Table of Contents
Chapter 1: The Earth in the Solar System
1. Answer the following questions briefly.
(a) How does a planet differ from a star?
Answer: A planet is a celestial body that orbits a star (like Earth orbiting the Sun), whereas a star is a luminous celestial object that produces light and heat through nuclear reactions in its core (like the Sun). See: Detail Answer
(b) What is meant by the ‘Solar System’?
Answer: The Solar System consists of the Sun and all celestial objects, including planets, moons, asteroids, comets, and other debris, that are gravitationally bound to the Sun. See: Detail Answer
(c) Name all the planets according to their distance from the sun.
Answer: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune. See: Detail Answer
(d) Why is the Earth called a unique planet?
Answer: Earth is called a unique planet because it has conditions that support life. It has a suitable atmosphere, liquid water, and a diverse range of ecosystems. See: Detail Answer
(e) Why do we see only one side of the moon always?
Answer: The Moon is tidally locked to the Earth, meaning it rotates on its axis in the same amount of time it takes to orbit the Earth. As a result, only one side (the near side) of the Moon is visible from Earth. See: Detail Answer
(f) What is the Universe?
Answer: The Universe is the vast expanse that includes everything – all matter, energy, galaxies, stars, planets. It is everything that exists. See: Detail Answer
Question 2: Tick the correct answer.
(a) The planet known as the “Earth’s Twin” is
(i) Jupiter (ii) Saturn (iii) Venus
Answer: (iii) Venus
Explanation: Venus is often referred to as Earth’s twin because of its similar size and composition. Both planets are rocky and have a comparable mass and density.
(b) Which is the third nearest planet to the sun
(i) Venus (ii) Earth (iii) Mercury
Answer: (iii) Mercury
Explanation: The order of planets from the sun, starting with the closest, is Mercury, Venus, Earth. So, Mercury is the third nearest planet.
(c) All the planets move around the sun in a
(i) Circular path (ii) Rectangular path (iii) Elliptical path
Answer: (iii) Elliptical path
Explanation: Planets orbit the sun in elliptical paths. An elliptical orbit is a stretched-out circle, and this is the shape of the paths that planets follow as they go around the sun.
(d) The Pole Star indicates the direction to the
(i) South (ii) North (iii) East
Answer: (ii) North
Explanation: The Pole Star, also known as Polaris, indicates the direction towards the North. It is a reliable reference point for navigation in the Northern Hemisphere.
(e) Asteroids are found between the orbits of
(i) Saturn and Jupiter (ii) Mars and Jupiter (iii) The Earth and Mars
Answer: (ii) Mars and Jupiter
Explanation: Asteroids are primarily found in the asteroid belt, which is located between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. This region is populated with numerous small rocky bodies known as asteroids.
Question 3: Fill in the blanks.
(a) A group of ________ forming various patterns is called a ________.
Answers: (a) stars, constellation
Explanation: A group of stars forming patterns is known as a constellation.
(b) A huge system of stars is called________.
Answer: (b) galaxy
Explanation: A huge system of stars, along with gas, dust, and dark matter, is called a galaxy. The Milky Way is an example of a galaxy.
(c) ________is the closest celestial body to our earth.
Answer: (c) Moon
Explanation: The Moon is the closest celestial body to Earth.
(d) ________is the third nearest planet to the sun.
Answer: (d) Earth
Explanation: Earth is the third planet from the Sun in our solar system.
(e) Planets do not have their own________ and ___________________.
Answers: (e) light, heat source
Explanation: Planets do not have their own light and heat source; they receive light and heat from the Sun, which is a star.
Chapter 2 Globe Latitudes and Longitudes
Question 1: Answer the following questions briefly.
(a) What is the true shape of the earth?
Answer: The true shape of the Earth is an oblate spheroid or geoid, slightly flattened at the poles and bulging at the equator. It is like the shape of orange.
(b) What is a globe?
Answer: A globe is a spherical representation of the Earth, providing a three-dimensional and accurate portrayal of its features.
(c) What is the latitudinal value of the Tropic of Cancer?
Answer: The latitudinal value of the Tropic of Cancer is approximately 23.5 degrees north.
(d) What are the three heat zones of the Earth?
Answer: The three heat zones of the Earth are the Torrid Zone (tropical), the Temperate Zones (subtropical and polar), and the Frigid Zones (polar).
(e) What are parallels of latitude and meridians of longitude?
Answer: Parallels of latitude are imaginary lines running east-west around the Earth, measuring the distance north or south of the equator. Meridians of longitude are imaginary lines running north-south from pole to pole, measuring the distance east or west of the Prime Meridian.
(f) Why does the torrid zone receive the maximum amount of heat?
Answer: The torrid zone receives the maximum amount of heat because it is situated near the equator, where the Sun’s rays are more direct throughout the year, leading to higher temperatures.
(g) Why is it 5.30 p.m. in India and 12.00 noon in London?
Answer: The time difference is due to the Earth’s rotation. India is ahead of London in time zones. As the Earth rotates from west to east, places to the east experience time ahead of locations to the west.
Question 2: Tick the correct answers.
