the earth is not the same. This chapter explains the process of heating and cooling of the atmosphere and the resultant temperature distribution over the earth’s surface. Thus, the total radiation returning from the earth and the atmosphere respectively is 17+48=65 units which balance the total of 65 units received from the sun. This is termed the heat budget or heat balance of the earth. Finally the amount of heat received from the sun is returned to space, thereby maintaining constant temperature at the earth’s surface and in the atmosphere. The temperature distribution is generally Temperature The interaction of insolation with the atmosphere and the earth’s sur face creates heat which is measured in terms of temperature.

This chapter explains the process of heating and cooling of the atmosphere and the resultant temperature distribution over the earth’s surface. On 3rd January, the earth is the nearest to the sun (147 million km). Therefore, the annual insolation received by the earth on 3rd January is slightly more than the amount received on 4th July. Spatial Distribution of Insolation at the Earth’s Surface The insolation received at the surface varies from about 320 W att/m2 in the tr opics to about 70 W att/m2 in the poles. Distribution of Temperature The global distribution of temperature can well be understood by studying the temperature distribution in January and July. The deviation from this general trend is more pronounced in January than in July, especially in the northern hemisphere. In the northern hemisphere the land surface area is much larger than in the southern hemisphere.

SOLAR RADIATION, HEAT BALANCE AND TEMPERATURE D o you feel air around you? SOLAR RADIATION, HEAT BALANCE AND TEMPERATURE D o you feel air around you? Do you know that we live at the bottom of a huge pile of air? We inhale and exhale but we feel the air when it is in motion.

Do you know that we live at the bottom of a huge pile of air? SOLAR RADIATION, HEAT BALANCE AND TEMPERATURE D o you feel air around you? Do you know that we live at the bottom of a huge pile of air? We inhale and exhale but we feel the air when it is in motion. You have already learnt about the fact that earth is surrounded by air all around.

We inhale and exhale but we feel the air when it is in motion. Do you know that we live at the bottom of a huge pile of air? We inhale and exhale but we feel the air when it is in motion. You have already learnt about the fact that earth is surrounded by air all around. This envelop of air is atmosphere which is composed of numerous gases.

You have already learnt about the fact that earth is surrounded by air all around. We inhale and exhale but we feel the air when it is in motion. You have already learnt about the fact that earth is surrounded by air all around. This envelop of air is atmosphere which is composed of numerous gases. These gases support life over the earth’s surface.