ICSE Class 9 Geography Sample Question Paper

ICSE Class 9 Geography Sample Question Paper 3 with Answers

Question 1.
(a) Differentiate between great circles and small circles.
(b) (i) What is the speed of earth in its journey around the Sun?
(ii) Define Circle of Illumination.
(c) Discuss different types of rock.
(d) Explain the following terms.
(i) Denudation
(ii) Cataract
(e) (i) State one property of jet stream.
(ii) What is the circulation path of jet stream ?
(f) Draw a well labeled diagram of convectional rainfall.
(g) (i) Name any two sources of noise pollution.
(ii) Discuss different effects of pollution on human health.
(h) Name some of the largest areas of temperate grasslands.
(i) Discuss different features of Taiga region.
(j) (i) Name the devices used to measure the wind direction.
(ii) Name the device used to measure the velocity of wind.
Answer:
(a) A circle that divides the globe or the Earth in two equal parts is called Great Circle. On the other hand, small circle on the globe or Earth is the one that doesn’t divide it in two equal parts. Equator, the 0° catitude is the only great circle and all other latitudes are small circles.

(b) (i) The Earth revolves around the sun at an average speed of 30 km/sec.
(ii) The imaginany line which clears the division of day and night over the Earth is called Circle of Illumination.

(c) The different types of rocks are as follows:
1. Igneous rock: It is formed when magma cools down and becomes solid.
2. Metamorphic rock: It is formed out of transformation of the rocks, which changes it structure due to intense heat and pressure change.
3. Sedimentary rocks: They are usually formed inside water bodies by the sedimentation of the Earth’s material.

(d) (i) The wearing away of the Earth’s surface by running water, wind, and glacier is called denudation. It can cause degradation of landscape, weathering mass movement erosion and transport.
(ii) Cataract is the section of a rapidly flowing river where it falls vertically in the form of waterfall.

(e) (i) Jet Stream can affect weather patterns as it can push air masses.
(ii) The jet stream circulate in a straight line from west to east in the upper troposphere in a narrow belt of few kilometers.

(f)

(g) (i) Two source of noise pollution are :
Noise of traffic and fire crackers during festivals.
(ii) It causes headache, fatigue, respiratory diseases like asthma, cardiovascular diseases, increases cancer risk, etc.

(h) The Pampas and Campos of South America, the Northern Great Plains of Northern merica, the Kazakh steppe and the Durian steppe and Amur River basin of eastern Mongolia are some of the largest areas of temperate grasslands.

(i) Features of Taiga region are as follows:

• Taiga region is characterized by coniferous forests.
• Taiga region covers Sweden, Finland, Canada, inland Alaska, inland Norway, Russia, extreme northern continental United States, northern Kazakhstan and Japan.
• It has harsh continental climate. Temperature in this region ranges from -50°C to 30°C. Its winter lasts for 5-6 months and summers are short but generally warm and humid.
• The precipitation in this region is low. It is 200-700 mm annually in the form of rain, fog, and snow.

(j) (i) Wind Vanes and Wind Socks are used to measure the wind direction.
(ii) Anemometer is used to measure the velocity of wind.

Question 2.
On the outline of World Map, mark and label the following :
(a) Tundra Region
(b) Indian Ocean
(c) Location of the Arabian Sea
(d) Persian Gulf
(e) Hudson Bay
(f) Black Sea
(g) Mountain-Zagros
(h) Mongolian Plateau
(i) River Nile
(j) Andes
Answer:

Part – II
(Attempt any five questions from this Part)

Question 3.
(a) (i) Name important parallels of latitude.
(ii) Differentiate between local time and standard time.
(b) State two effects of the revolution of the earth.
(c) Give a geographical reason for each of the following :
(i) All longitudes are great circle.
(ii) Earth has atmosphere.
(iii) The length of days and nights are equal at equator.
(d) Define the following:
(i) Orbit
(ii) Perihelion
(iii) Aphelion
Answer:
(a) (i) Following are the important parallels of latitude :

• The Equator
• The Tropic of Cancer
• The Tropic of Capricorn
• The Arctic Circle
• The Antarctic Circle.

(ii) The time that changes from place to place and is calculated according to the position of sun is called local time, whereas, the standard time is based on the central meridian of the concerned country and that doesn’t change.

Two effects of revolution of the earth are as follows :

• It causes change in seasons on earth.
• Changing altitude of-mid-day sun at different times of the year.

(i) A circle that divides the globe or the Earth in two equal parts is called Great Circle. It passes through two antipodal points and has largest diameter. The North and South Poles of the Earth are called antipodal points. Longitudes are circles which pass through both the poles and hence all longitudes are called Great Circle.

(ii) Earth’s atmosphere is composed of nitrogen, oxygen, argon, carbon dioxide and traces of other gases. This blanket of atmosphere not only provides air that we breathe but also protects us from heat and radiation. Thus, life on Earth exists due to the presence of atmosphere.

(iii) Equatorial region receives sunlight vertically throughout the year. Hence, length of days and nights are equal at equator throughout the year.

(d) (i) Orbit is the path of Earth around the sun. It is elliptical in shape.
(ii) When the distance of the Earth from the sun is minimum, i.e. approximately 147 million kms, then it is said that Earth is in perihelion. It happens on January 3rd every year.
(iii) When the distance of the Earth from the sun is maximum, i.e. approximately 152 million kms, then it is said that Earth is in aphelion. It happens on July 4th every year.

Question 4.
(a) Explain the main features of lithosphere ?
(b) (i) Differentiate between structural plains and depositional plains.
(ii) Give an example of intermontane and volcanic plateau.
(c) Differentiate between Igneous, Metamorphic and Sedimentary rocks.
(d) Give a reason for each of the following :
(i) Sedimentary rocks are also called derived rocks.
(ii) Sedimentary rocks are also called argillaceous rock.
(iii) Sedimentary rocks are called stratified rock.
Answer:
(a) Main features of lithosphere are :
1. Stony or rocky crust.
2. Continenental and oceanic crust are its two parts.
3. It has the valuable soil layer.
4. The weight and pressure of rocks increase with depth.

(b) (i) Structural plains are structurally depressed areas. They are comparatively undisturbed by the crust movement of the Earth. Whereas, Depositional plains are formed by the deposition of materials brought by different carriers of transportation such as air, water, glacier, waves, etc.
(ii) The Tibetan Plateau is an example of interomontane plateau and the Deccan Plateau is an example of volcanic plateau.

(c) The main difference between the Igneous, Metamorphic and Sedimentary rocks :

(d) (i) Sedimentany rock is called derived and secondary rocks because the material is derived from other rocks.
(ii) Most of the sedimentany rocks debris is deposited in water bodies and hence it is called argillaceous rock.
(iii) The sedimentary rocks contain layers or strata, therefore they are known as stratified rocks.

Question 5.
(a) What is a volcano ?
Name few famous volcanoes of the world and facts associated with them.

(b) Define the following terms :
(i) Vent
(ii) Fissure Volcano

(c) Give a geographical reason for each of the following :
(i) Volcanoes have a profound effect on life on the earth.
(ii) Norway is called the land of midnight sun.
(iii) Physical weathering may be defined as the disintegration of rocks.

(d) Explain the meaning of the following terms :
(i) Gorge or I-shaped Valley
(ii) V-shaped valley
(iii) Waterfall
Answer
(a) A volcano is a vent or opening in the crust of the Earth, connected by a conduit to an underlying magma chamber from which molten lava, volcanic gases and steam are ejected. Ema Volcano erupted for 40 days in 1669 in Italy. Asawa Volcano in Japan is continuously active and erupted in 1783.

(b) (i) The narrow opening of volcano is called vent.
(ii) Type of volcano in which material is ejected from the Earth’s interior through a long crack.

(c) (i) Volcanoes have both constructive and destructive effect on life on earth. Lava errupted out of volcanoes is very fertile, percious stones are found within volcanoes but disrupts life and property. The ashes and gases released during volcano eruption pollutes the environment and affects the biosphere.