(a) The value of the prime meridian is
(i) 90° (ii) 0° (iii) 60°
Answer: (ii) 0°
(b) The frigid zone lies near
(i) the Poles (ii) the Equator (iii) the Tropic of Cancer
Answer: (i) the Poles
(c) The total number of longitudes are
(i) 360 (ii) 180 (iii) 90
Answer: (i) 360
(d) The Antarctic circle is located in
(i) the Northern hemisphere (ii) the Southern hemisphere (iii) the Eastern hemisphere
Answer: (ii) the Southern 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
Answer: (i) parallels of latitudes and meridians of longitudes
Question 3: Fill in the blanks.
(a) The Tropic of Capricorn is located at _________________.
Answer: The Tropic of Capricorn is located at approximately 23.5 degrees south latitude.
(b) The Standard Meridian of India is ____________________.
Answer: The Standard Meridian of India is 82.5 degrees east longitude.
(c) The 0° Meridian is also known as ____________________.
Answer: The 0° Meridian is also known as the Prime Meridian.
(d) The distance between the longitudes decreases towards___________.
Answer: The distance between the longitudes decreases towards the poles.
(e) The Arctic Circle is located in the ____________ hemisphere.
Answer: The Arctic Circle is located in the Northern hemisphere.
Chapter 3 Motions of the Earth
Question 1: Answer the following questions briefly.
(a) What is the angle of inclination of the earth’s axis with its orbital plane?
Answer: The angle of inclination of the Earth’s axis with its orbital plane is approximately 23.5 degrees.
(b) Define rotation and revolution.
Answer: Rotation is the spinning of a celestial body on its axis. For Earth, it completes one rotation approximately every 24 hours, causing day and night. Revolution is the orbital motion of a celestial body around another. For Earth, one revolution around the Sun takes about 365.25 days, defining a year.
(c) What is a leap year?
Answer: A leap year is a year that is evenly divisible by 4, except for years that are divisible by 100 but not by 400. Leap years have 366 days instead of the usual 365 days, with an extra day added in February.
(d) Differentiate between the Summer and Winter Solstice.
Answer: The Summer Solstice occurs around June 21st in the Northern Hemisphere when the North Pole is tilted closest to the Sun, resulting in the longest day of the year. The Winter Solstice occurs around December 21st in the Northern Hemisphere when the North Pole is tilted farthest from the Sun, resulting in the shortest day of the year.
(e) What is an equinox?
Answer: An equinox occurs when the Sun is directly above the equator, and day and night are approximately equal in length. There are two equinoxes in a year: the Vernal Equinox around March 21st and the Autumnal Equinox around September 23rd.
(f) Why does the Southern Hemisphere experience Winter and Summer Solstice in different times than that of the Northern Hemisphere?
Answer: The Southern Hemisphere experiences opposite seasons compared to the Northern Hemisphere because when one hemisphere is tilted toward the Sun (Summer Solstice), the other is tilted away (Winter Solstice) due to the axial tilt of the Earth.
(g) Why do the poles experience about six months day and six months night?
Answer: The poles experience about six months of day and night due to the axial tilt of the Earth. During one half of its orbit around the Sun, a pole is tilted toward the Sun, experiencing continuous daylight (polar day). In the other half, it is tilted away, resulting in continuous darkness (polar night).
2. Tick the correct answers.
(a) The movement of the earth around the sun is known as
(i) Rotation (ii) Revolution (iii) Inclination
Answer: (ii) Revolution
(b) Direct rays of the sun fall on the equator on
(i) 21 March (ii) 21 June (iii) 22 December
Answer: (ii) 21 June
(c) Christmas is celebrated in summer in
(i) Japan (ii) India (iii) Australia
Answer: (iii) Australia
(d) Cycle of the seasons is caused due to
(i) Rotation (ii) Revolution (iii) Gravitation
Answer: (ii) Revolution
3. Fill in the blanks.
(a) A leap year has 366 number of days.
(b) The daily motion of the earth is rotation.
(c) The earth travels around the sun in an elliptical orbit.
(d) The sun’s rays fall vertically on the Tropic of Cancer on 21st June.
(e) Days are shorter during winter season.
Chapter 4: Maps
1. Answer the following questions briefly.
(a) What are the three components of a map?
Answer: The three components of a map are title, legend (or key), and scale.
(b) What are the four cardinal directions?
Answer: The four cardinal directions are north, south, east, and west.
(c) What do you mean by the term ‘the scale of the map’?
Answer: The scale of the map represents the ratio between the distance on the map and the actual distance on the ground.
(d) How are maps more helpful than a globe?
Answer: Maps are more practical for detailed studies and easy to carry. They can represent specific areas in more detail, whereas a globe provides a global perspective but lacks detailed information.
(e) Distinguish between a map and a plan.
Answer: A map represents a larger area or region and includes various features like cities, rivers, and mountains. A plan, on the other hand, typically focuses on a smaller area, such as a building or a neighborhood, providing detailed information about structures and layouts.
(f) Which map provides detailed information?
Answer: Topographic maps provide detailed information, including the natural and man-made features of a specific area.
(g) How do symbols help in reading maps?
Answer: Symbols on maps represent different features or elements, such as mountains, rivers, roads, etc. They help in conveying information more efficiently by using visual representations, making the map easier to understand and interpret.
2. Tick the correct answers.
(a) Maps showing distribution of forests are
Answer: Thematic Map
(b) The blue colour is used for showing
Answer: Water bodies
(c) A compass is used –
Answer: To find the main direction
(d) A scale is necessary
Answer: For a map