THE HYDERABAD PUBLIC SCHOOL, RAMANTHAPUR
Class- VIII Ch.6 Pressure, Winds, Storms, and Cyclones Subject: Physics
Name: Roll No: Class/sec:
Choose The Correct Answer
1. The force exerted by air on a unit area is called:
a) Wind force b) Air density c) Air pressure d) Air mass
2. Air pressure is measured using a:
a) Hygrometer b) Barometer c) Thermometer d) Anemometer
3. Wind moves from:
a) High pressure to low pressure areas b) Low pressure to high pressure areas
c) East to west only d) North to south only
4. Which of the following is caused by uneven heating between the equator and poles?
a) Monsoon winds b) Trade winds c) Cyclones d) Global wind patterns
5. The instrument used to measure wind speed is:
a) Hygrometer b) Anemometer c) Barometer d) Rain gauge
6. In the Northern Hemisphere, cyclones rotate:
a) Clockwise b) Anticlockwise c) Both directions d) Do not rotate
7. Which gas in the atmosphere catches fire during lightning?
a) Oxygen b) Nitrogen c) Carbon dioxide d) Argon
8. A cyclone that forms over the Indian Ocean is called:
a) Hurricane b) Typhoon c) Cyclone d) Tornado
9. Which of these is a safety measure during a cyclone?
a) Staying in open areas b) Taking shelter in a safe building
c) Going near the sea d) Standing under tall trees
10. The calm center of a cyclone is called:
a) Vortex b) Eye c) Core d) Spiral
11. Which of the following causes winds to change direction?
a) Earth’s rotation b) Sun’s gravity c) Ocean tides d) Air temperature only
12. Which winds are seasonal and bring heavy rainfall to India?
a) Trade winds b) Monsoon winds c) Westerlies d) Land breeze
13. Which layer of the atmosphere is most important for weather changes?
a) Troposphere b) Stratosphere c) Mesosphere d) Thermosphere
14. The fast-moving air in the upper atmosphere is called:
a) Jet stream b) Trade wind c) Monsoon d) Cyclone
15. Tornadoes are:
a) Circular movements of air over warm seas
b) Narrow, violent funnel-shaped columns of air
c) Winds blowing from sea to land
d) Winds blowing from land to sea
16. Which of these is an effect of low air pressure?
a) Calm weather b) Heavy rain and strong winds c) Clear skies d) Cold dry air
17. Which part of India is most often affected by cyclones?
a) Rajasthan b) Eastern coastal states c) Western desert d) Himalayan region
18. The difference between sea breeze and land breeze is due to:
a) Different salinity of water b) Uneven heating of land and water
c) Difference in altitude d) Earth’s tilt
19. Which of the following is NOT a precaution during a thunderstorm?
a) Staying indoors b) Avoiding metallic objects
c) Standing under a lone tree d) Unplugging electrical appliances
20. Cyclone warnings in India are issued by:
a) Indian Meteorological Department (IMD)
b) Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO)
c) National Disaster Response Force (NDRF)
d) Geological Survey of India (GSI)
Fill in the Blanks
1. The force exerted by air on a unit area is called __________.
2. Air pressure is measured using an instrument called __________.
3. Wind moves from a region of __________ pressure to a region of __________ pressure.
4. Uneven heating between the equator and the poles causes __________ wind patterns.
5. In the Northern Hemisphere, cyclones rotate in the __________ direction.
6. The center of a cyclone, where the weather is calm, is called the __________.
7. __________ winds are seasonal winds that bring heavy rainfall to India.
8. A cyclone that forms over the Pacific Ocean is called a __________.
9. The speed of wind is measured by an instrument called __________.
10. The layer of the atmosphere where most weather changes occur is the __________.
11. Sea breeze blows from the __________ to the __________ during the day.
12. Land breeze blows from the __________ to the __________ during the night.
13. A narrow, funnel-shaped violent column of air is called a __________.
14. The Indian agency that issues cyclone warnings is the __________.
15. During thunderstorms, the gas __________ in the atmosphere combines with oxygen to form
nitric oxide.
ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS
1. Explain why the coastal areas experience sea breeze during the day and land breeze during the
night.
2. A weather report says that a low-pressure area has formed over the Bay of Bengal. Predict the
possible weather conditions in nearby coastal states and explain why.
3. Why do cyclones form mostly over warm tropical oceans and not over cold polar seas?
4. During summer, the land heats up faster than the sea. How does this difference in heating affect
wind patterns in coastal regions?
5. Explain why the eye of a cyclone is calm even though the surrounding areas experience very
strong winds.
6. A cyclone warning is given for a coastal city. Suggest a safety plan for the residents and explain
why each step is important.
7. Why do cyclones in the Northern Hemisphere rotate anticlockwise while in the Southern
Hemisphere they rotate clockwise?
8. Imagine you are a meteorologist. Describe how you would use a barometer and an anemometer
together to predict a storm.
9. During a thunderstorm, people are advised not to take shelter under tall isolated trees. Explain
the science behind this safety measure.
10. Uneven heating of land and water causes global wind patterns. How does this process connect to
the occurrence of monsoons in India?
11. If the Earth stopped rotating, how would the direction and pattern of winds change? Explain with
reasons.
12. Suppose a cyclone is approaching the eastern coast of India. How will the atmospheric pressure,
wind speed, and rainfall patterns change before, during, and after the cyclone?
13. Two coastal cities receive cyclone warnings at the same time, but one suffers greater damage
than the other. What possible factors could explain this difference?
14. Why does the formation of a low-pressure area over land in summer help bring monsoon rains to
India?
15. Predict the effect on global wind patterns if there were no difference in temperature between the
equator and the poles.
16. Imagine a fisherman at sea who suddenly notices a rapid drop in air pressure and a sudden
increase in wind speed. What should he infer and what actions should he take immediately?
17. Why do cyclones weaken after they make landfall, even though they can travel hundreds of
kilometers over the ocean without losing strength?
18. A city located far inland experiences heavy rainfall after a cyclone makes landfall on the coast.
Explain how this is possible.
19. How does the Coriolis effect influence the movement of winds and cyclones in both hemispheres?
20. In some cases, people observe a sudden lull (calm) in the middle of a severe cyclone. What
causes this phenomenon and why can it be dangerous?
21. Would lightning occur if air and clouds were good conductors of electricity? Give reasons for
your answer.
22. What is a thunderstorm? Explain the process of its formation.
23. Explain why holes are made in banners and hoardings.
24. Two Elephants on standing on different platforms. Elephant X weighs 25,000 N and stands on a
platform of area 2.5 m2. Elephant Y weighs 20,000 N and stands on a platform of area 1.5 m2
Find which elephant exerts more pressure and by how much.
25. The force exerted by air on a surface is 5,000 N. If the surface area is 2 m², calculate the air
pressure on the surface.
26. The atmospheric pressure is 1.01×105 Pa. If it acts on a tabletop of area 1.2 m2, find the total
force exerted on the table.
27. If the same force of 500 N is applied on two surfaces — one of area 1 m² and another of 0.5 m²
— find the pressures in each case.
28. A sharp knife has an edge area of 0.0005 m2and a blunt knife has an edge area of 0.002 m2. If
the same force of 50 is applied, find the pressure exerted by both and compare.
29. A tractor weighs 50,000 N and has 4 large tyres. The area of contact for each tyre is 0.5 m2.
Calculate the pressure exerted on the ground.
30. There are two boats, A and B. Boat A has a base area of 7 m 2 , and 5 persons are seated in it.
Boat B has a base area of 3.5 m2 , and 3 persons are seating in it. If each person has a weight of
700 N, find out which boat will experience more pressure on its base and by how much?
