SOCIAL SCIENCE
Class V
Chapter 9
WEATHER AND CLIMATE
What is Weather?
The day-to-day conditions of the atmosphere at a place with respect to elements like humidity,
temperature, wind speed, rainfall etc. is called the weather of that place.
Weather keeps on changing.
It can be cloudy, sunny, rainy, stormy, or clear.
For example: a day starts sunny might become cloudy or windy by the evening.
Changes in weather conditions give rise to seasons. In India we enjoy three seasons: Summer, Winter,
and Monsoon.
What is Climate?
The weather conditions that prevail over a large area and for a long period of time is called climate.
The climate of a place remains more or less the same, year after year. Different parts of the world have
different types of climates.
IMPORTANCE OF WEATHER AND CLIMATE
Weather and Climate plays important in the following fields of a place :-
➢ Agriculture: Farmers need to know the weather to grow crops.
➢ Travel: Pilots and sailors rely on weather forecasts.
➢ Clothing: We dress according to the weather.
➢ Health: Certain weather conditions can affect our health.
FACTORS THAT AFFECT THE CLIMATE OF A PLACE
There are many factors that influence the climate :-
1) Distance of the place from the Equator
The places near the equator are hotter because the rays of the sun fall vertically on the equator. As we move
away from the equator towards the poles, the rays of the sun become slanting and spread over a larger area so
it is cooler. The polar regions, being farthest experience extremely cold climate.
2) Height above Sea Level
The height of a place above sea level is called the altitude of a place. The higher we go, the cooler it gets.
3) Distance from the sea
Compared to land, water takes longer to heat and cool. Thus, oceans heat up and cool down slower than the
land around them.
Cool sea breeze keeps the coastal areas cooler in summer and warmer in winter. So coastal areas have
moderate climate.
4) Direction of the winds
Winds that blow from the sea to the land carry a lot of moisture and cause rainfall. Most of the rain falls
during summer (July and August) when winds come from the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal. Winter is
typically dry because, during this season, winds move from the land to the sea. (land breeze and sea breeze)
5) Humidity
Humidity means the amount of water vapour in the surrounding air.
With the increase in humidity the chances of rainfall increase. The coastal areas have more humidity. In colder
places humidity results in snowfall instead of rainfall.
6) Rainfall
How much a place receives rainfall also affects its climate. Some places get rainfall almost all around the year
and others may not get any rainfall at all. In both the cases, climates are going to be different.
During the day, when land heats up faster than the water, causing cooler air from the sea to move towards the
land called as Sea Breeze.
At night, when the land cools down faster than the sea, causing cooler air from the land to move towards the
sea called as Land Breeze.
HEAT ZONES/CLIMATIC ZONES OF THE EARTH
Regions of the world having similar climatic
conditions are grouped together in different heat
zones. The world is divided into three climatic zones:
1. Torrid Zone
2. Temperate Zone
3. Frigid Zone
1) Torrid zone
❖ The Torrid zone lies in the area between the Tropic of Cancer and the
Tropic of Capricorn.
❖ This zone receives direct rays of the Sun and is very hot and humid.
❖ Some areas in this zone receive high rainfall
2) Temperate Zone
❖ The region between the Tropic of Cancer to Arctic Circle in the
Northern Hemisphere and the Tropic of Capricorn to the Antarctic
circle in the Southern Hemisphere falls in Temperate Zone.
❖ This zone receives slanting rays of the sun and is neither very hot
nor very cold.
3) Frigid Zone
❖ The region extending from the Arctic Circle to the North Pole in the
Northern Hemisphere and the Antarctic circle to the South Pole in the
Southern Hemisphere fall in this zone.
❖ This region is extremely cold and remains covered with snow throughout
the year.
TEMPERATURE - Temperature refers to the degree of hotness and coldness of a place or object.
It is measured with the help of a device called thermometer.
WEATHER INSTRUMENTS
(1) Barometer: Measures atmospheric Pressure. (4) Rain Gauge: Measures the amount of rainfall
(2) Thermometer: Measures temperature. (5) Anemometer: Measures wind speed.
(3) Hygrometer: Measures humidity and Water Vapour in air.
