Some Natural Phenomena Worksheet

           Objective Type Questions

1. Fill in the blanks:
   The crust and mantle are broken into pieces known as __________. 
   
   
2. Find the odd one out:   
   Floods, Lightning, Landslides, Tsunamis 
   
   
3. Match the following: 
   
   
4. State whether the statement is true or false:
   The weak zones where earthquakes are more likely to occur are called fault zones.
   
   Multiple Choice Questions
   
   
5. The movement of the earth’s plates causes
   (a) cyclones
   (b) lightning
   (c) earthquake
   (d) thunderstorms
   
   
6. Two charged objects are brought close to each other. Choose the most appropriate statement from the following options
   (a) They may attract
   (b) They may repel
   (c) They may attract or repel depending on the type of charges they carry
   (d) There will be no effect
   
   
7. The earth’s plate responsible for causing earthquakes is
   (a) the crust of the earth         
   (b) the mantle of the earth
   (c) the inner core of the earth
   (d) the outer core of the earth
   
   
8. An electroscope is a device that is used to
   (a)detect whether an object is a conductor or insulator
   (b)measure the amount of charge on an object
   (c)detect whether an object is charged or not
   (d)check the magnetic properties of a substance 
   
   
9. The outermost layer of the earth is called
   (a) mantle
   (b) outer core
   (c) crust
   (d) inner core
   
   Subjective Questions
   
   
10. Name other natural calamities except for lightning and earthquake.
    
    
11. What causes lightning?
    
    
12. What happens when amber is rubbed with fur?
    
    
13. What are seismic waves?
    
    
14. A charged plastic straw is brought near another suspended plastic straw, which is
    (a) similarly charged
    (b) uncharged.
    Explain what we would observe in each case and why?
    
    
15. What is the static charge? How does it differ from an electric current?
    
    
16. What is the electric discharge?
    
    
17. What safety measures should be taken during lightning and thunderstorm?
    
    Assertion-Reasoning Questions
    
    Below questions consist of two statements – Assertion (A) and Reason (R). Answer these questions selecting the appropriate option given below: 
    
    
18. Assertion: The charged body gets discharged when touched by hand.
    Reason: The electric charge present on the charged body flows to the earth through the hand. 
    
    
19. Assertion: Richter scale is linear.
    Reason: The earthquake of magnitude 8 has 1000 times more destructive energy than that of magnitude 6.
    
    Case-Based Questions
    
    
20. An earthquake is just the shaking of the ground. It happens due to the energy released, which makes waves move in all directions. When an earthquake occurs, the earth vibrates, producing seismic waves which are detected by seismographs. The north-eastern region of the country as well as the entire Himalayan belt, is susceptible to great earthquakes of magnitude more than 8.0. The main cause of earthquakes in these regions is the movement of the Indian plate towards the Eurasian plate at the rate of about 50 mm per year. Besides the Himalayan region and the Indo-Gangetic plains, even peninsular India is prone to damaging earthquakes, as clearly illustrated by Koyna (1967), Latur (1993), and Jabalpur (1997) earthquakes. Earthquake magnitude is a measure of the size of the earthquake reflecting the elastic energy released by the earthquake. It is referred to by a certain real number, e.g., a magnitude 6.5 earthquake. On the other hand, earthquake intensity indicates the extent of shaking experienced at a given location due to a particular earthquake.
    (a)What is the difference between earthquake magnitude and earthquake intensity?
    (b)Which waves are detected using a seismograph?
    (c)Which regions are susceptible to earthquakes of higher magnitude?
    (d)Which places in India are referred to as earthquake-prone areas? 

           Objective Type Questions

1. Fill in the blanks:
   The crust and mantle are broken into pieces known as __________. 
   Solution:
   The crust and mantle are broken into pieces known as tectonic plates.
   
   
2. Find the odd one out:   
   Floods, Lightning, Landslides, Tsunamis 
   Solution: Lightning.
   Others can be caused due to earthquakes. Lightning is not a cause of earthquakes. 
   
   
3. Match the following: 
   
   
   Solution:
   
   
   
4. State whether the statement is true or false:
   The weak zones where earthquakes are more likely to occur are called fault zones.
   Solution:
   True. The weak zones where earthquakes are more likely to occur are called fault zones.
   
   Multiple Choice Questions
   
   
5. The movement of the earth’s plates causes
   (a) cyclones
   (b) lightning
   (c) earthquake
   (d) thunderstorms
   Correct option: (c) earthquake
   Solution: The movement of the earth’s plates causes earthquakes. 
   
   
6. Two charged objects are brought close to each other. Choose the most appropriate statement from the following options
   (a) They may attract
   (b) They may repel
   (c) They may attract or repel depending on the type of charges they carry
   (d) There will be no effect
   Correct option: (c) They may attract or repel depending on the type of charges they carry.
   Solution: When two charged objects are brought close to each other, they may attract or repel depending on the type of charges they carry.
   
   
7. The earth’s plate responsible for causing earthquakes is
   (a) the crust of the earth         
   (b) the mantle of the earth
   (c) the inner core of the earth
   (d) the outer core of the earth
   Correct option: (a) the crust of the earth
   Solution: The earth’s plate responsible for causing earthquakes is the earth's crust.
   
   
8. An electroscope is a device that is used to
   (a)detect whether an object is a conductor or insulator
   (b)measure the amount of charge on an object
   (c)detect whether an object is charged or not
   (d)check the magnetic properties of a substance
   Correct option: (b) detect whether an object is charged or not
   Solution: An electroscope is a device used to detect whether an object is charged. 
   
