TOPIC 25 OF 46

Temperature Variation and Weather

🎓 Class 6 Science CBSE Theory Ch 7 — Temperature and Its Measurement ⏱ ~14 min
🌐 Language: [gtranslate]

This MCQ module is based on: Temperature Variation and Weather

[myaischool_lt_science_assessment grade_level="class_6" science_domain="physics" difficulty="basic"]

7.6 Temperature Variation in Nature

Step outside at 6 in the morning in Delhi — cool and fresh. Step out again at 2 in the afternoon — hot and sweaty. Evening by 7 — cool again. The same place has different temperatures at different times of the day. This is called temperature variation.

Changes Through a Day

From sunrise the Sun gradually warms up the air. Around 2–3 pm, the temperature is the highest. As the Sun sets and the ground cools, it becomes cooler again. By early morning (before sunrise), the air is coolest.

Peak ~2 pm 6 am10 am2 pm6 pm10 pm Temperature on a Sunny Day Temp (°C)
Fig 7.7 — Air temperature rises from morning, peaks in early afternoon, and falls by night

Changes Across the Year

India sees four main seasons: summer (hot), monsoon (rainy, cooler), winter (cold), and spring/autumn (mild). Delhi may touch 45 °C in June yet drop to 5 °C in January. The same city — two very different temperatures!

JFMAMJJASOND Avg Monthly Temperature — Delhi
Fig 7.8 — Temperature varies across the 12 months of the year

Different Places, Same Day

On the same day, Jaisalmer (a desert city) may be 40 °C while Manali (a hill station) is just 15 °C. Why? It depends on the altitude, the latitude (how far from the Equator), the Sun's angle at that place, and nearness to the sea or a lake.

Activity 7.7 — Record Temperature Through a Day L3 Apply

You need: a laboratory thermometer, your notebook, a shady spot outside your home.

  1. Keep the thermometer in the shade at 7 am, 10 am, 1 pm, 4 pm and 7 pm.
  2. Wait 5 minutes each time, then note the reading.
  3. Make a table in your notebook.
  4. Draw a graph with time on the x-axis and temperature on the y-axis. Join the points.
Predict: At which time of the day will the thermometer show the highest reading?
You will usually get readings like: 7 am → 24 °C, 10 am → 28 °C, 1 pm → 34 °C (highest), 4 pm → 32 °C, 7 pm → 28 °C. The curve goes up then comes down — just like the graph in Fig 7.7.

Maximum–Minimum Thermometer

Meteorologists (weather scientists) use a special thermometer called the maximum–minimum thermometer. It remembers the highest and lowest temperatures of the day, even when no one is looking. You see it placed at every weather station.

MIN MAX Alcohol Mercury Maximum–Minimum Thermometer
Fig 7.9 — The U-shaped max-min thermometer records both highest and lowest temperature

7.7 Temperature Changes and Our Health

When the weather gets extreme, the body can struggle. A little planning keeps us safe.

🥵
Heat Stroke
On very hot summer days, the body overheats and loses water. Drink plenty of water, wear light cotton clothes, stay in shade.
🥶
Hypothermia
In extreme cold, the body temperature drops below normal. Wear warm clothes, caps, and gloves. Sip warm drinks.
🤧
Seasonal Illness
Cold and cough in winter; heat rashes and dehydration in summer. Eat healthy, wash hands often, sleep well.
💧
Stay Hydrated
Water keeps the body's temperature steady. Carry a bottle to school every day.

Body Temperatures of Different Animals

Not every creature has a body temperature of 37 °C like us. Let's see who runs warmer or cooler!

AnimalNormal Body TemperatureSpecial Feature
Human~37 °CWarm-blooded, regulates itself
Birds (pigeon, sparrow)40–42 °CHigher than humans — fast metabolism helps them fly
Dog~38.5 °CA little warmer than us
Snake, lizard (reptiles)Varies with surroundingsCold-blooded — they bask in the sun to warm up
Polar bear~37 °C (under thick fur!)Adapted to very cold Arctic climate
Camel34 °C → 41 °C (varies)Can tolerate a very wide range in deserts
Human37°C Bird41°C Dog38.5°C Snake*varies Polar Bear37°C Camel34–41°C Body Temperatures of Different Animals
Fig 7.10 — Comparing body temperatures; * snakes are cold-blooded

Interactive: Plan Your Day L3

Tell me today's temperature and I will suggest what you should do!
Enter a temperature and tap Suggest.

Competency-Based Questions

Phiban's family is planning a summer trip. In Shillong it is a pleasant 22 °C. But they are visiting cousins in Jaisalmer where afternoon temperatures often cross 42 °C. His mother is making a "travel care list" for the family.

Q1. Why does the afternoon feel hotter than the morning on the same day? L2

The Sun heats the ground and air through the morning. By about 1–2 pm the air has absorbed enough heat to reach the day's peak temperature. In the early morning, the ground has cooled overnight, so the air is also cool.

Q2. What does a maximum–minimum thermometer record? L1

  • A. Only the current temperature
  • B. Only the highest temperature
  • C. Only the lowest temperature
  • D. Both the highest and the lowest temperature of the day
Answer: D. It records both the highest (maximum) and lowest (minimum) temperature over a period — very useful at weather stations.

Q3. Name two things Phiban's family should pack for a hot Jaisalmer afternoon to stay safe. L3

(i) Plenty of drinking water / a reusable water bottle; (ii) Light cotton clothes + a hat/umbrella for shade. (Also: sunscreen, ORS, sunglasses.)

