Weather, Climate and Adaptations of Animals to Climate

Exercise:

1). Name the elements that determine the weather of a place.

The elements that determine the weather of a place are temperature, humidity, rainfall during the past 24 hours and wind speed.

2). When are the maximum and minimum temperatures likely to occur during the day?

The maximum temperature of the day occurs generally in the afternoon while the minimum temperature occurs generally in the early morning.

3). Fill in the blanks:

(i) The average weather taken over a long time is called climate.

(ii) A place receives very little rainfall and the temperature is

high throughout the year, the climate of that place will be dry and very hot.

(iii) The two regions of the earth with extreme climatic conditions are tropical and polar.

4). Indicate the type of climate of the following areas:

(a) Jammu and Kashmir: moderately hot and wet climate

(b) Kerala: very hot and wet

(d) North-east India: wet

5). Which of the two changes frequently, weather or climate?

Weather changes frequently as the weather is such a complex phenomenon that it can vary over very short periods of time.

6). Following are some of the characteristics of animals:

(i) Diets heavy on fruits (ii) White fur

(iii) Need to migrate (iv) Loud voice

(v) Sticky pads on feet (vi) Layer of fat under skin

(vii) Wide and large paws (viii) Bright colours

(ix) Strong tails (x) Long and large beak

For each characteristic indicate whether it is adaptation for tropical rainforests or polar regions. Do you think that some of these characteristics can be adapted for both regions?

Characteristics	Adaptation
Diets heavy on fruits	tropical rainforests
White fur	polar region
Need to migrate	polar region
Loud voice	tropical rainforests
Sticky pads on feet	tropical rainforests
Layer of fat under skin	polar region
Wide and large paws	polar region
Bright colours	tropical rainforests
Strong tails	tropical rainforests
Long and large beak	tropical rainforests

7). The tropical rainforest has a large population of animals. Explain why it is so.

Because of continuous warmth and rain, this region supports wide variety of plants and animals. The climatic conditions in rainforests are highly suitable for supporting an enormous number and a variety of animals.

8). Explain, with examples, why we find animals of certain kinds living in particular climatic conditions.

Animals are adapted to survive in the conditions in which they live. Features and habits that help animals to adapt to their surroundings are a result of the process of evolution. Animals living in very cold and hot climates must possess special features to protect themselves against extreme cold or heat.

For example, animals living in the polar region are adapted to extreme cold climate by having special characteristics like white fur, a strong sense of smell etc.

9). How do elephants living in the tropical rainforest adapt itself?

The elephants living in the tropical rainforest has adapted to the conditions in many remarkable ways. It uses its trunk as a nose because of which it has a strong sense of smell. The trunk is also used by it for picking up food. Moreover, its tusks are modified teeth. These can tear the bark of trees that elephant loves to eat. So, the elephant is able to handle the competition for food rather well. Large ears of the elephant help it to hear even very soft sounds. They also help the elephant to keep cool in the hot and humid climate of the rainforest.

Choose the correct option which answers the following question:

10). A carnivore with stripes on its body moves very fast while catching its prey. It is likely to be found in

(i) polar regions (ii) deserts

(iii) oceans (iv) tropical rainforests

Answer: (iv) tropical rainforests

11). Which features adapt polar bears to live in extremely cold climate?

(i) A white fur, fat below skin, keen sense of smell.

(ii) Thin skin, large eyes, a white fur.

(iii) A long tail, strong claws, white large paws.

(iv) White body, paws for swimming, gills for respiration.

Answer: (i) A white fur, fat below skin, keen sense of smell.

12). Which option best describes a tropical region?

(i) hot and humid

(ii) moderate temperature, heavy rainfall

(iii) cold and humid

(iv) hot and dry

Answer: (i) hot and humid

Additional Questions:

Fill in the blanks.

i). The Sun is a huge sphere of hot gases at a very high temperature.

ii). Meteorologists record the weather every day.

iii). The polar regions are covered with snow.

iv). The tropical region generally has a hot climate.

v). Animals are adapted to the conditions in which they live.

Write whether True or False.

i). The weather at a place changes day after day.

True.

ii). Weather is a complex phenomenon.

True.

iii). All changes in the weather are caused by the Sun.

true.

iv). Climate of a place changes day by day.

False.

Define the following.

i). Humidity

Humidity is the measure of moisture in the air.

Answer the following.

i). What instrument is used for measuring rainfall?

Rain gauge.

ii). What is a rain gauge?

The instrument is used for measuring rainfall is Rain gauge. It is basically a measuring cylinder with a funnel on top to collect rainwater.

iii). What is weather?

The day to day condition of the atmosphere at a place with respect to the temperature, humidity, rainfall, windspeed etc., is called the weather at that place.

iv). What is climate?

The average weather pattern taken over a long time, say 25 years, is called the climate of the place.

v). Distinguish between weather and climate.

Weather	Climate
i). Weather is a day to condition of the atmosphere of a place.	i). Climate is the average weather pattern taken over a long period of time.
ii). It changes in a very short period of time.	ii). It does not changes in very short period of time.
iii). It does not cause any adaptations in the organisms.	iii). It cause adaptations in the organisms.

Name the following.

i). Name the two regions of earth with extreme climatic conditions.

Polar regions and Tropical regions.

ii). Name the countries belong to Polar regions.

The countries that belong to the polar regions are Canada, Greenland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Alaska in U.S.A. and Siberian region of Russia.

iii). Name the countries belong to Tropical rainforests.

The countries belong to Tropical rainforests are India, Malaysia, Indonesia, Brazil, Republic of Congo, Kenya, Uganda, and Nigeria.

iv). Name the two polar regions.

North pole and South pole.

v). Name some animals found in the polar regions.

Polar bears, penguins, musk oxen, reindeers, seals etc.

vi). Name the place of India where Siberean crane migrates in winter?

Bharatpur in Rajasthan and Sultanpur in Haryana.

vi). Name the animals found in Tropical rainforests.

Monkeys, apes, lions, tigers, elephants, leopards, lizards, snakes, insects etc. found in Tropical rainforests.

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