(ii) Norway is situated above the Arctic Circle and here Sun shines 24 hours that is through out a day from mid-may to mid-july and thus Sun remains visible even at local midnight. Hence, Norway is called the land of midnight sun.

(iii) Physical weathering causes disintegration of rocks due to temperature variation, wind action, frost action, pressure release, gravity, and freeze play major role in physical weathering. But no change in chemical consitutent takes place in physical weathering.

(d) (i) When river flows through mountainous region made up of hard rock, I-shaped Valley is formed.
(ii) When river water flows through mountainous region, V-shaped valley is formed.
(iii) Waterfall is steep descent of a river over a rocky ledge.

Question 6.
(a) Discuss different effects of ocean currents.
(b) Explain the causes of ocean currents.
(c) Explain each of the following :
(i) Tides are helpful in navigation.
(ii) Kalahari Desert is largely the result of Benguela current.
(iii) Tsunami is the Japanese word for “harbour wave”.
(d) State three different types of movements in ocean.
Answer:
(a) Effects of ocean current are :

• The warm current keeps the climate warmer and also keep ports of polar regions free from ice during winters.
• The mixing of warm and cold currents helps in the production of planktons which is chief food of fishes.

(b) Causes of ocean currents are :
1. Planetary winds.
2. Variations in sea water temperatures.
3. Variation in sea water salinity.
4. Rotation of the Earth.
5. Configuration of coastlines.

(c) (i) Tides raise the water level close to the shore and help ships to reach at the harbor more conveniently. When the high tide occurs, that time is considered safe for ship to leave the harbor as well, thus, tides are helful in navigation.

(ii) Benguela current is a mineral-rich upwelling current, which flows away to the north along the western coastline. Benguela current retains its moisture to cause desert conditions in the west and this results in the formation of Kalahari Desert.

(iii) The word Tsunami is composed of two words ‘Tsu’ which means harbour and ‘nami’ which means wave. These are shallow water waves that resemble tides and move at very high speed in Open Ocean.

(d) Three different movements in oceans are :
1. Waves : It is a disturbance that transforms energy through matter and empty spaces.
2. Currents : It is a mass movement of water in the same direction.
3. Tides : It is caused by gravitational pull of the moon and the sun.

Question 7.
(a) “Density of air is more at the lower part of the atmosphere.” Justify the statement.
(b) Draw a neat labelled diagram to represent the greenhouse effect ?
(c) Give a reason for each of the following :
(i) Global wanning increases the possibility of drought.
(ii) Thorny scrubs are found in tropical desert.
(iii) Loo is responsible for heat waves in the northern plains of India.
(d) Draw a neat labeled diagram to represent the composition of atmosphere.
Answer:
(a) The composition of air varies from place to place and also along height. The proportion of different gases is fairly constant at lower part and hence makes it dense.

(b)

(c) (i) Due to global warming, wet places tend to get more wet and dry places more drier. This causes increases the possibility of drought.
(ii) Thorny scrubs are found in region where the rainfall is less than 70cm. In India they are found in the semi-arid areas of Gujrat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh etc. which is a tropical desert area.
(iii) Loo is a hot and dry wind that blows over Indo-Gangetic plains. In the month of 1 April, May and June, due to its very high temperatures, exposure to it often leads to fatal heatstrokes.

(d)

Question 8.
(a) State importance of atmospheric pressure on :
(i) Wind
(ii) Weather
(iii) Weather Forecasting
(b) (i) Name the two types of barometer.
(ii) Which one is considered to be simpler?
(c) Draw a well labelled diagram to represent the formation of pressure belt.
(d) Give a reason for each of the following :
(i) Westerlies are called anti-trade.
(ii) Tropical cyclone does not develop close to equator.
(iii) North east monsoon does not cause rainfall.
Answer:
(a) Imporance of atmospheric pressure are :
(i) Changes in atmospheric pressure causes horizontal movement of air called wind.
(ii) Atmospheric pressure is an indicator of weather. A lower atmospheric pressure shows that the weather is cloudy, windy, and precipitation may also occur. A higher atmospheric pressure on the other hand shows that the weather is fair and calm.
(iii) It provides important information and clues for forecasting the weather.

(b) (i) Mercury and Aneroid are the two types of barometer.
(ii) Mercury Barometer is considered to be simpler as compared to aneroid barometer.

(c)

(d) (i) The direction of flow of westerlies is opposite to that of trade winds. Thus, they are called antitrade winds.
(ii) Tropical cyclons are not formed in 5 degree N – S area equator due to absence of Coriolis Force. This force is responsible for the formation of wind system over ocean as trade winds get deflected due to this force in both the hemisphere.
(iii) North east wind blows from interior of the continent towards sea. As these winds are cold and dry, they don’t cause rainfall.

Question 9.
(a) Discuss different forms of precipitation.
(b) (i) Name the foggiest place on the earth.
(ii) How is orographic rainfall caused?

(c) (i) How is cloud formed ?
(ii) How is frost different from mist?
(iii) Define cumulonimbus.

(d) Give a reason for each of the following:
(i) Maswynram receives a large amount of rainfall.
(ii) Mahabaleshwar receives more than 650 cm of rainfall.
(iii) Hail is often associated with thunderstorm clouds.
Answer:
(a) Rainfall, Snowfall and Hail are the different type of precipitation.
1. Rainfall: When water falls from atmosphere in the form of droplets, it is called rainfall.
2. Snowfall: When water falls in the form of crystal and ice, it is called snowfall.
3. Hail: When water falls in the form of pellets and snow balls, it is called hail.

(b) (i) Grand Banks of the island of Newfoundland, Canada is the foggiest place on earth.
(ii) When masses of air are pushed by wind and are forced up the side of large mountains, orographic or relief rainfall is caused. This lifting results in adiabatic cooling and is then accompanied by condensation and precipitation.

(c) (i) Clouds are formed when warm and moist air rises up, cools and then expands in
the atmosphere. The water vapour in the air condenses to form tiny water droplets which form the basis of clouds.
(ii) Frost is formed when the air temperature falls below 0 degree. On the other hand, mist is present at lower layers of the atmosphere and is composed of water drops.
(iii) Cumulonimbus is a dense cloud which causes thunderstorm and is carried by powerful upward air currents.

(d) (i) Maswynram receives a large amount of rainfall due to its geographical location. It is surrounded by hills from the three sides. In these hills, the winds of the Bay of Bengal monsoon are trapped. These winds try to get out but are forced to pour down water there.

(ii) Mahabaleshar, located at windward side of a mountain, receives more rainfall than the places lying on the leeward side. Mahabaleshwar is situated at the windward side of Western Ghats while Pune lies on the leeward side. And this is the reason Mahabaleshwar experiences heavy rainfall as compared to Pune.

(iii) Hail causes damage to standing crops and houses and that’s why is associated with thunderstorm clouds.

Question 10.
(a) What are the major sources of air pollution? Explain how smelting of ores causes air pollution.
(b) What is radiation pollution? Discuss the major causes.
(c) (i) How does passive smoking affects the health of human beings ?
(ii) What are the benefits of smoke free zones?
(d) “Public transportation plays an important role in confronting environmental challenges.” Discuss.
Answer:
(a) The internal combustion engines of auto-vehicles, smelting of ores, and burning of garbage are the major sources of air pollution. Smelting refers to the process of extracting metals from ores. During smelting, many gases are released in the atmosphere. The ores are heated at a very high temperature to obtain the metals in the smelting process. Most of the time, coal is used for heating the ores. As a result, lot of Carbon dioxide along with other pollutants is released in the atmosphere and pollutes the air.

(b) The pollution caused by release of radioactive wastes in water, air or earth is called f radiation pollution.
Major causes of radiation pollution are :

• Waste water from nuclear reactor.
• Waste generated during nuclear weapon testing.
• X-rays waste.
• Nuclear accidents and nuclear bomb explosions.

