NCERT Solutions for Class 7 Social Science (Exploring Society) Chapter 2: Understanding the Weather (NCERT 2026–27)

These Class 7 Social Science Exploring Society Chapter 2 solutions cover Understanding the Weather from Exploring Society: India and Beyond (Part 1), the new NCF-2023 textbook for the 2026–27 session. The chapter belongs to the theme India and the World: Land and the People and explains what weather is, the five elements of weather (temperature, precipitation, atmospheric pressure, wind and humidity), the instruments used to measure each of them, how a weather station and an Automated Weather Station work, and how weather prediction helps us prepare for events like heavy rain, storms, droughts and heat waves. Below you get step-by-step answers to all Questions and activities, clear notes on key terms, extra practice, MCQs, Assertion–Reason and FAQs.

Class: 7 Subject: Social Science Book: Exploring Society: India and Beyond (Part 1) Chapter: 2 Theme: India and the World: Land and the People Session: 2026–27
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Class 7 Social Science Exploring Society Chapter 2 – Overview

Chapter 2, Understanding the Weather, begins with the idea that weather is the state of the Earth’s atmosphere at a particular time and place. The atmosphere is the layer of gases (air) around the Earth, and almost all weather happens in its lowest layer, the troposphere. The chapter identifies five elements of weather — temperature, precipitation, atmospheric pressure, wind and humidity — and shows why we need a common standard to measure them (recall the Krishnan–Amir conversation). It then introduces the main weather instruments: the thermometer (temperature), rain gauge (precipitation), barometer (atmospheric pressure), wind vane and anemometer (wind), and hygrometer (humidity). These instruments are brought together at a weather station, and modern Automated Weather Stations (AWS) record data without human help. Finally, the chapter explains how meteorologists study long-term data to forecast the weather and issue warnings (like the IMD colour-coded alerts), which help people prepare for floods, cyclones, droughts and heat waves.

Key Concepts & Terms

Weather: the state of the Earth’s atmosphere at a particular time and place — described using words like hot, cold, rainy, cloudy, humid, snowy or windy.

Atmosphere & troposphere: the atmosphere is the layer of gases (air) surrounding the Earth. Its lowest layer, the troposphere, is where plants, animals and humans live and where almost all weather happens; it is 6–18 km thick (thinner at the poles, thicker over the tropics).

The five elements of weather: Temperature (how hot or cold the atmosphere is), Precipitation (rain, snow, sleet or hail falling from the sky), Atmospheric pressure (the weight of the air above us), Wind (the movement of air — speed and direction), and Humidity (the amount of water vapour in the air).

Precipitation types: rain, snow, sleet (frozen or partly frozen rain) and hail (small hard balls of ice that fall like rain). Water vapour is water in gaseous form.

Temperature scales: the Celsius (°C) and Fahrenheit (°F) scales; for example 15°C is the same as 59°F. Range = maximum temperature − minimum temperature; Mean daily temperature = (maximum + minimum) ÷ 2.

Weather instruments: thermometer (temperature), rain gauge (rainfall, in mm), barometer (atmospheric pressure, in millibars — normal sea-coast pressure is about 1013 mb; below 1000 mb is a depression), wind vane / wind sock (wind direction) and anemometer (wind speed, in km/h), and hygrometer (humidity).

Relative humidity: humidity measured as a percentage — 0% means no water vapour and 100% means air saturated with water vapour. Dry weather is usually 20–40% and humid weather 60–80%.

Forecast & meteorology: to forecast is to predict or find out in advance (here, the weather). Meteorology is the systematic study of weather and its evolution, the basis for weather forecasting.

Weather station & AWS: a weather station brings all the instruments together for regular readings; an Automated Weather Station (AWS) is a self-operating system that uses sensors to record weather data without human help.

Other key terms: ambient (of the immediate surroundings), acclimatise (adjust to a new climate or condition), depression / low-pressure system (a sharp drop in pressure that can grow into a storm or cyclone), and the India Meteorological Department (IMD), set up in 1875, which issues colour-coded weather warnings.

“Questions and activities” — Full Solutions

All questions below are reproduced verbatim from the NCERT textbook’s end-of-chapter Questions and activities section. Answers are original, written in exam-ready style.

