2. 1. Answer the following questions briefly.
(a) How does a planet differ from a star?
(b) What is meant by the ‘Solar System’?
(c) Name all the planets according to their distance from the sun.
(d) Why is the Earth called a unique planet?
(e) Why do we see only one side of the moon always?
(f) What is the Universe?
Answer: (a) Differences between a planet and a star:
(b) The term Solar System refers to the “family” of the Sun. The Sun is a star
around which eight planets, among other celestial objects, revolve in orbits.
This whole system of bodies is called the Solar System. The Sun is the “head”
of this system.
3. (c) The list of planets in the order of their distance from the Sun is as
follows:
(i) Mercury (ii) Venus (iii) Earth (iv) Mars (v) Jupiter (vi) Saturn (vii)
Uranus (viii) Neptune
(d) The Earth is regarded as a unique planet because of the following
reasons:
(i) It is the only planet known to support life. It has oxygen and water
present in proportions that allow life to thrive.
(ii) It also has a temperature range that supports life.
(iii) The proportion of water present is about two-thirds of the surface
of earth when compared to land.
(e) One revolution of the moon around the earth takes about 27 days.
Incidentally, the moon’s rotation about its own axis also takes nearly
the same time. One day of the moon is equal to 27 Earth days. So
only one side of the moon can be seen from the earth.
(f) The Universe is the largest unit in which we live. It is a collection of
galaxies. There is only one Universe, and everything that exists,
exists in this Universe itself.
4. 2. Tick the correct answer.
(a) The planet known as the “Earth’s Twin” is
(i) Jupiter
(ii) Saturn
(iii) Venus.
(b) Which is the third nearest planet to the sun?
(i) Venus
(ii) Earth
(iii) Mercury.
(c) All the planets move around the sun in a
(i) Circular path
(ii) Rectangular path
(iii) Elongated path
(d) The Pole Star indicates the direction to the
(i) South
(ii) North
(iii) East.
(e) Asteroids are found between the orbits of
(i) Saturn and Jupiter
(ii) Mars and Jupiter
(iii) The Earth and Mars.
Answers: (a)—(iii), (b)—(ii), (c)—(iii), (d)—(ii), (e)—(ii).
5. 3. Fill in the blanks.
(a) A group of…….. forming various patterns is called a
………….
(b) A huge system of stars is called ……………
(c) ………… is the closest celestial body to our earth.
(d) ………. is the third nearest planet to the sun.
(e) Planets do not have their own ………… and ……….
Answers:
(a) stars, constellation
(b) galaxy
(c) The moon
(d) The earth
(e) heat, light.
7. 1. Answer the following questions briefly:
(a) What is the true shape of the earth?
(b) What is a globe?
(c) What is the latitudinal value of the Tropic of Cancer?
(d) What are the three heat zones of the Earth?
(e) What are parallels of latitude and meridians of longitude?
(f) Why does the Torrid Zone receive maximum amount of
heat?
(g) Why is it 5.30 p.m in India when it is 12.00 noon in
London?
Answers:
(a) The true shape of the earth is a sphere flattened at the
poles. Such a shape is called a geoid.
(b) A globe is an exact miniature model of the earth. It shows
the earth in its actual shape, with all continents, oceans, etc
marked at their proper places.
8. (c ) The latitudinal value of the Tropic of Cancer is 23 1/2° N.
(d) The heat zones of the Earth are: the Torrid Zone, the Temperate
Zones and the Frigid Zones.
(e) Parallels of latitudes. All of the imaginary circles parallel to the
Equator are called parallels of latitudes. These circles have varying
centres and all these central points lie on the same line: the axis of the
earth. Meridians of longitudes. All of the imaginary circles perpendicular
to the Equator are called meridians of longitudes. These circles have the
same centre, which is also the centre of the earth.
(f) The mid-day sun directly faces the area between the Tropics of
Cancer and Capricorn. So the heat received is maximum at these
latitudes. These latitudes fall under the Torrid Zone.
(g) India and the United Kingdom lie on different longitudes. Each
degree of longitudes corresponds to a difference of four minutes. This is
because the earth rotates 360° in 24 hours, 1° in 4 minutes. The
standard meridian of India is 82° 30′ E, and that of London is 0°. This
means a difference of 4 minutes x 82.5 = 330 minutes = 5.5 hours. So
when it is 12 noon in London, it is 5.30 p.m. in India.
9. 2. Tick the correct answer:
(a)The value of the prime meridian is
(i) 90° (ii) 0° (iii) 60°
(b)The frigid zone lies near
(i) the Poles (ii) the Equator (iii) the Tropic
of Cancer
(c)The total number of longitudes are
(i) 360 (ii)
180 (iii) 90
(d)The Antarctic Circle is located in
(i) the Northern Hemisphere
(ii)the Southern Hemisphere
(iii)the Eastern Hemisphere
(e)Grid is a network of
(i) parallels of latitudes and meridians of longitudes
(ii) the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn
(iii) the North Pole and the South Pole
Answers: (a)—(ii), (b)-(i),(c)-(i), (d)-(ii), (e)-(i).