(c) (i) Passive smoking immediately causes physical discomfort and annoyance and in the long run causes cardio-vascular diseases.

(ii) The benefits of smoke free zones are:

• It protects public from serious harmful effects of passive smoking.
• It provides them safer and healthier environment.

(d) When every individual uses their own vehicle for travelling, the number of vehicles on the road increases. This results in the emission of harmful gases like carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, sulphur dioxide and other organic acids from the vehicles. All these types of emission lead to an increase in the air pollution, which is a major environmental challenge.

In a public transport, many people travel in the same vehicle. As as result, the number of vehicles on the roads reduces. Thus, the emission of air pollutant from the vehicles and the level of air pollution will also reduce. Public transport helps in improving air quality by reducing vehicle emissions, reduces greenhouse emission and also saves energy.

Question 11.
(a) Discuss the characteristics of tropical monsoon?
(b) Name five hot deserts of the world along with their main features.
(c) Give a reason for each of the following :
(i) “The Equatorial region receives vertical sun rays throughout the year.”
(ii) The Artie is known for its cold, desert like conditions.
(iii) Temperate Grassland has continental type of climate.
(d) (i) What was the Dust Bowl Tragedy ?
(ii) Discuss different characteristics of Tundra region.
Answer:
(a) Characteristics of tropical monsoon are:
(i) Tropical monsoon is a type of climate that has three seasons-summer, winter and rainy.
(ii) In tropical monsoon, the rainfall is seasonal and often irregular and uneven.
(iii) The annual temperature in tropical monsoon varies from 27° C to 32° C.

(b) The five hot deserts and their main features are:

Hot deserts	Main Features
Sahara Kalahari Thar Mexican	It is the largest desert of the world and covers 9,06,500 square km. It covers more than half Botswana. It covers an area of 2,60,000 sq. km. It includes death valley, the lowest point in western hemisphere.

(c) (i) The Earth’s shape is spherical. This causes the sun’s rays to strike the Earth’s surface at different angles, creating variance in temperatures on Earth. The equator receives direct sunlight because sunlight arrives at a perpendicular (900) angle to the Earth in its region.

(ii) the Arctic is located in the North hemisphere, surrounding the North Pole. Thus, this region experiences cold, desert like conditions.

(iii) Temperate Grassland region has hot summers and cold winters. They receive 10 to 35 inches of precipitation a year. Hence, climate is considered to be continental.

(d)
(i) Dust bowl also known as dirty thirties, was a period of severe dust storms that greatly damaged the ecology and agriculture of the American and Canadian prairies during the 1930s. Severe drought and a failure to apply dryland farming methods to prevent wind erosion caused the phenomenon.

(ii) Tundra region is the coldest of all the biomes. This region experiences low temperature and little rainfall. It has low biotic diversity, simple vegetation structure, and short season of growth and reproduction.

ICSE Class 9 Geography Question Papers with Answers

ICSE Class 9 Geography Sample Question Paper 2 with Answers

Part-I
(Attempt all questions from this Part)

Question 1.
(a) Why is Earth considered as a unique planet?
(b) What are Extinct volcanoes?
(c) What is decomposition?
(d) What does FerreTs law state?
(e) How was Himalayas formed?
(f) What is organic farming?
(g) What is Precipitation?
(h) What is Condensation?
(i) What is fossil fuel? Give two examples.
(j) What is the Pacific Ring of Fire?
Answer:
(a) Earth is considered to be a unique planet because it is the only planet having life on it. A variety of life ranging from microscopic plants to the largest of trees and animals one found on the earth. The living organisms inhabit not only on the solid crust but also on the ocean and atmosphere.

(b) Extinct volcanoes are those volcanoes which have not erupted since remote geological times. They have been inactive for so long that they are not likely to erupt in future too Mt. Kilimanjaro in Africa is an example of extinct volcano.

(c) Decomposition is a biological process that includes the physical breakdown and biochemical transformation of complex organic molecules of dead materials into simpler organic and inorganic molecules.

(d) Ferrel’s law states that as a result of the earth’s rotation on its axis from west to east, wind or any other moving object in the Northern hemisphere is deflected to the right, and the Southern hemisphere is deflected to the left of its original course.

(e) The Himalayas are the young fold mountains that were formed when the Indian Plate collided with the Eurasian Plate. This resulted in the compression or folding of the layers of the earth which in turn resulted into the formation of the Himalayas.

(f) Organic farming is environment friendly farming technique. With this technique the crops are raised without using synthetic fertilizers, pesticides and antibiotics. The fertilizers and pesticides used in organic farming are obtained from plants and animal wastes and mineral sources.

(g) Precipitation is water released from clouds in the form of rain, freezing rain, sleet, snow, or hail. It is the primary connection in the water cycle that provides for the delivery of atmospheric water to the Earth. Mostly precipitation falls as rain.

(h) Condensation is a process where water vapour changes to liquid state. Condensation happens in two ways, either the air is cooled to its dew point or it becomes so saturated with water vapour that it cannot hold any more water.

(i) Fossil fuel are the derivatives of plants and animals fossils that are millions of years old. These are primarily formed from the remains of the decayed plants and animals of the carboniferous era. Examples of fossil fuel are coal and natural gases.

(j) The Pacific Ring of fire is an area of frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions encircling the basin of the Pacific Ocean.

Question 2.
On the outline World Map mark and label the following details:
(a) Plateau of Tibet
(b) Mongolian Plateau
(c) North European plains
(d) Black sea
(e) North Atlantic Ocean
(f) Appalachian
(g) River Orange
(h) Gulf of Mexico
(i) River Murray
(j) Atlas Mountain
Answer:

Part-II
(Attempt any five questions from this Part)

Question 3.
(a) What causes the change of season on Earth?
(b) Why places are located in degrees?
(c) What are the effects of Rotation?
(d) Do a comparative study of longitude and latitude.
Answer:
(a) The phenomena of change of season on Earth is caused due to two reasons:
1. The revolution of the Earth around the Sun.
2. The inclination of the Earth’s axis at an angle of 66 1/2° to the plain of its orbit.

(b) Places are located in degrees because the shape of the Earth is round (circle) and a circle comprises of 360 units called degrees, and each degree is further divided into 60 minutes and each minutes can be further divided into 60 seconds. This classification of Earth into degrees help in identification of a location.

(c) Rotation is the movement of the Earth on its axis from West to East. This movement causes lot of changes on Earth such as:
1. Since Earth rotates from west to east, we see the Sun rising in the east and setting in the west.

2. Another effect of earthly rotation is the daily alteration of light and darkness, as portions of Earth’s surface first turn towards Sun and then away from Sim. This variation of exposure to sunlight greatly influences local temperature, humidity and wind movement.

3. The Earth’s rotation causes a consistence in the direction of the flow of winds and water of the ocean. Wind and ocean currents are deflected towards the right in the Northern hemisphere and towards the left in the Southern hemisphere. This is known as Coriolis effect.

(d) Comparative study of latitude and longitude :
Latitude:
1. Latitude is an angular distance of a place north or south of the equator.
2. There are 180 parallels of latitude.
3. Each parallel of latitude is a circle.
4. All the parallels of latitude are not of equal length rather these become smaller towards the pole.
5. The distance between any two parallels of latitude is always equal.

Longitude
1. Longitude is the angular distance of a place east or west of the prime meridian.
2. There are 360 meridian of longitude.
3. Each meridian of longitude is a semicircle.
4. All the longitudes are of equal length.
5. The distance between any two meridians is not equal. These get closer from the equator to the poles.

