Geography

Heating and cooling of the atmosphere

Q: Why does Earth's surface begin to cool at night?

Because it emits longwave radiation At night solar energy is absent but the ground keeps radiating heat. Exam tip: connect night cooling with terrestrial radiation.

Q: Which gas is important in absorbing longwave radiation in the atmosphere?

Water vapour Water vapour absorbs longwave radiation and helps keep the atmosphere warm. Exam tip: remember water vapour among major greenhouse gases.

Q: Why do clouds allow less heating of the surface during the day?

They reflect part of solar radiation Clouds can send solar radiation back toward space. Exam tip: consider clouds as a daytime cooling factor.

Q: Why do clouds reduce heat loss at night?

They trap part of terrestrial radiation Clouds trap longwave radiation and keep nights relatively warmer. Exam tip: remember clouds have different day and night effects.

Q: What is the usual effect of evaporation on surface temperature?

Cooling Evaporation uses latent heat and cools the surface. Exam tip: use cooling by drying sweat as an example.

Q: What happens in the atmosphere during condensation?

Latent heat is released When water vapour condenses latent heat is released and air may warm. Exam tip: remember heat release during cloud formation.

Q: Latent heat is most closely related to what?

Change of state of water Latent heat is involved in changes of state like evaporation and condensation. Exam tip: connect it with water cycle and heat.

Q: Why does land heat and cool faster than water?

Land has lower heat capacity Land changes temperature quickly with less heat. Exam tip: explain land-water temperature difference by heat capacity.

Q: Why does water temperature change slowly?

It has high heat capacity Water changes temperature slowly even after taking more heat. Exam tip: link oceanic influence with this property.

In this Class 11 Geography topic, students learn how the atmosphere is heated and cooled through incoming solar radiation and outgoing terrestrial radiation. The lesson explains Earth’s heat balance and the roles of conduction, convection, advection, and latent heat in transferring energy through the atmosphere. Students also examine how land and water surfaces, cloud cover, humidity, and atmospheric circulation influence temperature patterns and help produce differences between places and times.

Easy · Level 2 · 25 questions

Practice questions

01Why does Earth's surface begin to cool at night?

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Answer and explanation

Correct answer: A. Because it emits longwave radiation

At night solar energy is absent but the ground keeps radiating heat. Exam tip: connect night cooling with terrestrial radiation.

Heating and cooling of the atmosphere

Practice questions

01Why does Earth's surface begin to cool at night?रात में पृथ्वी की सतह ठंडी क्यों होने लगती है?

02Which gas is important in absorbing longwave radiation in the atmosphere?कौन सी गैस वायुमंडल में दीर्घतरंग विकिरण को सोखने में महत्वपूर्ण है?

04Why do clouds allow less heating of the surface during the day?बादल दिन में धरातल को कम गर्म क्यों होने देते हैं?

05Why do clouds reduce heat loss at night?बादल रात में ताप हानि को कम क्यों करते हैं?

06What is the usual effect of evaporation on surface temperature?वाष्पीकरण का सतह के ताप पर सामान्य प्रभाव क्या होता है?

07What happens in the atmosphere during condensation?संघनन के समय वायुमंडल में क्या होता है?

08Latent heat is most closely related to what?गुप्त ऊष्मा किससे सबसे अधिक जुड़ी है?

09Why does land heat and cool faster than water?स्थल जल की तुलना में जल्दी गर्म और जल्दी ठंडा क्यों होता है?

10Why does water temperature change slowly?जल का ताप धीरे क्यों बदलता है?

11Why can daily temperature range be greater over land?दैनिक तापांतर स्थल पर अधिक क्यों हो सकता है?

12Why does air temperature generally decrease with height?हवा का तापमान ऊंचाई के साथ सामान्यतः क्यों घटता है?

13Normal lapse rate is related to what?सामान्य ताप ह्रास दर किससे संबंधित है?

14What happens in temperature inversion?तापमान प्रतिलोमन में क्या होता है?

15Why does the surface cool quickly on a clear and calm night?साफ और शांत रात में धरातल जल्दी ठंडा क्यों होता है?

16On which night is frost more likely?पाला पड़ने की संभावना किस रात अधिक होती है?

17Why does maximum temperature generally occur shortly after noon?दिन में अधिकतम तापमान सामान्यतः दोपहर के तुरंत बाद क्यों आता है?

18Why is the lowest temperature often found just before sunrise?सबसे कम तापमान प्रायः सूर्योदय से ठीक पहले क्यों मिलता है?

19What is the simple meaning of heat balance?ऊष्मा संतुलन का सरल अर्थ क्या है?

20Outgoing energy from Earth is mainly in which form?पृथ्वी से बाहर जाने वाली ऊर्जा मुख्यतः किस रूप में होती है?

21Which factor can reduce daytime surface temperature?कौन सा कारक धरातल के दिन के ताप को कम कर सकता है?

22Which factor can keep temperature higher at night?कौन सा कारक रात को तापमान अधिक बनाए रख सकता है?

23How does heat reach upward through vertical mixing of air?वायु के ऊर्ध्वाधर मिश्रण से ऊष्मा ऊपर तक कैसे पहुंचती है?

24Temperature rising due to warm air brought by wind is an example of what?पवन द्वारा किसी क्षेत्र में गर्म हवा आने पर तापमान बढ़ना किसका उदाहरण है?

25A fall in temperature due to inflow of cold air is an example of which process?ठंडी हवा के प्रवाह से तापमान घटना किस प्रक्रिया का उदाहरण है?

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01Why does Earth's surface begin to cool at night?

02Which gas is important in absorbing longwave radiation in the atmosphere?

04Why do clouds allow less heating of the surface during the day?

05Why do clouds reduce heat loss at night?

06What is the usual effect of evaporation on surface temperature?

07What happens in the atmosphere during condensation?

08Latent heat is most closely related to what?

09Why does land heat and cool faster than water?

10Why does water temperature change slowly?

11Why can daily temperature range be greater over land?

12Why does air temperature generally decrease with height?

13Normal lapse rate is related to what?

14What happens in temperature inversion?

15Why does the surface cool quickly on a clear and calm night?

16On which night is frost more likely?

17Why does maximum temperature generally occur shortly after noon?

18Why is the lowest temperature often found just before sunrise?

19What is the simple meaning of heat balance?

20Outgoing energy from Earth is mainly in which form?

21Which factor can reduce daytime surface temperature?

22Which factor can keep temperature higher at night?

23How does heat reach upward through vertical mixing of air?

24Temperature rising due to warm air brought by wind is an example of what?

25A fall in temperature due to inflow of cold air is an example of which process?