Answer the following questions briefly.(i) What are the contro... - Contemporary India

(i) What are the controls affecting the climate of India?
The six major controls affecting the climate of India are: Latitude, Altitude, Pressure and wind system, Distance from the sea (continentality), Ocean currents, and Relief features.

(ii) Why does India have a monsoon type of climate?
India has a monsoon type of climate because its climate is strongly influenced by monsoon winds. This is due to its location in the tropical area and the seasonal reversal of the wind system caused by the differential heating and cooling of land and water.

(iii) Which part of India does experience the highest diurnal range of temperature and why?
The Thar Desert (Rajasthan) experiences the highest diurnal range of temperature. This is because sand heats up very quickly during the day (reaching up to 50°C) and cools down rapidly at night (dropping near 15°C), as there is no moisture or dense vegetation to retain the heat.

(iv) Which winds account for rainfall along the Malabar coast?
The South-west monsoon winds (specifically the Arabian Sea branch) account for rainfall along the Malabar coast.

(v) Define monsoons. What do you understand by “break” in monsoon?

• Monsoon: It refers to the seasonal reversal in the wind direction during a year.

• Break in monsoon: Monsoon rain takes place only for a few days at a time; these wet spells are interspersed with rainless intervals known as "breaks" in monsoon.

(vi) Why is the monsoon considered a unifying bond?
The monsoon is considered a unifying bond because it affects the entire Indian landscape, animal and plant life, and the entire agricultural calendar. Most Indian festivals are related to the agricultural cycle, and the monsoon provides the water that binds the whole country together by setting the agricultural activities in motion.