Question 4.
(a) What is a plateau?
(b) Mention two constructive effects of volcanic activity.
(c) Do a comparative study of Crust, Mantle and Core?
(d) Differentiate between rocks and minerals.
Answer:
(a) A plateau is an elevated tract of relatively flat land, usually limited on at least one side by a steep slope falling abruptly to lower land to its surrounding areas. It has large area on its top and has flat or undulating surface. Its sides are marked by a steep cliff except in a plateau which is surrounded by high mountain.

(b) The two constructive effects of volcanic activity are:
1. Lava deposited as a result of volcanic eruption gets weathered down into fertile soil. The black soil of India has been derived from lava rocks and is a very fertile soil.
2. Volcanic rock contains a large number of minerals also. Many of the metallic minerals are associated with volcanic rock.

(c) The comparative study of Crust, Mantle and Core is as follows:

(d) Difference between Rocks and Minerals are as follows :
Rocks
1. Rocks are aggregates of mineral elements.
2. A rock has no definite chemical composition.
3. Minerals are organized to form rocks.
4. The three main types of rocks are igneous, sedimentary and meta morphic.
5. Basalt, granite, sandstone, slate and quartz are some important types of rock.

Minerals
1. Minerals are solid inorganic substances occurring naturally.
2. Minerals have a definite chemical composition.
3. Elements are organized to form compounds which are known as minerals.
4. Four chief mineral groups are silicates,carbonates, suiphides and metallic minerals.
5. Iron, silicon, magnesium, nickel, calcium, potassium and sodium are abundant minerals on earth.

Question 5.
(a) What is chemical weathering?
(b) Define the term :
(i) Alluvial fans
(ii) Delta
(c) What are the constructive effects of weathering?
(d) Explain the land reform formed by wind.
Answer:
(a) Decomposition and disintegration of rocks due to chemical reactions is called chemical weathering. Chemical weathering leads to change in the chemical composition of minerals
present in the rock. It takes place in hot and humid region due to exposure to air and water.

(b) (i) Alluvial fans are found at the base of mountain ranges, where high energy streams reaches a plain. When no longer confined to a channel the energy level of the water drops, which makes the water unable to transport larger sediments, cobbles, gravel. If the water is no longer able to carry those sediments they drop out and are deposited forming an alluvial fan.

(ii) Deltas are form when a moving body of water enters a non-moving body, mostly by when a river reaching an ocean. When rivers reach the ocean they carry immense sediment load, which comprises of silt and clay, this sediment loads forms a deltas which are usually very well sorted.

(c) Constructive effects of weathering are:
1. Weathering helps in soil formation which promotes agriculture.
2. Chemical weathering .produces various new minerals which is helpful in economic activities.
3. Weathering provides building materials like cement and limestone.
4. Due to weathering new landscape is formed.

(d) The gradational role of the wind results in two kinds of land reforms: Erosional and Depositional.
1. Erosion takes place when loose particles lying on the ground are lifted off and taken away by strong wind. In course of time, a hollow is formed in that surface called wind eroded basin. Sometimes removal of sand through deflation leads to formation of large depressions known as Deflation hollows.

2. Deposition is the geographical process by which material is added to a landform or landmass. The transportation capacity of the wind depends upon its velocity, the sand and the dust particles carried by it thus dust particles are deposited when the velocity of the wind decreases or there is an obstruction in the path of the wind.Ripple marks, sand dunes and loess are important depositional land reform of wind.

Question 6.
(a) What are the warm currents and cold currents?
(b) What is Tsunami? How it is caused?
(c) Give three importance of Tide.
(d) Explain the types of movement in the Ocean.
Answer:
(a) Ocean current is general movement of a mass of oceanic water in definite direction. Warm currents and-cold currents are two types of ocean current:
Warm Currents originate near the equator and flow towards the poles. Cold Currents originate in the high latitudes and flovv towards the equator.

(b) Tsunami is a giant sea wave which is caused mainly due to earthquake or volconic activity occurring under the ocean. When an earthquake or volcanic activity occurs, large amount of water is displaced. The displaced water transform into large waves. These waves may be as high as fifteen meters and are very distructive.

(c) The importance of tides are mentioned below:

• The tides clean out the refuse materials and wastes from the mouth of the river.
• It promotes navigability in rivers.
• Due to natural flushing activity the width and depth of the river are maintained. Transportation in river is possible because of tides.
• The tides make river salty and they keep the water in motion. So, that the water does not freeze easily.

(d) The water in the ocean and the sea keeps on moving continuously. There are three kinds of movements in the ocean.
1. Waves : The up and down movements seen on the surface of the ocean are known as waves. The pushing action of the winds blowing over the ocean is the most important cause of the waves.

2. Tides : Tides are periodical rise and fall of sea level, caused by the tidal forces of the Moon, the Sun and rotation of Earth. Tides are caused mainly by the attraction of the Moon and to some extent the Sun on the surface of the Earth.

3. Ocean Current: Large scale movement of water in the oceans in a definite direction is called ocean currents. Ocean currents are like rivers in the ocean thousands of kilometer in length and sometimes two hundred kilometers wide.

Question 7.
(a) What is Troposphere?
(b) What is green house effect?
(c) What is the importance of atmospheric pressure?
(d) What are the causes of destruction of the ozone layer?
Answer:
(a) The troposphere is the lowest atmospheric layer, extending from the Earth’s surface upto the bottom of the stratosphere. The troposphere is where all of Earth’s weather occurs. It contains approximately 80% of the total mass of the atmosphere.

The greenhouse effect is the effect which increases the average temperature of the Earth by trapping heat in the atmosphere. This keeps the temperature of the Earth higher than it would be if direct heating by the Sim was the only source of warming.

Atmospheric pressure is important for:

• Creation of wind: Variation in the atmospheric pressure is responsible for horizontal movement of air called wind.
• Impact of weather : Change of weather is related to the change in atmospheric pressure.
• Weather forecasting : Atmospheric pressure gives important clues in forecasting the weather.

The causes of destruction of the ozone layer are :
1. The chlorofluorocarbons [CFCs]: One of the most important causes for the depletion of ozone layer is the use of chemical known as chlorofluorocarbons. These chemicals are used in spray cans and as refrigerants, they react with the ozone layer and destroy it.

2. Radioactive substances: Radioactive substances like uranium, thorium, etc., also deplete ozone layer. These radioactive substances are used in power station and nuclear explosions. Their reaction produces large quantities of nitrogen oxide which goes into the stratosphere.

3. Air pollution: Air pollution is also responsible for the depletion of ozone layer. Air pollution due to smog like the London smog, the leakage of lethal gas from the Union Carbide factory of Bhopal, the nuclear disaster at Chernobyl had a very serious effect on ozone layer.

Question 8.
(a) Why are X-rays harmful?
(b) How does agriculture add to water pollution?
(c) Burning of garbage is a major source of pollution. Explain.
(d) What are the different types of pollution?
Answer:
(a) X-rays are very harmful and can easily kill living cells, if dosed in high quantities. The exposure of the body cells and tissues to large doses of X-ray radiation, which have a very high ionizing power, can result in DNA abnormalities that may further lead to cancer and birth defects.

(b) Agriculture is both cause and victim of water pollution. Water pollution is caused by the discharge of pollutants and sediment to surface and/or groundwater, through net loss of soil by poor agricultural practices, and through salinization and water logging of irrigated land.

(c) Many people dispose off their household garbage by burning it. People bum barrels, fire pits, and wood stove or similar homemade devices producing low temperature fire. They receive very little oxygen and produce a lot of smoke. Under these conditions varieties of toxic substances are produced. All of these pollutants are released into the air and close to the ground level where they are easily inhaled. Carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and nitrogen represents the largest portions of pollutants emitting from burning household waste.

(d) Different types of pollution are:

• Air pollution : Air pollution is the addition of harmful substance in air that causes severe damage to environment, human health and quality of life.
• Water pollution : The contamination of water bodies like rivers, lakes, seas etc. is called the water pollution.
•  Soil pollution : Soil pollution refers to the building up of toxic chemical compound, salt, radioactive material and disease causing organism i.e., pathogens.
• Noise pollution: Noise pollution is the annoying and stressful sound that is capable of damaging the ear.
• Radiation pollution: Pollution caused by radioactive material is called radiation pollution.

