Atmosphere and Climate — Class 9 MCQs with Answers
Class 9 CBSE Social Science · Chapter 3
75 practice questions · 24 Easy · 25 Medium · 26 Hard · Updated
Practise the most important Class 9 CBSE Social Science questions from Chapter 3, "Atmosphere and Climate". You get 9 timed quizzes made from 75 NCERT-based MCQs, with answers and explanations. The questions are split into 24 Easy, 25 Medium and 26 Hard. Warm up on the basics, then move on to the exam-level questions that set top scorers in CBSE Board exams apart.
To score well in "Atmosphere and Climate", focus on dates, cause and effect, and reading maps and sources. Each MCQ here is timed and uses exam-style marking (+4 correct, −1 wrong, 0 skipped). This trains you to stay accurate under time pressure, as real papers need. Every question has a short explanation, so a wrong answer becomes a quick lesson. It is the fastest way to fix gaps before a test.
Use this chapter for focused revision. Start with the Easy set to check your basics on Atmosphere and Climate, then move to Medium and Hard to practise applying them. Your accuracy, streaks and XP save automatically. This chapter also adds to your overall Class 9 Social Science mastery score. 14 sample questions are solved in full below, with the answer and a worked explanation. Sign in free to start practising.
Key concepts: Atmosphere and Climate (Class 9 Social Science)
The atmosphere is a layered envelope of gases that makes life possible, and its uneven heating produces weather and, over time, climate. This chapter covers atmospheric composition and structure, the factors controlling climate, the Indian monsoon and the reality of climate change.
- Atmosphere
- The envelope of gases held to the earth by gravity, which supplies oxygen and carbon dioxide, filters radiation and moderates temperature.
- Composition of the atmosphere
- Roughly 78% nitrogen and 21% oxygen with small amounts of argon, carbon dioxide, water vapour and dust.
- Troposphere
- The lowest layer, where all weather occurs, in which temperature falls with height and which contains most of the atmosphere's mass.
- Stratosphere and the ozone layer
- The layer above the troposphere, calm enough for aircraft, containing the ozone that absorbs harmful ultraviolet radiation.
Atmosphere and Climate — important questions & MCQs with answers (Class 9 Social Science)
14 solved questions from this chapter's difficulty levels, each with its answer and explanation. The other 61 are timed and scored when you sign in.
- Q1Easy
Which gas makes up the largest proportion of the Earth's atmosphere by volume?
A.Carbon dioxideB.OxygenC.Nitrogen✓ CorrectD.ArgonAnswer: C. Nitrogen
Explanation: Nitrogen makes up about 78% of the atmosphere by volume, the largest share of any gas.
- Q2Easy
The day-to-day condition of the atmosphere of a place is called its:
A.ReliefB.SeasonC.ClimateD.Weather✓ CorrectAnswer: D. Weather
Explanation: Weather refers to the short-term, day-to-day state of the atmosphere of a place.
- Q3Easy
As one moves from the Equator towards the Poles, the temperature generally:
A.IncreasesB.First increases then stops changingC.Remains the sameD.Decreases✓ CorrectAnswer: D. Decreases
Explanation: Temperature decreases from the Equator to the Poles because the Sun's rays become more slanting away from the Equator.
- Q4Easy
The word 'monsoon' is derived from the Arabic word 'mausim', which means:
A.RainB.StormC.Season✓ CorrectD.WindAnswer: C. Season
Explanation: 'Mausim' means season, referring to the seasonal reversal of winds in the monsoon system.
- Q5Easy
Oxygen forms approximately what percentage of the atmosphere by volume?
A.21%✓ CorrectB.50%C.78%D.1%Answer: A. 21%
Explanation: Oxygen makes up about 21% of the atmosphere by volume and is essential for respiration.
- Q6Easy
Climate is best described as the average atmospheric condition of a large area over a period of:
A.A single dayB.A long time (about 30 years)✓ CorrectC.One weekD.One monthAnswer: B. A long time (about 30 years)
Explanation: Climate is the average weather of a large area measured over a long period, usually around 30 years.
- Q7Medium
A weather balloon rises steadily and a sensor records temperature falling, then beginning to rise again. The point where temperature stops falling and starts rising marks the boundary between the:
A.Thermosphere and exosphereB.Troposphere and stratosphere✓ CorrectC.Mesosphere and thermosphereD.Stratosphere and mesosphereAnswer: B. Troposphere and stratosphere
Explanation: In the troposphere temperature falls with height, but in the stratosphere it rises again due to ozone absorbing UV rays, so the turning point is the tropopause between them.
- Q8Medium
A student says, 'It rained heavily in Mumbai today.' Another says, 'Mumbai receives heavy rain every June to September.' Which statements describe weather and climate respectively?
A.Both describe weatherB.First describes climate, second describes weatherC.First describes weather, second describes climate✓ CorrectD.Both describe climateAnswer: C. First describes weather, second describes climate
Explanation: A single day's rain is weather, while a regular yearly pattern over many years is climate.
- Q9Medium
Two cities lie at the same latitude, but one is on the coast and the other deep inland. The inland city is likely to have:
A.No seasons at allB.Hotter summers and colder winters✓ CorrectC.Lower temperature differences through the yearD.A more moderate climateAnswer: B. Hotter summers and colder winters
Explanation: Away from the moderating effect of the sea, inland places have a more extreme (continental) climate with hotter summers and colder winters.