   
9. The outermost layer of the earth is called
   (a) mantle
   (b) outer core
   (c) crust
   (d) inner core
   Correct option: (c) crust
   Solution: The outermost layer of the earth is called the crust.
   
   Subjective Questions
   
   
10. Name other natural calamities except for lightning and earthquake.
    Solution: Floods and cyclones.
    
    
11. What causes lightning?
    Solution: Lightning is caused due to the accumulation of charges in the clouds.
    
    
12. What happens when amber is rubbed with fur?
    Solution:It develops the capacity to attract light objects.
    
    
13. What are seismic waves?
    Solution: Waves produced on the Earth’s surface because of tremors are called seismic waves.
    
    
14. A charged plastic straw is brought near another suspended plastic straw, which is
    (a) similarly charged
    (b) uncharged.
    Explain what we would observe in each case and why?
    Solution:
    a) The straws will repel each other because like charges repel each other.
    b) The charged straw will attract oppositely charged ions of the uncharged straw towards itself by induction. The straws would hence attract each other because opposite charges attract each other.
    
    
15. What is the static charge? How does it differ from an electric current?
    Solution: Static electricity or an electrostatic charge is a deficiency or excess of electrons which occurs on ungrounded or insulating surfaces. It is produced by charges that are generated by friction between two surfaces. Current electricity consists of flowing charges which have a magnetic field associated with it, whereas static electricity consists of stationary charges which do have a magnetic field in it. Static electricity occurs in both conductors and insulators, but current electricity cannot occur in insulators. 
    
    
16. What is the electric discharge?
    Solution:Electric discharge is defined as the process of the release and transfer of electricity through any possible medium. Usually, electric discharge is made to occur through gas or atmospheric air.
    
    
    
17. What safety measures should be taken during lightning and thunderstorm?
    Solution:
    The following safety measures are advisable to be adopted to protect from lightning and thunderstorm:
    Lightning Safety:
    •Rush to a safe place such as a low-rise house/building on hearing thunder.
    •It is safe inside a vehicle. Keep the doors/windows of the vehicle shut.
    Thunderstorm Safety:
    •Outside the house
    1.Do not carry an umbrella over your head.
    2.Do not stand near tall trees, electric poles, high-rise buildings, or metallic structures.
    3. Take shelter around short trees.
    4.Do not lie on the ground. Instead, squat low on the ground with your hands on your knees and head in between.
    •Inside the house
    1.Unplug the TV set, computer etc., and do not use a wired phone.
    2.Do not take a bath during thunderstorms and avoid contact with running water.
    3.Do not stand near windows or in a balcony with metallic railings.
    
    Assertion-Reasoning Questions
    
    Below questions consist of two statements – Assertion (A) and Reason (R). Answer these questions selecting the appropriate option given below: 
    
    
18. Assertion: The charged body gets discharged when touched by hand.
    Reason: The electric charge present on the charged body flows to the earth through the hand. 
    Correct option: (a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
    Solution: When we touch the charged body with our hand, the electric charge present on the body flows to the earth through our hand and body. Thus, the given reason is true. This causes the charged body to lose its charge when touched by hand. So, the assertion is also true. Thus, this proves that both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
    
    
19. Assertion: Richter scale is linear.
    Reason: The earthquake of magnitude 8 has 1000 times more destructive energy than that of magnitude 6.
    Correct option: (d) A is false, but R is true.
    Solution: Richter scale is non – linear scale. Thus, the assertion is false. The rise by 2 in the magnitude of earthquake means 1000 times more destructive energy. Thus, we can say that reason is true.
    
    Case-Based Questions
    
    
20. An earthquake is just the shaking of the ground. It happens due to the energy released, which makes waves move in all directions. When an earthquake occurs, the earth vibrates, producing seismic waves which are detected by seismographs. The north-eastern region of the country as well as the entire Himalayan belt, is susceptible to great earthquakes of magnitude more than 8.0. The main cause of earthquakes in these regions is the movement of the Indian plate towards the Eurasian plate at the rate of about 50 mm per year. Besides the Himalayan region and the Indo-Gangetic plains, even peninsular India is prone to damaging earthquakes, as clearly illustrated by Koyna (1967), Latur (1993), and Jabalpur (1997) earthquakes. Earthquake magnitude is a measure of the size of the earthquake reflecting the elastic energy released by the earthquake. It is referred to by a certain real number, e.g., a magnitude 6.5 earthquake. On the other hand, earthquake intensity indicates the extent of shaking experienced at a given location due to a particular earthquake.
    (a)What is the difference between earthquake magnitude and earthquake intensity?
    (b)Which waves are detected using a seismograph?
    (c)Which regions are susceptible to earthquakes of higher magnitude?
    (d)Which places in India are referred to as earthquake-prone areas? 
    Solution:
    (a) Earthquake magnitude is a measure of the size of the earthquake reflecting the elastic energy released by the earthquake while earthquake intensity indicates the extent of shaking experienced at a given location due to a particular earthquake.
    (b) Seismic waves are detected using a seismograph. s
    (c)North-eastern region and the Himalayan belt are susceptible to earthquakes of higher magnitude.
    (d)In India, the areas most threatened are Kashmir, the Western and Central Himalayas, the whole of North-East, Rann of Kutch, Rajasthan and the Indo–Gangetic Plane and some areas of South India are earthquake-prone areas.