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Class 8 Science Chapter 6 Pressure Winds Storms and Cyclones Extra Questions
Class 8 Science Chapter 6 Extra Questions on Pressure Winds Storms and Cyclones
Pressure Winds Storms and Cyclones Class 8 Very Short Question Answer
Question 1.
How does the “Thin and broad straps of bag” example help us understand pressure? (Competency Based Que.)
Answer:
A thin strap presses on a small area and hurts more; a broad strap spreads force over a larger area, so pressure is less. (Pressure = Force/Area)
Question 2.
Name the instrument used to measure atmospheric pressure.
Answer:
Atmospheric pressure is measured using a barometer, which contains mercury or aneroid mechanisms for readings.
Question 3.
Name the pressure exerted by the air around us. Why don’t we usually feel it?
Answer:
Atmospheric pressure. We don’t feel it because the air inside our bodies balances the outside pressure.
Question 4.
Observe the figure given below carefully. (Competency Based Que.)
Volume of water in each vessel is shown above. Arrange them in order of decreasing pressure at the base of each vessel. Explain the reason.
Answer:
Pessure of a liquid column depends upon the height of the liquid column and not on volume of the liquid. Decreasing order of pressure at the base of each vessel is B > D > A > C.
Question 5.
Why can the roof of a hut fly off in a strong storm?
Answer:
High speed wind above the roof lowers air pressure; greater pressure below the roof pushes it upward.
Question 6.
Warm air rises. How does this help in the formation of wind?
Answer:
When warm air rises, a low-pressure area forms. Cooler air from nearby (high pressure) rushes in—this moving air is wind.
Question 7.
Why is it unsafe to stand under a tree during lightning?
Answer:
Tall objects like trees may receive the lightning strike; charge can travel through the trunk and harm a person below.
Question 8.
Give two local names of thunderstorms in India and the states where they occur.
Answer:
Kalbaisakhi – West Bengal/Bihar region; Bordoisila – Assam. (Both are local thunderstorms.)
Question 9.
What are “Mango Showers”? How are they useful?
Answer:
Pre-monsoon thunderstorms in Kerala/Karnataka/Tamil Nadu; help in ripening of mangoes.
Question 10.
Why are cyclones more powerful over warm ocean water?
Answer:
Warm sea water makes moist air rise, condensation releases heat that drives the low pressure system, increasing wind speed.
Pressure Winds Storms and Cyclones Class 8 Short Question Answer
Question 1.
What happens to the balloons and why? (Competency Based Que.)
Answer:
The balloons move closer to each other because blowing air between them reduces the pressure between the balloons. The higher air pressure on the outer sides pushes them together.
Question 2.
Why does the cardboard not fall?
Answer:
Atmospheric pressure acts upward on the cardboard and balances the weight of the water in the glass, so the card remains in place.
Question 3.
Complete the statement: “For the same weight, the pressure on the shoulder becomes less when we use _____________ straps.” Explain briefly. (Competency Based Que.)
Answer:
Broad straps spread the weight of the bag over a larger area. Since pressure = Force ÷ Area, increasing the area reduces pressure on the shoulder, making it more comfortable to carry.
Question 4.
A water tank has three holes at different heights. Predict which hole will throw water farthest and explain.
Answer:
The lowest hole will throw water the farthest because water pressure increases with depth. Greater pressure at the bottom pushes water out with more force, so the stream goes farther compared to the top holes.
Question 5.
During pipeline leaks, water often jets out sideways like a fountain. What does this tell us about liquid pressure? (Competency Based Que.)
Answer:
This shows that liquids exert pressure not just downward but also sideways on the walls of the container or pipe. The escaping water forms a jet because the liquid pressure acts outward on the walls at that point.
Question 6.
In an activity, lifting a paper plate is harder when covered with a large sheet of chart paper. What conclusion about air can we draw?
Answer:
It proves that air exerts pressure. Larger the surface area, the greater the total downward force due to air. This makes lifting difficult because the sheet experiences a strong atmospheric push.
Question 7.
Explain briefly how charge separation develops inside a thundercloud.