Question 9.
(a) Mention any four diseases which are caused by air pollution.
(b) What causes acid rain? Name two gasses responsible for acid rain.
(c) Oil spill have an adverse impact on marine life. Explain.
(d) Discuss the effect of noise pollution.
Answer:
(a) Diseases which are caused by the air pollution are asthma, bronchitis, emphysema and lung cancer.

(b) Acid rain is a corrosive type of air pollution which occurs when oxides of sulphur and nitrogen combine with the moisture of atmosphere. The sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxide are two gasses responsible for acid rain. They are released by the burning of fossil fuels like coal, petroleum and natural gas.

(c) Oil spill is a worst kind of water pollution. Oil spill takes place in case of accidents of ships, sinking of oil tankers, leaking of pipeline, offshore drilling etc. The biggest problem of oil spill is that the oil can neither be mixed nor separated from water. It can only be treated with chemical but those chemical are equally harmful for marine life. Oil spreads immediately on the water surface and blocks the sunlight. It reduces the amount of oxygen in water resulting into the death of marine organisms. Moreover, the gills of fish and other marine organisms are poisoned by the coating of oil which leads to suffocation. Feathers of sea birds are also coated with oil which reduces their ability to fly.

(d) The stressful sound is referred as the noise pollution. Noise pollution is increasing at a rapid pace with increasing urbanization. Its impact is very severe on humans. Any sound that is louder than the normal level can damage the delicate ear cells in the inner ear. Sudden extreme loud noise like gunshot can cause immediate hearing loss. High sound levels can also lead to a disease called tinnitus which causes ringing in ear. Factory workers, military and police personal, musician, fire fighter are at a high risk of hearing problem due to continuous exposure to high sound levels.

Question 10.
(a) (i) What is absolute humidity?
(ii) How is it expressed?
(b) Explain two conditions when the air can be saturated.
(c) Discuss factors that determine the amount of rainfall.
(d) Discuss the seasonal distribution of rainfall.
Answer:
(a)

• Absolute humidity is the actual amount of water vapour present in the given volume of air at a given temperature.
• Absolute humidity is expressed in terms of gram per cubic meter i.e., gram of water vapour present in per cubic meter of air.

(b) Two conditions in which air can become saturated are:

• With a decrease in temperature the capacity of air to hold water decreases and the air becomes saturated.
• If a lot of water vapor is present in the atmosphere, the air becomes saturated.

(c) The factors that determine the amount of rainfall are:

• Direction of winds : Winds blowing from ocean to land bring in more rainfall than the wind that flows from lands.
• Distance from sea : Coastal areas experience more rainfall than the places located in the interior of the continents. This is because the oceans are the source of water vapour which condenses to form rains.
• Mountains : When mountains or hills lie in the path of moisture bearing winds, the warm air is forced upward. Subsequently it starts cooling, forms clouds and gives rainfall to the windward side.

(d) The amount of rainfall changes gradually from season to season. On basis of rainfall received region can be classified into three broad categories :

• Region receiving rainfall throughout the year : The places located in the western margin of the continent in mid latitudes like Western European receives rainfall through out the year.
• Rainfall during the summer : In the sub-tropical region, convectional rainfall is limited to the summer season only.
• Rainfall during the winters : Countries located in the Mediterranean region like France, Albania, Italy etc., receive rainfall during winters.

Question 11.
(a) Calculation the relative humidity of air at 25°C, if the absolute humidity is 50 gms/cu.m. The amount of water vapor required to saturate the air at 25°C is 90 gms/cu.m.
(b) What are Jet Stream?
(c) Find out the time difference between Greenwich [0° longitude] and Allahabad [ 82° 30 east longitude].
(d) What will be the time at 90° W longitudes when the time at 10° W longitude is 8 am?
Answer:
(a) \(\mathrm{RH}=\frac{\text { The actual amount of water vapour present in air }}{\text { The maximum amount of water vapour the air can hold at that temperature }} \times 100\)
Therefore\(\mathrm{RH}=\frac{50}{90} \times 100\) = 55.55 Percent.

(b) Jet streams are like rivers of wind high above in the atmosphere. These slim strips of strong winds have a huge influence on climate, as they can push air masses around and affect weather patterns. Jet streams basically forms a border between hot and cold air.

(c) Longitude of Greenwich = 0°
Longitude of Allahabad = 82° 30
Longitudinal difference = 82° 30 0°
r = 82° 30
Time difference between the two places
= 82° 30 x 4
= 330 minutes or 5 hours 30 minutes

Since, Allahabad is situated to the east of Greenwich, therefore, the time of Allahabad will be 5 hours 30 minutes ahead of Greenwich Time. Thus, when it is 12 noon at Greenwich, the time at Allahabad will be 5 hours 30 minutes.

(d) Time at 10° W longitude = 8 am
Difference in longitude between two places = 90° -10° = 80°
Difference in time between the two places = 80 x 4 = 320° or 5 hrs 20 mins.
As 90° W is situated west of 10° W longitude, time at 90° W longitude will be 5 hrs 20 mins behind the time of 10° W longitude.
Therefore, time at 90° W longitude will be 8 am – 5 hrs 20 mins = 2 hrs 40 mins.

ICSE Class 9 Geography Question Papers with Answers

ICSE Class 9 Geography Sample Question Paper 1 with Answers

(M.M : 80)
(2 Hours )

Genaral Instruction

• Answers to this Paper must be written on the paper provided separately.
• You will not be allowed to write during the first 15 minutes.
• This time is to be spent in reading the question paper.
• The time given at the head of this Paper is the time allowed for writing the answers.
• Attempt Seven questions in all.
• Part I is compulsory. All questions from Part I are to be attempted.
• A total of five questions are to be attempted from Part II.
• The intended marks for questions or parts of questions are given in brackets [ ].

Part -1 [30 Marks]
(Attempt all questions from this Part)

Question 1.
Answer the following questions briefly :
(a) Why die lines of longitudes are also called meridians ? [2]
(b) (i) What is meant by the inclination of the Earth’s axis ? [2]
(ii) At what angle is the Earth’s axis inclined ?
(c) State two differences between rocks and minerals. [2]
(d) Explain the following terms : [2]
(i) Exfoliation
(ii) Oxidation
(e)(i) What are Jet streams ? – [2]
(ii) State any one importance of Jet streams.
(f) Draw a well labeled diagram of orographic rainfall. [2]
(g) Name any two sources of soil pollution. [2]
(ii) State the impact of soil pollution on agricultural production.
(h) With the reference to the Natural regions of the. world answer the following : [2]
(i) Why does the Taiga region not exist in the Southern hemisphere?
(ii) Prairies are called the granaries of the world.
(i) How does the rotation of the earth influence the direction of the ocean currents? [2]
(j) (i) What is Coriolis Effect ? [2]
(ii) How does it affect the planetary winds ?
Answer:
Answer 1.
(a) Longitudes are also known as meridians because in geographical sense, meridians are great circles which are not parallel to each other but intersect each other at the North and the South Poles. Same stands true of the longitudes.

(b) (i) This tilted position of the earth’s axis is known as inclination of the earth’s axis.
(ii) The earth’s axis makes an angle of about 66.5 degrees with the plane of its orbit
around the sun or about 23.5 degrees from the perpendicular to the ecliptic but this changes over long periods of time. The tilt of the axis varies between 22.1 and 24.5 degrees with a cycle averaging about 40,000 years.

(c) Two differences between rocks and minerals are :
1. A mineral is a solid formation that occurs naturally in the earth while a rock is a solid combination of more than one mineral which also occurs naturally.
2. A mineral has a unique chemical composition and is defined by its crystalline structure and shape. On the other hand, a rock can be composed of several minerals and it is classified according to the process of its formation.