Q4. Why do snakes and lizards look for sunny rocks in the morning? L4

Snakes and lizards are cold-blooded — their body temperature rises and falls with the surroundings. Basking on warm rocks helps them heat up enough to move quickly and hunt.

Q5. On the same July afternoon, Shillong is 22 °C and Jaisalmer is 42 °C. Why such a big difference? L4

Shillong is a hill station at high altitude with lots of rain, trees and clouds — naturally cool. Jaisalmer is a desert at low altitude with no trees and little water — the Sun heats the sand to very high temperatures. Altitude, landscape and moisture all cause the difference.

Assertion – Reason

Assertion (A): Birds usually have higher body temperatures than humans.

Reason (R): Birds are cold-blooded animals.

  • A. Both A and R are true, R explains A.
  • B. Both true, R does not explain A.
  • C. A true, R false.
  • D. A false, R true.
Answer: C. A is true (birds: 40–42 °C). R is false — birds are warm-blooded, not cold-blooded.

Assertion (A): Hill stations are cooler than plains in summer.

Reason (R): Temperature falls with increasing altitude.

  • A. Both A and R are true, R explains A.
  • B. Both true, R does not explain A.
  • C. A true, R false.
  • D. A false, R true.
Answer: A. Higher altitude means lower temperature — which is why Shimla, Manali, Shillong stay pleasant in summer.

Assertion (A): We should drink lots of water on hot days.

Reason (R): Water helps our body cool itself through sweating and keeps us from dehydration.

  • A. Both A and R are true, R explains A.
  • B. Both true, R does not explain A.
  • C. A true, R false.
  • D. A false, R true.
Answer: A. Water replaces the fluid lost by sweat and prevents heat stroke.

Next → Part 4: Summary & Exercises

Frequently Asked Questions — Temperature Variation and Weather

What does the topic 'Temperature Variation and Weather' cover in Class 6 Science?

The topic 'Temperature Variation and Weather' is part of NCERT Class 6 Science Chapter 7 — Temperature and its Measurement. It covers the key ideas of temperature variation, maximum, minimum, day and night, seasons, weather, climate, explained through everyday examples, labelled diagrams and hands-on activities from the NCERT Curiosity textbook. Class 6 students learn simple definitions, see why each idea matters in daily life, and try short experiments and observations. The lesson uses easy language, colourful pictures and small questions so that young learners build a strong base for higher classes and for competency-based questions in CBSE school tests.

Why is 'Temperature Variation and Weather' important for Class 6 NCERT Science?

'Temperature Variation and Weather' is important because it builds the first ideas of science that Class 6 students will use again in Class 7, 8 and beyond. NCERT Chapter 7 — Temperature and its Measurement — introduces temperature variation and connects it to things children already see at home, at school and in nature. Learning this topic helps students ask better questions, understand simple news about science, and score well in CBSE tests that use competency-based questions. The chapter also supports NEP 2020 by encouraging curiosity, observation and learning by doing rather than only reading and memorising.

What are the key ideas students should remember from Temperature Variation and Weather?

The key ideas in 'Temperature Variation and Weather' for Class 6 Science are: temperature variation, maximum, minimum, day and night, seasons, weather, climate. Students should be able to say each term in their own words, give one or two easy examples from daily life, and draw a small labelled diagram where needed. A good way to revise is to make flashcards, write a short note in the science notebook, and solve the NCERT in-text and exercise questions of Chapter 7. Linking every idea to something seen at home or school — in the kitchen, garden, playground or sky — makes these ideas easy to remember for unit tests and the annual CBSE examination.

How is Temperature Variation and Weather taught using activities in NCERT Curiosity Class 6?

NCERT Curiosity Class 6 Science teaches 'Temperature Variation and Weather' through an inquiry-based approach using Predict–Observe–Explain activities. Students first make a guess, then try a small experiment with safe, easily available materials, and finally explain what happened and why. This matches the NEP 2020 focus on learning by doing. For Chapter 7 — Temperature and its Measurement — the textbook has hands-on tasks, labelled pictures and thinking questions built for Bloom's Taxonomy Levels 1 to 6. Teachers use these activities, along with competency-based questions (CBQs) and assertion–reason items, to check real understanding instead of only rote learning.

What real-life examples of temperature variation can Class 6 students see at home?

Class 6 students can see temperature variation at home in many simple ways linked to 'Temperature Variation and Weather'. Kitchens, school bags, playgrounds, the garden and the night sky are full of examples that match NCERT Chapter 7 — Temperature and its Measurement. For example, students can look at food labels, watch changes while cooking, try safe activities with water, magnets or shadows, and observe the Sun, Moon and weather each day. Keeping a small science diary — with the date, what was observed and a quick drawing — turns daily life into a mini science lab. These real-life links make concepts easy to remember and help in answering competency-based questions in CBSE Class 6 Science.

How does 'Temperature Variation and Weather' connect to other chapters of Class 6 Science?

'Temperature Variation and Weather' connects to many other chapters in NCERT Class 6 Science Curiosity. The ideas of temperature variation come back when students study related topics like diversity in the living world, food, magnets, measurement, materials, temperature, water, separation, habitats, natural resources and the solar system. For example, what students learn here helps them build mental pictures for later chapters and for Class 7 and Class 8 Science. Teachers often ask cross-chapter questions in CBSE exams to check if students can use what they learned in Chapter 7 — Temperature and its Measurement — in new situations. This linked approach matches the NEP 2020 and NCF 2023 focus on holistic, competency-based learning.

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