1. Match the instrument with the weather element it measures.

ANSWER The instruments and the elements they measure are matched below:
Instrument usedElement of the Weather
(1) Hygrometer(d) Humidity
(2) Anemometer(c) Wind direction and speed
(3) Barometer(b) Atmospheric pressure
(4) Thermometer(e) Temperature
(5) Rain gauge(a) Precipitation
So: 1–(d), 2–(c), 3–(b), 4–(e), 5–(a).

2. Jyotsna is deciding what clothes to pack for her school trip to Mumbai in June. She looks at the weather forecast, which predicts 29°C and 84% humidity. What would be your advice to her?

ANSWER A temperature of 29°C is warm, and 84% relative humidity is very high — this falls well within the ‘humid’ range (60–80% and above). In such weather the air already holds a lot of water vapour, so sweat evaporates slowly. This means Jyotsna will feel hot, sticky and sweaty, and her clothes will take a long time to dry. My advice: she should pack light, loose, cotton clothes in light colours that let air pass through and absorb sweat, rather than thick or synthetic clothes. She should also carry an umbrella or a light raincoat, because June is the start of the monsoon in Mumbai and high humidity often brings rain. Carrying a water bottle, a cap and quick-drying clothes would also be wise.

3. Imagine that a small group of students is setting up a rain gauge. Here are some options for the site. 1. The school vegetable garden. 2. The terrace of the school building. 3. Open ground with elevated platform. 4. Compound wall of school. 5. Verandah of the school laboratory. Discuss in your group and finalise the site. Write down the reasons for your decision.

ANSWER A rain gauge must stand on a flat, open surface, away from buildings, trees or walls that could block the rain or cause splashing, and it should be stable so the wind cannot tilt or topple it. Judging each option: 1. Vegetable garden — usually has tall plants and soft, uneven soil; plants would obstruct rain and the gauge could tilt. Not ideal. 2. Terrace — open, but high winds and the parapet or surrounding walls can disturb the readings. Not the best. 3. Open ground with an elevated platform — open all around with nothing to obstruct the rain, and the elevated platform keeps the gauge level, stable and free of splashing from the ground. This is the best site. 4. Compound wall — the wall blocks rain from one side and the gauge cannot stand safely on it. Not suitable. 5. Verandah — it is covered, so rain cannot fall into the gauge at all. Unsuitable. Final decision: Option 3 — the open ground with an elevated platform, because it is open and unobstructed, keeps the gauge flat and stable, and gives the most accurate rainfall reading.

4. Below is a chart taken from IMD, Jammu and Kashmir. Looking at the data available, write a short script to report the weather conditions in different parts of Jammu and Kashmir on the date shown. (Hint: Cover the temperature range, maximum and minimum temperatures, humidity, precipitation, etc.)

ANSWER The chart gives the IMD ‘Daily Weather Parameters’ for Jammu & Kashmir (evening reading) on 01-02-2024. The key actual readings are summarised below (ACT = actual; R/F = rainfall; S/N = snowfall; TR = trace):
StationMax temp (°C)Min temp (°C)Rainfall / SnowfallHumidity (0830 / 1730)
Srinagar6.50.2R/F trace, S/N 0.089% / 89%
Qazigund3.2−0.4R/F 11.8 mm, S/N 10.0 cm97% / 90%
Pahalgam1.1−4.1R/F 6.0 mm, S/N 8.0 cm96% / 96%
Kupwara5.1−0.7R/F 0.5 mm, S/N 0.097% / 94%
Kukernag2.6−1.4R/F 12.0 mm, S/N 8.0 cm96% / 97%
Gulmarg−2.6−7.6R/F 8.2 mm, S/N 6.35 cm76% / 100%
Muzaffarabad8.55.6—93%
Sample news script: “Good evening. Here is the weather report for Jammu and Kashmir for the 1st of February 2024. It has been a cold and wet winter day across the region, with snowfall in several hill stations. Gulmarg was the coldest, with a maximum of just −2.6°C and a minimum dropping to −7.6°C, and the air there reached 100% humidity by evening. The capital, Srinagar, recorded a maximum of 6.5°C and a minimum of 0.2°C, with only a trace of rain and steady 89% humidity. Kukernag and Qazigund received the heaviest rainfall at 12.0 mm and 11.8 mm, along with 8–10 cm of fresh snow, while Pahalgam saw 6 mm of rain and 8 cm of snow. The widest temperature range was at Gulmarg (about 5°C), and humidity stayed very high — between 76% and 100% — across all stations. Muzaffarabad was the warmest at 8.5°C. Residents are advised to stay warm and watch for icy roads. That was your weather update.” Note: this answer reads the figures from the textbook’s IMD chart (Fig. for 01-02-2024); the temperature range for a station is its maximum minus its minimum.