Answer:
In a thundercloud, water droplets and ice particles collide in strong up and down air currents. Lighter ice pieces become positively charged and move to the upper part of the cloud, while heavier droplets become negatively charged and settle lower, creating a potential difference.
Question 8.
State what a thunderstorm is. When does a storm become a thunderstorm?
Answer:
A thunderstorm is a storm accompanied by lightning and thunder. A normal storm turns into a thunderstorm when strong winds, heavy rain, and an electric discharge occur together in the atmosphere.
Question 9.
State two weather conditions usually found around the eye-wall of a cyclone. (Competency Based Que.)
Answer:
Around the eye-wall, there are extremely high-speed winds and torrential rain. This region causes the most destruction, unlike the calm eye where conditions are relatively clear and wind speed is low.
Question 10.
List two damaging effects of cyclones on life and property.
Answer:
Cyclones uproot trees and destroy houses, telephone and power lines. They also cause floods and soil erosion, leading to loss of crops and livestock.
Pressure Winds Storms and Cyclones Class 8 Long Question Answer
Question 1.
One summer afternoon, Meera noticed that the windows of her house started rattling, and a strong wind was blowing outside. She immediately turned off the gas stove and closed the main electrical Supply. (Competency Based Que.)
(i) Why did Meera experience strong winds on a hot afternoon?
(ii) Explain why it was important for her to turn off the gas stove and main electrical supply during a storm.
(iii) Mention the safety measures Meera followed and suggest one more precaution she could have taken.
Answer:
(i) On a hot afternoon, the air near the ground becomes warm and rises up, creating a low-pressure area. Cool air from the surroundings moves in quickly to fill this space, resulting in strong winds.
(ii) During storms, electric wires may break and cause short circuits, and gas stoves can lead to accidental fires due to sudden wind pressure. Turning them off prevents accidents.
(iii) Meera followed two safety measures—turning OFF gas and electricity. Another precaution she should take to stay away from windows and doors to avoid injuries from flying objects.
Question 2.
Ravi was watching a weather report that warned of an approaching cyclone in the coastal area. He observed people quickly moving to shelters.
(i) Explain how cyclones are formed.
(ii) Why do coastal regions experience more cyclones compared to inland regions?
(iii) Suggest two safety precautions people should take before a cyclone hits.
Answer:
(i) Cyclones form over warm ocean water where high temperature causes evaporation. Rising warm air creates low pressure, and surrounding air moves in, forming strong winds in a circular motion due to the Earth’s rotation.
(ii) Coastal regions are near large water bodies where evaporation is high. This warm, moist air leads to the development of cyclones, whereas inland regions lack such conditions.
(iii) People should (i) move to safer shelters and (ii) store drinking water and emergency food before a cyclone strikes.
Question 3.
During a science experiment, students heated a bowl of water and observed bubbles rising from it. The teacher explained how heating affects air and water.
(i) Why does air become lighter on heating?
(ii) How does this property of air play an important role in wind formation?
(iii) Relate this property to one natural phenomenon in our daily life.
Answer:
(i) When air is heated, its molecules move apart, decreasing its density, making it lighter than cold air.
(ii) Warm air rises and creates a low pressure area. Cooler air moves to fill this gap, setting up air movement which we feel as wind.
(iii) Sea breeze during the day is an example. Air over land heats up faster than over the sea, so cooler air from the sea moves toward land.
Question 4.
Rohit was on a picnic when he saw a lightning flash in the sky followed by thunder after a few seconds. He became curious about this phenomenon. (Competency Based Que.)
(i) Why do we see lightning before hearing thunder?
(ii) What safety precautions should Rohit take during lightning?
(iii) Explain the process of lightning formation in clouds.
Answer:
(i) Light travels much faster than sound, so we see lightning first and hear thunder later.
(ii) Rohit should stay away from tall trees, avoid open fields, and not use electrical devices during lightning.
(iii) Lightning occurs due to charge separation in clouds, ice particles rub against each other causing opposite charges. When the charge becomes very large, air breaks down and a bright flash occurs.
Question 5.
Neha observed that during a windy day, the umbrellas of many people turned upside down. Why does an umbrella turn upside down during strong winds? Which property of air is responsible for this effect? State one more situation where the same principle applies in real life. (Competency Based Que.)
