Atmosphere and Climate — Class 9 MCQs with Answers
Class 9 CBSE Social Science · Chapter 3
78 practice questions · 24 Easy · 28 Medium · 26 Hard · Updated
Jump to the 6 solved questions
Practise the most important Class 9 CBSE Social Science questions from Chapter 3, "Atmosphere and Climate". You get 10 timed quizzes made from 78 NCERT-based MCQs, with answers and explanations. The questions are split into 24 Easy, 28 Medium and 26 Hard. Warm up on the basics, then move on to the exam-level questions that top scorers in CBSE Board exams get right.
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 helps you stay accurate when time is short, just 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. Try the 6 sample questions below: tap an option to see the answer and a worked explanation. Sign in free to start practising.
Atmosphere and Climate — important questions & MCQs with answers (Class 9 Social Science)
6 solved questions from this chapter's difficulty levels, each with its answer and explanation. Tap an option to check yourself.
0 of 6 answered
- Q1 of 6Easy
Which gas makes up the largest proportion of the Earth's atmosphere by volume?
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Answer: Nitrogen
Explanation: Nitrogen makes up about 78% of the atmosphere by volume, the largest share of any gas.
- Q2 of 6Easy
The day-to-day condition of the atmosphere of a place is called its:
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Answer: Weather
Explanation: Weather refers to the short-term, day-to-day state of the atmosphere of a place.
- Q3 of 6Medium
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:
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Answer: 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.
- Q4 of 6Medium
Assertion (A): Human-made causes made the 2025 floods in Punjab worse. Reason (R): Silt and mud that collected in rivers and dams over time increased their capacity to hold and carry water.
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Answer: A is true but R is false
Explanation: A is true: weak embankments, homes and farms built too close to rivers, and late warnings added to the damage. R is false: the chapter says the silt and mud reduced the capacity of rivers and dams to hold and carry water.
- Q5 of 6Hard
A scientist arranges atmospheric layers in order of increasing height: troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere, exosphere. Which single statement about this sequence is INCORRECT?
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Answer: The exosphere is the lowest and densest layer
Explanation: The exosphere is the outermost and thinnest layer, not the lowest or densest; the densest air is in the troposphere.
- Q6 of 6Hard
Read the case: 'On a sunny afternoon at a beach, visitors notice a cool wind blowing steadily from the sea towards the land. Late at night, the wind has reversed and blows gently out to sea.' Which explanation of the afternoon wind matches the chapter?
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Answer: The land has become warmer than the sea, so a low-pressure area forms over the land and air moves in from the sea
Explanation: A sea breeze blows from sea to land during the day, especially in the afternoon, when the land is warmer than the sea: a low-pressure area forms over the land, and because air always moves from high to low pressure, wind blows in from the sea. At night the land cools faster, giving the gentler land breeze.
Atmosphere and Climate notes: key concepts (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.
| Layer | What happens there |
|---|---|
| Troposphere | All weather (clouds, rain, storms); densest air; temperature falls with height |
| Stratosphere | Ozone absorbs UV, so temperature rises with height; no clouds, ideal for aircraft |
| Mesosphere | Most meteors burn up here |
| Thermosphere | Its ions (the ionosphere) reflect radio waves back to Earth |
| Exosphere | Outermost and thinnest layer, merging into space |
| Weather | Climate | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | State of the atmosphere at a place at a given moment | Average weather of a place over a long period |
| Time span | Day to day, short-term | About 30 years |
| Example | 'It rained heavily in Mumbai today' | 'Mumbai gets heavy rain every June to September' |
| Factor | Effect | Example or reason |
|---|---|---|
| Latitude | Temperature falls from the Equator to the Poles | The Sun's rays become more slanting away from the Equator |
| Altitude | Temperature falls with height | Mahabaleshwar is cooler than the nearby plains |
| Distance from the sea | Coasts are moderate; inland places have extremes | An inland city has hotter summers and colder winters |
| Relief | Rain on the windward side, rain shadow on the leeward | Wet Western Ghats, dry Deccan Plateau to the east |
| Ocean currents | Warm currents warm a coast; cold currents cool it | Places at the same latitude can differ in temperature |
- 1Summer: intense heating creates low pressure over the northern plains
- 2The low pressure draws in moist winds from the Indian Ocean: the south-west monsoon
- 3June to September: the bulk of India's annual rainfall
- 4From October the monsoon withdraws (the retreating monsoon)
- 5October to February: the land cools faster than the seas; cold, dry winds blow from land to sea
- 6North-east winds gather moisture over the Bay of Bengal and rain on the east coast, especially Tamil Nadu
- ↺ and back to step 1
- 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.
- Upper layers
- The mesosphere, where meteors burn up; the thermosphere, which reflects radio waves; and the exosphere, merging into space.
- Weather
- The state of the atmosphere at a place at a given moment, described by temperature, humidity, rainfall, wind and cloud.
- Climate
- The average weather of a place taken over a long period, usually thirty years or more, which is why one hot day is not a change of climate.
- Latitude
- The chief control on temperature: places near the equator receive more direct sunlight through the year than places near the poles.
- Altitude
- Temperature falls with height above sea level, which is why hill stations are cool even in the tropics.
- Distance from the sea
- Coastal places have a moderate climate because water heats and cools slowly, while inland places have extreme summers and winters.
- Relief and rain shadow
- Mountains force moist air to rise and cool, giving heavy rain on the windward side and a dry rain-shadow area on the leeward.
- Monsoon
- The seasonal reversal of winds caused by differential heating of land and sea, bringing India most of its annual rainfall between June and September.
- Retreating monsoon
- The withdrawal of the monsoon from October onwards, which brings rain to the Tamil Nadu coast from the north-east winds.
- Climate change
- The long-term shift in climate patterns driven largely by greenhouse gas emissions, seen in rising temperatures and erratic rainfall.
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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, Upper layers, Weather.
What does Class 9 Social Science Chapter 3 (Atmosphere and Climate) cover on XamBaaz?+
It has 78 NCERT-based MCQs on "Atmosphere and Climate": 24 Easy, 28 Medium and 26 Hard. Together they make 10 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. One year from the day you pay. You stay in Class 9 till 31 March; on 1 April your account moves up to Class 10 and the rest of your year carries over. 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 10 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. 6 sample questions are on this page with answers: tap an option, or "Show answer", to see the correct option and a step-by-step 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, Upper layers, Weather. This page shows 6 solved important MCQs with answers and explanations. Sign in to practise all 78 questions on the chapter as timed quizzes.
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.
Are there question answers and extra questions for Atmosphere and Climate (Class 9 Social Science)?+
Yes. This page has 6 solved questions on Atmosphere and Climate, each with the correct answer and a short explanation. Sign in to practise all 78 questions on the chapter as timed quizzes.
Are there assertion–reason and case study questions for Atmosphere and Climate (Class 9 Social Science)?+
Yes. The Atmosphere and Climate question bank has 3 assertion–reason questions and 2 case-based (case study) questions in the CBSE board format, alongside the regular MCQs. Each comes with the answer and a worked explanation. Sign in to practise them in timed quizzes.