Extra Practice Questions

Short Answer Type Questions

Q1. What is weather?

ANSWERWeather is the state of the Earth’s atmosphere at a particular time and place. It is described using words such as hot, cold, rainy, cloudy, humid, snowy or windy, which together tell us how the elements of weather are behaving at that moment.

Q2. Name the five elements of weather.

ANSWERThe five elements of weather are temperature, precipitation, atmospheric pressure, wind and humidity. Together they define the weather of a particular place, and each is measured with a special instrument.

Q3. How is the range of temperature and the mean daily temperature calculated?

ANSWERThe range of temperature is the maximum temperature minus the minimum temperature over a period (usually 24 hours). The mean daily temperature is the maximum temperature plus the minimum temperature of the day divided by two.

Q4. Why does atmospheric pressure decrease as we climb a mountain?

ANSWERAs we climb higher, there is less air above us, so the air becomes thinner and the weight of the air pressing down (the atmospheric pressure) is lower. There is also less oxygen, which is why people may feel breathless, dizzy or tired at high altitudes.

Q5. What is an Automated Weather Station (AWS)?

ANSWERAn Automated Weather Station is a self-operating system that uses various sensors to measure and record weather data — temperature, humidity, wind speed and direction, precipitation and atmospheric pressure — accurately and on time, without the need for any human intervention. Such stations are used in agriculture, aviation, navigation and environmental monitoring.

Long Answer Type Questions

Q1. Describe the main weather instruments and the element each one measures.

ANSWEREach element of weather is measured with a special instrument. The thermometer measures temperature; many use a coloured liquid that expands when heated, while digital thermometers are more precise. The rain gauge measures precipitation: rain falls through a funnel into a cylinder fitted with a scale that shows the depth of water collected in millimetres. The barometer measures atmospheric pressure in millibars; normal sea-coast pressure is about 1013 mb, and a reading below 1000 mb signals a depression. For wind, the wind vane (or weather vane) shows the direction the wind is blowing, while the anemometer, with its rotating cups, measures wind speed in kilometres per hour. The hygrometer measures humidity, the amount of water vapour in the air, as relative humidity. A weather station brings all these instruments together for regular readings.

Q2. How did people predict the weather before modern instruments, and how do meteorologists do it today?

ANSWERFrom early times, humans closely observed Nature and learnt to read her signals to forecast the weather. Signs like birds flying low, ants carrying their eggs to higher ground, squirrels gathering nuts, frogs croaking loudly, or pine cones opening and closing gave warning of coming rain or storms. This traditional knowledge was passed down from generation to generation, and even today many people in India use such signs, especially to predict the arrival of the monsoon. In the last few centuries, scientists developed instruments to measure the elements of weather with great precision. Today, meteorologists collect data from thermometers, rain gauges, barometers, anemometers, hygrometers and Automated Weather Stations over long periods, then study this data using scientific methods to predict how the weather will behave after a few hours, days or even weeks. These forecasts allow governments to prepare for disasters such as floods, cyclones, droughts and heat waves.

Q3. Why is humidity an important element of weather, and how does it affect daily life?

ANSWERHumidity is the amount of water vapour present in the air, and it depends on factors like temperature, wind, pressure and location. It is measured as relative humidity, where 0% means no water vapour and 100% means the air is saturated; dry weather is usually 20–40% and humid weather 60–80%. Humidity matters because it controls how fast water evaporates. When humidity is high, the air already holds plenty of water vapour, so sweat and wet clothes dry slowly and we feel hot and sticky — this is why a place like Kochi feels more uncomfortable than a drier place like Jaipur at the same temperature. High humidity is also important in industries such as food processing, and museums monitor it carefully to keep a dry environment that protects their exhibits. The hygrometer is the instrument used to measure humidity.