Answer:
An umbrella turns upside down during strong winds because fast-moving air above the umbrella creates low pressure, while the still air below has higher pressure, pushing the.umbrella upward. This happens because moving air exerts less pressure than still air. The same principle is observed when the roofs of houses blow away during storms or when airplanes lift off due to the pressure difference created by moving air.
Pressure Winds Storms and Cyclones Class 8 Case Based Questions
Question 1.
During the summer season in a coastal village, people observed that the weather suddenly changed in the evening. The sky became cloudy, winds started blowing at very high speed, and later heavy rain occurred. The villagers tied their roofs and closed the windows tightly. Some people moved to safer places. (Competency Based Que.)
(i) Why did the weather change so suddenly in the evening?
(ii) How does high-speed wind affect the pressure in the atmosphere?
(iii) Why did villagers tie their roofs tightly?
(iv) What safety measures should people take during such storms?
Question 2.
Two children are standing on planks in a muddy field and trying to push each other using equal strength. The planks are resting on soft ground. The surface area under child A’s plank is 0.8 m2 and that under Child B’s plank is 0.4 m2.
Observe the diagram and answer the questions that follow
(i) Who will sink deeper into the mud?
(ii) What is the pressure exerted by child A’s plank on the ground?
(iii) If both children apply the same force but child B uses a wider plank, what will happen?
Answer:
1. (i) The weather changed because the land heated up during the day, causing the hot air to rise quickly. Cooler moist air from the sea moved in to replace it, leading to cloud formation and heavy rain.
(ii) High-speed wind reduces the air pressure in the region. Air always moves from high-pressure areas to low-pressure areas, creating strong winds during storms.
(iii) Villagers tied their roofs because strong winds create low pressure above the roof and higher pressure inside the house, which can lift the roof and blow it away.
(iv) People should stay indoors, close doors and windows, and avoid going near trees or electric poles. They should also store clean water and dry food and move to safe shelters if necessary.
2. (i) (b) Child B
Because the pressure is more under smaller area (0.4 m2).
(ii) (c) Pressure = Force / Area = 300 N / 0.8 m2 = 375 Pa
(c) (b) Pressure will decrease
Because increased area = Less pressure
Skill Based Questions
Question 1.
The table below shows wind speed and damage caused during different cyclones (Thinking skin)
| Cyclone | Wind speed (km/h) | Major damage caused |
| A | 120 | Trees uprooted |
| B | 180 | Roofs blown away |
| C | 220 | Flooding, building collapse |
Answer the following
(i) Which cyclone was most destructive? Why?
(ii) How is wind speed related to air pressure in cyclones?
(iii) Predict which cyclone had the largest eye size and why?
Question 2.
A school bag weighs 60 N. The straps make a contact area of 0.003 m2 on the shoulders. Calculate the pressure exerted on the shoulders. If the contact area is increased to 0.009 m2 by using broader straps, what will be the new pressure? Which case will be more comfortable and why? (Knowledge based que.)
Question 3.
Based on the image, where would the wind speed be the highest? (Knowledge based que.)
(a) At the centre (eye)
(b) Just outside the eye in the eye wall
(c) At the outermost edges of the cyclone
(d) Everywhere equally
Pressure Winds Storms and Cyclones Extra Questions for Practice
Very Short Answer Type Questions
Question 1.
What is meant by a low pressure area in the atmosphere?
Question 2.
Mention one outdoor safety step you should take when lightning begins.
Question 3.
Give one way in which a severe storm can affect crops.
Short Answer Type Questions
Question 1.
Explain briefly how land and sea heat differently and how this leads to daily wind changes along coasts (day versus night).
Question 2.
Describe in shijryjow lightning forms inside a storm cloud.
Long Answer Type Questions
Question 1.
Describe how a cyclone develops over warm sea water. Include: heating of sea surface, rising moist air, formation of low pressure, wind circulation and weather effects when it approaches land.
Question 2.
Using examples, explain (i) evidence that air exerts pressure and (ii) that high-speed wind results in lower pressure. Relate these ideas to damage caused during storms.