(d) (i) Exfoliation is the term used to describe the peeling away of sheets of rock, millimeters to meters in thickness from a rock’s surface due to a range of physical and chemical processes during exhumation and weathering.

(ii) Oxidation .is the reaction of a substance with oxygen. This is the process that causes rust. When iron in rocks reacts with oxygen, it forms iron oxide, which weakens the rock. It is natural process of weathering.

(e) (i) Jet streams are like rivers of wind high above in the atmosphere. These slim strips of strong winds have a huge influence on climate, as they can push air masses around and affect weather patterns. Jet streams basically forms a border between hot and cold air.

(ii) Importance of jet stream are :
1. The location of the jet stream is extremely important for aviation.
2. They are useful in weather forecasting.

(f)

(g) (i) Agricultural chemicals and industrial wastes are the two importance sources of soil pollution.
(ii) The harmful chemicals present in the soil increase toxicity which reduces soil fertility and yield, thus soil becomes unfit for agriculture production.

(h) (i) Taiga region does not exist in the southern hemisphere because :
1. There isn’t enough land mass in the Southern hemisphere.
2. The climate in Southern hemisphere does not support coniferous plants.
(ii) The Prairies are called the ‘Granaries of the world’ because of the huge production of wheat in this region and fertility of soil.
(i) The rotation of the Earth are greatly influence by the direction of ocean currents. In the Northern hemisphere, wind and current are deflected toward the right, in the Southern hemisphere they are deflected to the left, this force of earth is known as coriolis force.

(j) (i) The rotation of the Earth causes an interesting phenomenon on free moving objects
on the Earth. Objects in the Northern hemisphere are deflected to the right, while objects in the Southern hemisphere are deflected to the left. The Coriolis Effect, thus, tries to force winds to shift towards the right or left.

(ii) The Coriolis Effect helps determine the direction of planetary or global winds by causing them to curve or deflect, as the Earth rotates. In the Northern hemisphere, winds curve to the right in the direction of motion. Air moving toward the equator curves to the west, while air moving away from the equator curves to the east.

Question 2.
On the outline World map mark and label the following :
(a) The Rockies [1]
(b) The Brazilian Highland (1]
(c) River Volga [1]
(d) Gulf of Mexico [1]
(e) Strait of Gibralter [1]
(f) Sea of Japan [1]
(g) South China Sea [1]
(h) The Canadian Shield [1]
(i) River Amazon [1]
(j) Shade and label the Equatorial region in the continent of Africa. [1]
Answer:

Part – II [50 Marks]
(Attempt any five Questions from this Part)

Question 3.
(a) (i) Why are latitudes also called parallels of latitude? [2]
(ii) Why are all the lines of longitude of the same length?
(b) State two effects of the rotation of the earth. [2]
(c) Give geographical reason for each of the following : [3]
(i) Greater circles are the shortest routes between two places.
(ii) The Earth is a habitable planet.
(iii) Kuala Lumpur rotates faster on the Earth’s axis than London.
(d) Draw a neat labelled diagram showing the position of the Earth during solistiee. [3]
Answer:
(a) (i) The lines that run from east to west are the lines of latitude. They are also called parallels because they are always at the same distance from each other. Lines of latitude are measured in degrees north and south of the equator.

(ii) Each line of longitude equals to the half of the circumference of the Earth because each extends from the North Pole to the South Pole forming semi-circle of equal. length at equal distance.

(b) The two effects of rotation of the Earth are:
1. Days and nights are caused.
2. Deflection of ocean currents are caused.

(c) (i) As the Earth is sphere in shape, Greater Circles is the 0° latitude passes through the center of the globe which is the shortest routes between two places.

(ii) Earth is the habitable planet, Earth is the only planet that supports life due to presence of sufficient sunlight, water, and climate which are helpful for existence of life.

(iii) The Earth rotates on its axis with a certain speed, and latitudinal differences make Earth rotate faster in Kuala Lampur than in London.

(d)

Question 4.
(a) What is the composition of the Earth’s Crust ? [2]
(b) (i) Differences between intermont plateau and volcanic plateau. [2]
(ii) Give an example of residual mountain and an example of depositional plain.
(c) Draw a neat labelled diagram of the Rock cycle. [3]
(d) Give a reason for each of the following : . [3]
(i) Igneous rocks are also called as Primary rocks.
(ii) Fossils are present in Sedimentary rocks.
(iii) The core of the Earth is in a semi-solid state.
Answer:
(a) Earth’s crust is made up of two layers sial and sima.
Sial : It consist of solid or continental part of Earth’s crust.
Sima : It is the lower continuous layer.

(b) (i) When a plateau is covered by mountains on all sides it is called an intermon plateau. The Tibetin plateau, the Bolivian .plateau are the examples of the intermon plateau. Whereas, Volcanic plateaus are produced by the volcanic activity. Basically the lava which flows down from the volcano accumulates and forms a plateau. The Deccan plateau is an example of the volcanic plateau.

(ii) The harder rocks that stand out as highlands or hills, are called as the Residual Mountains. The mountain ranges of Norway, Sweden, the King of Africa, the Sierra of Spain, the Eastern Ghats, Western Ghats are example of residual mountains. Whereas, Depositional plains are formed by the deposition of materials brought by various agents of transportation such as rivers, wind, waves, and glaciers. The plains of Mississippi delta, Lombardi plains (Italy) formed by Po river, Yangtze plain (China,}, Indus plain (Ganga) are examples of depositional plains.

(c)

(d) (i) Igneous rocks are created from the cooling of molten magma/lava. All other rocks are derived from them, that is why igneous rocks are referred as parent rock or primary rocks.

(ii) Among the three major types of rock, fossils are commonly found in sedimentary rocks because’ unlike most igneous and metamorphic rocks, sedimentary rocks are formed at a temperature and pressures that do not destroy fossil remnants thus, fossils are present in sedimentary rock.

(iii) Core of the Earth is divided into two parts-outer core and inner core, in between the solid inner core and solid mantle of the Earth, there is a liquid layer which is more than 2,000 kilometers thick. Thus, the Earth core is semi-solid.

Question 5.
(a) Name any two types of volcanoes giving one example of each type. [2]
(b) Define the following terms : [2]
(i) Epicentre
(ii) Focus
(c) Give a geographical reason for each of the following : [3]
(i) Volcanic activity and earthquakes occur in the same belt.
(ii) All rivers do not form a delta.
(iii) Chemical weathering is more common in the tropical region.
(d) Explain the meaning of the following terms : [3]
(i) Deflation hollow
(ii) River meander
(iii) Block disintegration.
Answer:
(a) Two types of volcanoes are :
1. Stratovolcanoes (Composite Volcanoes): Mayon, a stratovolcano in the Philippines.
2. Shield Volcanoes : Islands of the state of Hawaii

(b) (i) The point on the Earth’s surface vertically above the focus of an earthquake is called epicenter. It is the point nearest to the surface of Earth and marks the site where the quake is strongest.

(ii) The focus is also called the hypocenter of an earthquake. The vibrating waves travel away from the focus of the earthquake in all directions. The waves can be so powerful they will reach all parts of the Earth and cause it to vibrate like a tuning fork.

(c) (i) Volcanic activity and earthquakes occur in the same belts. It is because, the earthquakes and volcanoes are formed along the faults between tectonic plates, where the crust is weakest.

(ii) All rivers do not form a delta because, deltas are formed by the process of sedimentation in the river mouth, and this sedimentation occurs when water is flowing at a slow speed. Rivers which flow at a high speed do not form any delta. There are four rivers in India which do not form the deltas, because of their fast flow. They are Narmada, Sabarmati, Mahi and Tapti.

(iii) Tropical areas tend to experience rapid chemical weathering because they experience large amounts of consistent rainfall and constantly warm temperatures which increases the rates of chemical weathering. These conditions also encourage the decomposition of plant matter to produce chemicals such as humic acids and carbon dioxide which further accelerate process of chemical weathering.