MCQs & Assertion–Reason

1. Weather is best defined as:

(a) the average condition over 30 years    (b) the state of the atmosphere at a particular time and place    (c) the temperature of the sea    (d) the rotation of the Earth

2. Almost all weather phenomena take place in which layer of the atmosphere?

(a) Stratosphere    (b) Ozone layer    (c) Troposphere    (d) Tropopause

3. Which instrument is used to measure rainfall?

(a) Barometer    (b) Hygrometer    (c) Anemometer    (d) Rain gauge

4. The instrument that measures wind speed is the:

(a) wind vane    (b) anemometer    (c) thermometer    (d) barometer

5. Atmospheric pressure is generally measured in:

(a) millimetres    (b) degrees Celsius    (c) millibars    (d) kilometres per hour

6. A pressure reading below 1000 mb usually indicates a:

(a) heat wave    (b) depression    (c) clear sky    (d) high-pressure system

7. Small, hard balls of ice that fall from the sky like rain are called:

(a) sleet    (b) hail    (c) snow    (d) dew

8. If the relative humidity is 84%, the weather can be described as:

(a) very dry    (b) moderately dry    (c) very humid    (d) freezing

9. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) was set up in the year:

(a) 1857    (b) 1875    (c) 1905    (d) 1947

10. The mean daily temperature is calculated by:

(a) maximum − minimum    (b) (maximum + minimum) ÷ 2    (c) maximum × minimum    (d) maximum + minimum

Answer key: 1-(b), 2-(c), 3-(d), 4-(b), 5-(c), 6-(b), 7-(b), 8-(c), 9-(b), 10-(b).

For each Assertion–Reason question, choose: (A) Both true and the Reason correctly explains the Assertion; (B) Both true but the Reason is not the correct explanation; (C) Assertion true, Reason false; (D) Assertion false, Reason true.

A-R 1. Assertion: We need a common standard, such as the Celsius scale, to measure temperature.

Reason: What feels ‘cold’ to one person may feel ‘pleasant’ to another, so personal feeling alone cannot convey how cold it is.

A-R 2. Assertion: Atmospheric pressure is lower on a high mountain than in the plains.

Reason: There is less air above at higher altitudes, so the air is thinner and presses down with less weight.

A-R 3. Assertion: Wet clothes dry faster on a day with very high humidity.

Reason: When the air already holds a lot of water vapour, water evaporates more slowly.

A-R 4. Assertion: Accurate weather predictions help save lives during cyclones.

Reason: Forecasts allow governments to warn fishermen and evacuate coastal areas in advance.

A-R 5. Assertion: A wind vane is used to measure how strong the wind is.

Reason: A wind vane has a rotating arm with a pointer and a tail that turns to show the direction of the wind.

Answer key: 1-(A), 2-(A), 3-(D), 4-(A), 5-(D).

Exam Tips & Common Mistakes

How to score full marks in this chapter

Memorise the five elements of weather and their instruments as matched pairs — temperature/thermometer, precipitation/rain gauge, atmospheric pressure/barometer, wind/wind vane & anemometer, humidity/hygrometer. Learn the two formulas (range = max − min; mean daily temperature = (max + min) ÷ 2) and practise the chart-reading question by finding the highest, lowest and widest-range values. Remember key numbers — normal sea-coast pressure ≈ 1013 mb, depression below 1000 mb, dry air 20–40% and humid air 60–80% humidity, IMD set up in 1875 — and the difference between a wind vane (direction) and an anemometer (speed).

Common mistakes to avoid

  • Confusing weather (one place at one time) with climate (the long-term pattern) — the chapter is only about weather.
  • Mixing up the wind vane (measures direction) with the anemometer (measures speed).
  • Thinking high humidity makes clothes dry faster — it makes them dry slower.
  • Assuming atmospheric pressure is always high in the plains — it can drop sharply into a depression.
  • Confusing sleet (frozen or partly frozen rain) with hail (hard balls of ice).
  • Forgetting to keep a rain gauge in an open, flat, stable spot, away from walls and trees.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Chapter 2 of Class 7 Social Science Exploring Society about?

Chapter 2, Understanding the Weather, explains what weather is, the five elements of weather (temperature, precipitation, atmospheric pressure, wind and humidity), the instruments used to measure each of them, how weather stations and Automated Weather Stations work, and how meteorologists forecast the weather to help us prepare for events like heavy rain, storms, droughts and heat waves.

What are the five elements of weather and which instruments measure them?

The five elements are temperature (thermometer), precipitation or rainfall (rain gauge), atmospheric pressure (barometer), wind — direction by a wind vane and speed by an anemometer — and humidity (hygrometer). A weather station brings all these instruments together for regular readings.

What is the exercise heading for Chapter 2 of Exploring Society?

The end-of-chapter exercise in Exploring Society: India and Beyond (Part 1) Chapter 2 is headed Questions and activities and contains 4 numbered questions, all answered step by step on this page.

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