10. 3. Fill in the blanks.
(a) The Tropic of Capricorn is located
at…………………..
(b) The Standard Meridian of India
is…………………..
(c) The 0° Meridian is also known
as…………………..
(d) The distance between the longitudes
decreases towards ……………………….
(e) The Arctic Circle is located in the……………….
Answers: (a) 23 1/2° S. (b) 82 1/2° E. (c) Prime
Meridian, (d) Prime Meridian, (e) Northern.
12. 1.Answer the following questions briefly.
(a)What is the angle of inclination of the earth’s axis with its orbital
plane?
(b) Define rotation and revolution.
(c) What is a leap year?
(d) Differentiate between the summer solstice and winter solstice.
(e) What is an equinox?
(f) Why does the Southern Hemisphere experience winter and summer
solstice in different times than that of the Northern Hemisphere?
(g) Why do the poles experience about six months day and six months
night?
Answers: (a) The angle of inclination of the earth’s axis with its orbital
plane is 66’/a.
(b) The movement of the earth on its axis is known as rotation.
‘ Revolution. The movement of the earth around the sun in a fixed path
or orbit is known as revolution.
(c) The year in which Februaiy is of 29 days instead of 28 days is called a
leap year. Thus a leap year is of 366 days instead of 365 days.
13. (d) Difference between summer solstice and winter solstice
(e) On 21st March and September 23rd, direct rays of the sun fall on the
equator. At this position, neither of the poles is tilted towards the sun.
Therefore, the entire earth experiences equal days and equal nights. This
phenomenon is called an equinox.
(f) Since it is winter in the Southern Hemisphere when it is summer in
the Northern Hemisphere, therefore the position of the earth ‘which is called
the Winter Solstice in one Hemisphere is the Summer Solstice in the other, and
vice-versa.
(g) The axis of the earth is tilted, due to which the sun continuously either
shines or cannot be seen for a long time here. Although the earth rotates and
day changes into night and night into day at other places, but the poles remain
under the same stage for a much longer time due to the tilt.
14. 2. Tick the correct answer.
(a) The movement of the earth around the sun
is known as
(i) Rotation (ii) Revolution (iii) Inclination.
(b) Direct rays of the sun fall on the equator on
(i) 21 March (ii) 21 June (iii) 22 December.
(c) Christmas is celebrated in summer in
(i) Japan (ii)India (iii)Australia
(d) The cycle of the seasons is caused due to
(i) Rotation (ii)Revolution (iii)Gravitation
Answers: (a)—(ii), (b)—(i), (c)—(iii), (d)—(ii).
15. 3. Fill in the blanks.
(a)A leap year has ………… number of days.
(b)The daily motion of the earth is ………
……
(c)The earth travels around the sun
in…………….
(d)The sun’s rays fall vertically on the
Tropice of…………….. on 21st June.
(e)Days are shorter during …………
Answer: (a)366, (b) rotation, (c) elliptical,
(d) cancer, (e) winter.
17. 1. Answer the following questions briefly:
(a) What are the three components of a map?
(b) What are the four cardinal directions?
(c) What do you mean by the term ‘the scale of the map’?
(d) How are maps more helpful than a globe?
(e) Distinguish between a map and a plan.
(f) Which map provides detailed information?
(g) How do symbols help in reading map?
Answers:
(a) The three components of a map are—distance, direction
and symbol.
(b) The four cardinal directions are—North, South, East and
West.
(c) The term ‘the scale of the map’ means the ratio between
the actual distance on the ground and the distance shown on
the map.
18. (d) Maps provide more information than a globe. A globe can be useful when
we want to study the earth as a whole. But when we want to study only a part of
the earth, as about a country or a state, globe is of little help. In such a situation
only maps are useful.
(e) Differences between a map and a plan.
(f) A thematic map provides detailed information.
(g) Symbols are an important part of a map. They give a lot of information in a
limited space. With the use of symbols maps can be drawn easily and are
simple to read. Even if we don’t know the language of an area and therefore
cannot ask someone for directions. We can collect information from maps with
the help of symbols.
19. 2. Tick the correct answer:
(a) Maps showing distribution of forests are
(i) Physical map (ii) Thematic
map (iii) Political map.
(b) The blue colour is used for showing
(i) Water bodies (ii) Mountains (iii) Plains
(c) A compass is used
(i) To show symbols (ii) To find the main direction
(iii) To measure distance.
(d) A scale is necessary
(i) For a map (ii) For a sketch (iii) For
symbols.
Answers:
(a)—(ii), (b)-(i), (c)-(ii), (d)-(i).