(d) (i) Deflation hallow are enclosed depression produced by wind erosion. It may be found both in hot deserts, where wind may scour a hollow in relatively unconsolidated material, and in more temperate regions, where a protective vegetation cover has been removed by a sand dune.

(ii) A river meander is one of a series of regular sinuous curves, bends, loops, turns, or windings in the channel of a river, stream, or other water course. It is produced by a stream or river swinging from side to side as it flows across its floodplain or shifts its channel within a valley.

(iii) Block disintegration is common over well-jointed granit. In day time, intense solar heating causes rooks to expand. At night, the temperature falls down, rocks cool down and contract. This repeated expansion and contraction produce stress along joints.

Question 6.
(a) State four factors that affect the movement of the ocean currents. [2]
(b) Draw a neat and well labeled diagram showing the two types of tides. [2]
(c) Give a reason for each of the following. [3]
(i) Newfoundland has rich fishing grounds.
(ii) The eastern coast of Japan is warm even in January.
(iii) The tidal range differs from one water body to the other.
(d) State three ways in which oceans are important to us. [3]
Answer:
(a) An ocean current is a continuous, directed movement of seawater. Factors affecting the movement of ocean current are the Rotation of Earth (Coriolis Force), forces acting via winds, temperature and salinity, planetary winds and land.

(b)

(c) (i) The Grand Banks of Newfoundland are a group of underwater plateaus south-east of Newfoundland on the North American continental shelf. Here cold Labrador Current mixes with the warm waters of the Gulf Stream. The Continental shelves due to their shallowness enable sunlight to penetrate through the water, which encourages the growth of minute plants and other microscopic organisms. Thus, they are rich in plankton growth on which millions of surface and bottom feeding fishes thrive. This makes it one of the largest fishing grounds of the world.

(ii) The climate varies greatly between the north and the south but generally winters are significantly milder and sunnier than those of the side that faces the Sea of Japan. Summers are hot due to the southeast seasonal wind. The warmest winter temperatures are found due to the combination of latitude, distance from the Asian mainland, and warming effect of winds from the Kuroshio, as well as the Volcano Islands. So, this is the reason for the eastern coast of Japan as it experiences warm even in January.

(iii) The tidal range is the vertical difference between the high tide and the succeeding low tide. Tides are the rise and fall of sea levels caused by the combined effects of the gravitational forces exerted by the Moon and the Sun and the rotation of the Earth.

(d) The following points prove the importance of oceans to us :
1. Biodiversity: Coral reefs, salt marshes, estuaries and mangrove and seagrass beds are just a few of the ocean environments which support a large number of different species of organisms – that is, have a high biodiversity.

2. Natural resources: The ocean floor habitat is not as well-known as coral reefs or coastal areas, but it is very important to all the organisms that live on the bottom (benthic organisms), as well as commercially important. The continental shelves and ocean floor are home to many important minerals, including oil and natural gas.

3. Transportation: Not only are oceans important to sustain life, but also for moving materials that we use. Without commercial ships and barges, transportation of goods from place to place would be difficult and expensive. Cities which have good natural harbors have always had an advantage, and even today are some of the largest cities in the world are beside the ocean.

4. Climate and weather: The oceans interact with and affect global weather and climate. As the air passes over warm waters, it rises due to warming. As it cools, condensation of the water creates rainfall.

Question 7.
(a) “Higher the latitude, lower is the temperature.[2]
Justify the statement with an example.
(b) (i) What is the cause of ozone depletion? [2]
(ii) State the impact of ozone depletion on human life.
(c) Give a reason for each of the following : [3]
(i) The snow on the slope of Himalayas in Nepal melt faster than that on the slope towards Tibet.
(ii) Tropical deserts have a large annual range of temperatures.
(iii) Equatorial regions have low atmospheric pressure throughout the year.
(d) Draw a neat labeled diagram of the structure of the Earth’s atmosphere. [3]
Answer:
(a) At higher latitudes, the sun’s rays strike at a lower angle, which means that the solar energy is spread over a wider area. The amount of light hitting the two points are the same, but because it strikes the northern point at a lower angle than the southern point, it covers a greater area and has more spread out. As such, the heat is also more spread out as compared to the equator, resulting in it being relatively cooler.

(b) (i) The primary cause of ozone depletion is the presence of chlorine-containing source
gases (primarily CFCs and related halocarbons). In the presence of UV light, these gases dissociate, releasing chlorine atoms, which then go on to catalyze ozone destruction.

(ii) As ozone depletion is in the form of a ‘hole’ in the layer. This hole enables harmful ultraviolet rays to enter the Earth’s atmosphere. Ultraviolet rays of the Sun are associated with a number of health-related and environmental issues such as skin cancers, eye cataracts and a reduction in the ability to fight off disease. Furthermore, UV radiation can be damaging to microscopic life in the surface oceans which forms the basis of the world’s food chain.

(c) (i) The most important factor that makes snow in the Himalayas in Nepal melt faster than Tibet is due to climatic variations between two places.

(ii) The tropical desert has the highest mean annual temperature of climate on Earth. The high temperatures are a result of the high sun angles throughout the year and thus this area receives highest percentage of sunshine on Earth.

(iii) The Equatorial region have low atmospheric pressure throughout the year because Sun shines almost vertically on the equator throughout the year. As a result, the air gets warm and rises over the equatorial region and produces equatorial low pressure.

(d)

Question 8.
(a) Name the regions in which the following local winds blow : [2]
(i) Chinook
(ii) Mistral
(iii) Foehn
(iv) Loo
(b) (i) What are ‘doldrums”? [2]
(ii) Why is it so called?
(c) Draw a well labelled diagram of sea breeze. [3]
(d) Give a reason for each of the following : [3]
(i) Roaring forties and furious fifties are found in the Southern hemisphere.
(ii) Low atmospheric pressure prevails over the circum polar region.
(iii) Cyclones are always followed by anticyclones.
Answer:
(a) (i) Chinook : Inland western North America, particularly the Rocky Mountain region.
(ii) Mistral : Rhone Valley to the Mediterranean.
(iii) Foehn : Northern side of the Alps and North Italy.
(iv) Loo : Western Indo-Gangetic Plain region of North India and Pakistan.

(b) (i) Doldrums are the the regions surrounding the Earth, north of the equator. They are areas where there is absolutely no air movement and an intense low pressure exists. It is believed that the ships sailing through this region gets stuck for weeks if they do not have sufficient sail power to move them forward.
(ii) As in this region, sailors noticed the stillness in the blowing air because of which this region has got a depressing name “doldrums.”

(c)

(d) (i) Roaring forties and furious fifties are found in Southern hemisphere because the Southern hemisphere is less obstructed by land mass than its Northern counterpart. There is more open water between land masses and the winds get to set their own rules.

(ii) These belts located between 60° and 70° in each hemisphere are known as Circum Polar Low Pressure Belts. In the Sub-Tropical region the descending air gets divided into two parts. One part blows towards the Equatorial Low Pressure Belt. The other part blows towards the Circum-Polar Low Pressure Belt. This zone is marked by ascent of warm Sub-Tropical air over cold polar air blowing from poles. Due to Earth’s rotation, the winds surrounding the Polar region blow towards the Equator. Centrifugal forces operating in this region create the low pressure belt appropriately called Circum-Polar Low Pressure Belt. This region is marked by violent storms in winter.

(iii) A cyclone and anticyclone are systems of winds that rotate around a center of low atmospheric pressure and high atmospheric pressure respectively. Cyclones (known as lows) generally are indicators of rain, clouds, and other forms of bad weather. Anticyclones (highs) are predictors of fair weather.