- Q10Medium
During the Indian summer, intense heating of the northern plains creates a low-pressure area. This low pressure is important because it:
A.Attracts moist winds from the Indian Ocean, drawing in the monsoon✓ CorrectB.Brings cold winds from the HimalayasC.Stops all winds from blowingD.Pushes the monsoon winds back to the seaAnswer: A. Attracts moist winds from the Indian Ocean, drawing in the monsoon
Explanation: The low pressure over the heated land attracts moist sea winds, which blow in as the south-west monsoon bringing rain.
- Q11Medium
Assertion (A): The stratosphere is considered ideal for flying aeroplanes. Reason (R): The stratosphere is free of clouds and other weather disturbances.
A.Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A✓ CorrectB.Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of AC.A is true but R is falseD.A is false but R is trueAnswer: A. Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A
Explanation: The chapter calls the stratosphere, which extends up to about 50 km, ideal for aeroplanes precisely because it is free of clouds and weather disturbances. Nearly all weather, such as rainfall, fog and hail, occurs lower down, in the troposphere.
- Q12Hard
Assertion (A): Temperature rises with height in the stratosphere but falls with height in the troposphere. Reason (R): The stratosphere is heated mainly by ozone absorbing ultraviolet radiation, while the troposphere is heated mostly from the Earth's surface below. Choose the correct option.
A.A is true but R is falseB.Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of AC.A is false but R is trueD.Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A✓ CorrectAnswer: D. Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A
Explanation: Surface heating warms the lower troposphere so it cools upward, while ozone absorbing UV warms the stratosphere upward; R correctly explains the opposite temperature trends in A.
- Q13Hard
A town records the following over four days: Day 1 sunny 35°C, Day 2 rainy 28°C, Day 3 cloudy 30°C, Day 4 stormy 27°C. A geographer says these readings describe the town's weather, not its climate, because they:
A.Cover only a few days, not a long-term average✓ CorrectB.Were measured with the wrong instrumentsC.Include temperature, which is not a weather elementD.Cover too large an areaAnswer: A. Cover only a few days, not a long-term average
Explanation: Climate is a long-term average over many years; four days of readings describe only the short-term weather.
- Q14Hard
Read the case: 'From October to February the Indian landmass cools faster than the surrounding seas, so high pressure builds over the land and cold, dry winds blow from the land towards the sea. Most of India gets little rain from them, but one part of the country does.' Which region benefits, and why?
A.The western coast, especially Kerala, because the winds pick up moisture while crossing the Arabian SeaB.North-western India, because the winds are blocked by the HimalayaC.The whole of peninsular India, because the land is warmer than the sea in winterD.The eastern coast, especially Tamil Nadu, because the winds pick up moisture while crossing the Bay of Bengal✓ CorrectAnswer: D. The eastern coast, especially Tamil Nadu, because the winds pick up moisture while crossing the Bay of Bengal
Explanation: When the north-east (winter) monsoon winds pass over the Bay of Bengal they gather moisture and bring rain to the eastern coast, especially Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and parts of Karnataka. Over the rest of India these land-to-sea winds stay cold and dry, and in this season it is the land, not the sea, that is cooler.
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Start this chapter free →Atmosphere and Climate — FAQs
What are the key concepts in Class 9 Social Science Atmosphere and Climate?+
The atmosphere is a layered envelope of gases that makes life possible, and its uneven heating produces weather and, over time, climate. This chapter covers atmospheric composition and structure, the factors controlling climate, the Indian monsoon and the reality of climate change. Key ideas include Atmosphere, Composition of the atmosphere, Troposphere, Stratosphere and the ozone layer.
What does Class 9 Social Science Chapter 3 (Atmosphere and Climate) cover on XamBaaz?+
It has 75 NCERT-based MCQs on "Atmosphere and Climate": 24 Easy, 25 Medium and 26 Hard. Together they make 9 timed quizzes, and you never get the same set twice. Every question has an instant explanation. They help you prepare for CBSE Board exams.
Are these "Atmosphere and Climate" questions free to practise?+
Yes. Sign in with Google to practise "Atmosphere and Climate" free. Full unlimited access is ₹999/year on a launch offer until 1 December 2026. No chapter is charged separately.
How should I revise "Atmosphere and Climate" for the exam?+
Start with the Easy quiz to check your basics, then try Medium and Hard to practise applying them. There are 9 timed quizzes on this chapter, so you can come back for a fresh set instead of one you have seen. Read each explanation, retry the questions you miss, and track your accuracy until it stays high.
Are these "Atmosphere and Climate" MCQs available with answers?+
Yes. 14 sample questions are shown here in full, each with the correct option and a step-by-step "Why" explanation. Sign in free with Google to start practising, with instant scoring.
Is there negative marking in the "Atmosphere and Climate" quizzes?+
Yes. The timed quizzes use exam-style marking: +4 for a right answer, −1 for a wrong one and 0 for a skip. MHT-CET and CBSE board papers have no negative marking. Our mocks for those are scored their way.
What are the important questions from Atmosphere and Climate (Class 9 Social Science)?+
The questions that matter most test Atmosphere, Composition of the atmosphere, Troposphere, Stratosphere and the ozone layer. This page shows 14 solved important MCQs with answers and explanations; all 75 questions on the chapter are available as timed quizzes once you sign in.
Is there an online quiz for Atmosphere and Climate?+
Yes — Class 9 Social Science Atmosphere and Climate has timed online quizzes at Easy, Medium and Hard levels, with instant scoring and a worked explanation on every question. The first quiz on the chapter is free.