Winds in a cyclone blow anticlockwise in the Northern hemisphere and clockwise in the Southern hemisphere. Winds in an anticyclone blow just the opposite. Vertical air movements are associated with both cyclones and anticyclones. In cyclones, air close to the ground is forced inward toward the center of the cyclone, where pressure is lowest. It then begins to rise upward, expanding and cooling in the process.

This cooling increases the humidity of the rising air, which results in cloudiness and high humidity in the cyclone. In anticyclones, the situation is reversed. Air at the center of an anticyclone is forced away from the high pressure that occurs there. That air is replaced in the center by a downward draft of air from higher altitudes. As this air moves downward, it is compressed and warmed. This warming reduces the humidity of the descending air, which results in few clouds and low humidity in the anticyclone.

Question 9.
(a) Distinguish between absolute and relative humidity. [2]
(b) (i) Name the type of rainfall experienced in Equatorial region. [2]
(ii) State two characteristic features of rainfall mentioned by you.
(c) (i) How is dew formed? [3]
(ii) How is frost different from, dew?
(iii) Why is fog commonly formed in the winter season?
(d) Give the reason for each of the following : [3]
(i) A rain shadow area is generally dry.
(ii) Frontal rain is common in mid latitudes.
(iii) Conventional rainfall is also called 4 o’ clock rainfall.
Answer:
(a) Absolute humidity is the measure of water vapor (moisture) in the air, regardless of temperature. It is expressed as grams of moisture per cubic meter of air (g/m³) whereas Relative humidity also measures water vapour but relative to the temperature of the air. It is expressed as the amount of water vapour in the air as a percentage of the total amount that could be held at its current temperature. Warm air can hold far more moisture than cold air meaning that the relative humidity of cold air would be far higher than warm air if their absolute humidity levels were equal. Relative humidity is cited in weather forecasts as it affects how we “feel” temperature.

(b) (i) Conventional rainfall is the type of rainfall experienced in equatorial region.
(ii) Two features of conventional rainfall are :
1. As the warm air rises, it cools, and the moisture present in it condenses to form clouds-altostratus clouds. This rain falls steadily for a few hours to a few days.
2. This type of rainfall is accompained by thunder and lightning but does not last long.

(c) (i) Dew drops are formed due to condensation of water vapours, this process depends on the temperature. The temperature at which droplets are formed is called the dew point.

(ii) Frost forms in the same way as dew except it occurs when the dewpoint is below freezing point. The moisture goes straight from a gas to a solid. But, if the moisture goes from a gas to a liquid and to a solid, the result will be frozen dew.

(iii) Fog is simply when clouds form at zero altitude above ground level. This is more likely to happen at times of high pressure in winter as wind speeds are so low that the fog cannot clear. On a clear winter’s night, the ground cools substantially, cooling the air in immediate contact with it so it reaches the dewpoint the temperature at which water vapour in the air condenses into tiny droplets. The air above the surface- cloud layer (i.e. fog) is slightly warmer. This is called an inversion.

(d) (i) A rain shadow is a dry area on the side of a mountain opposite to the wind. It is called as the dry side of the mountain or the leeward side because mountains block the passage of rain producing wine and cast a shadow of dryness behind them.

(ii) Frontal rain causes when two air masses meet, one a warm air mass and one a cold air mass. This happens in mid-latitude region where the cold air masses coming from the polar regions meet the warm air masses from sub-tropical regions.

(iii) Conventional rainfall is termed as 4′ Q clock rainfall because such kind of rainfall caused by upliftment of air due to high temperature in equatorial region. Due to intense heating in this region air starts rising as a result of this by noon the sky becomes overcast with clouds and torrential rain occurs in afternoon.

Question 10.
(a) Explain how industrial waste and vehicular emissipn act as the source of air pollution. [2]
(b) Which health hazards are associated with radioactive waste? [2]
(c) (i) What is organic farming? [3]
(ii) Why is this form farming gaining popularity in recent times?
(d) Discuss how individuals may reduce energy consumption to create a cleaner and eco-friendly world. [3]
Answer:
(a) The factories produce a lot of waste every day and they are dumping their chemical and other waste wherever they want and polluting the air, water, and land. It causes the soil pollution and climate change which are dangerous for earth’s biodiversity. Outdoor air pollution is caused mainly by the combustion of petroleum products or coal by motor vehicles, industry, and power stations.

(b) Exposure to large amounts of radioactivity can cause nausea, vomiting, hair loss, and diarrhea and hemorrhage, destruction of the intestinal lining, central nervous system damage, and death. It also causes DNA damage and raises the risk of cancer, particularly in young children and fetuses.

(c) (i) Organic farming is a method of farming that involves production and maintenance of crops without the use of pesticides, fertilizers, genetically modified organisms, antibiotics and growth hormones.

(ii) Organic farming is gaining popularity because of the following reasons:

• Organic Farming discourages environmental exposure to pesticides and chemicals.
• Organic Fanning builds healthy soil.
• Organic Farming helps combat erosion.
• Organic Farming fights the effects of global warming.
• Organic Farming supports water conservation and water health.

(d) Individuals can reduce energy consumption to create a cleaner and eco-friendly world in the following ways :
1. Unplug the appliances when they’re not in use.
2. Buy appliances with a good energy rating.
3. Pick the right washing machine.
4. Choose an energy-efficient fridge.
5. Insulate the roof or ceiling.
6. Seal the chimney with a damper.
7. Avoid installing down lights.

Question 11.
(a) Why are the tropical deserts found along the western margins of the continents? [2]
(b) Name the economic activities practiced in the tropical grasslands. [2]
(c) Give a reason for each of the following : [3]
(i) “The Equatorial region is also called the lungs of the world.”
(ii) The trees found in the Mediterranean region have long roots and thick barks.
(iii) Tundra region has a low annual range of temperature.
(d) (i) What type of climate is experienced in the north-western part of Europe? [3]
(ii) What is the human response to the typical climate of this region?
Answer:
(a) Most of the world’s deserts are found on the western margins of continents in the subtropics because the prevailing winds in this region are tropical easterly winds. The tropical easterly winds become dry by the time they reach the western margins of the continents and so they bring no rainfall.

(b) Tropical Grassland (Savanna Biome) since the prehistoric time is a forests dominated the surface of the earth. The main occupations are agriculture including subsistence farming, livestock and nomadic herding.

(c) (i) Equatorial regions are often called the “lungs of the planet” because this region is
characterised tropican rainforests which have heavey growth of natural vegetation, here trees are tall and broad leaved and evergreen, they generally draw in carbon dioxide and breathe out oxygen. The amount of carbon dioxide they absorb, is very high thus they are called lungs of planet.

(ii) Mediterranean trees adapt themselves to dry summers with the help of their thick barks and wax coated leaves which help them reduce transpiration. Also, here the plants have long tap roots to reach underground water, called “Xerophytes’ Plants”. Mediterranean regions are known as ‘Orchards of the world’.

(iii) Tundra region has a very low range of temperature because of very little difference in day and night temperatures but the annual range is quite large. This region experiences very low mean annual temperature for most part of the year temperature is below freezing point. The severe climate does not favor much vegetation growth and hence most of the areas under Tundra climate remain barren land.

(d) (i) The climate of Europe varies from subtropical to polar. The Mediterranean climate of the south is dry and warm. The western and northwestern parts have a mild,generally humid climate, influenced by the North Atlantic Drift. In central and eastern Europe the climate is of’ the humid continental-type with cool summers.

(ii) Water plays a crucial role in the lives and economic activity of the people in this region. Most of north-western Europe lies within 300 miles of a sea or coast; many people depend on the rivers for transportation, trade, and recreational activities.

ICSE Class 9 Geography Question Papers with Answers

ICSE Class 9 Geography Sample Question Paper with Answers 2021-2022

• ICSE Class 9 Geography Question Paper 1 with Answers
• ICSE Class 9 Geography Question Paper 2 with Answers
• ICSE Class 9 Geography Question Paper 3 with Answers

ICSE Sample Papers for Class 9 with Answers