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Q64 (IAS/2023) Geography › World Physical Geography › World climate classification Official Key

Consider the following statements : Statement-I : The temperature contrast between continents and oceans is greater during summer than in winter. Statement-II : The specific heat of water is more than that of land surface. Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

Result
Your answer: —  ·  Correct: D
Explanation

The correct answer is Option 4.

Statement-I is incorrect: The temperature contrast between continents and oceans is actually greater during winter than in summer. In winter, landmasses at high latitudes cool down rapidly to sub-zero temperatures, while adjacent oceans remains relatively warmer due to water's high heat capacity. In summer, while land is hotter, the temperature gradient is generally less extreme compared to the sharp drops seen in winter (e.g., the intense contrast between the Siberian landmass and the North Pacific/Atlantic).

Statement-II is correct: The specific heat of water is significantly higher (about five times) than that of soil or rock. This means water requires more energy to raise its temperature and loses energy more slowly. Additionally, factors like vertical mixing, transparency, and evaporation allow oceans to store vast amounts of heat, causing them to heat up and cool down much slower than land.

Since Statement-I is false and Statement-II is true, Option 4 is the only valid choice.

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Don’t just practise – reverse-engineer the question. This panel shows where this PYQ came from (books / web), how the examiner broke it into hidden statements, and which nearby micro-concepts you were supposed to learn from it. Treat it like an autopsy of the question: what might have triggered it, which exact lines in the book matter, and what linked ideas you should carry forward to future questions.
Q. Consider the following statements : Statement-I : The temperature contrast between continents and oceans is greater during summer than …
At a glance
Origin: Books + Current Affairs Fairness: Moderate fairness Books / CA: 6.7/10 · 3.3/10

This is a 'Concept vs. Intuition' trap. While basic books (NCERT/Leong) teach that land heats/cools faster, aspirants often wrongly assume 'Summer Heat' creates the biggest gap. Standard texts (PMF IAS, Leong) explicitly state winter contrasts are sharper due to extreme continental cooling. Fair, but requires applying physics to geography.

How this question is built

This question can be broken into the following sub-statements. Tap a statement sentence to jump into its detailed analysis.

Statement 1
Is the temperature contrast between continents and oceans greater in summer than in winter?
Origin: Web / Current Affairs Fairness: CA heavy Web-answerable

Web source
Presence: 5/5
"At these latitudes, summer TL is warmer in the NH by 1.7◦C but winter TL is colder by 2.9◦C. This implies the cooling effect of land in winter outweighs its warming effect in summer."
Why this source?
  • Provides explicit quantitative comparison of land vs ocean temperature differences by season in the NH midlatitudes.
  • Shows winter land-ocean contrast (land colder than ocean by 2.9°C) is larger in magnitude than summer contrast (land warmer by 1.7°C).
  • Concludes that the cooling effect of land in winter outweighs its warming effect in summer, directly addressing which season has the greater contrast.
Web source
Presence: 4/5
"In winter, TO is significantly warmer than TL at all latitudes because land with small heat capacity cools more effectively than the ocean. In contrast, in summer, TL is warmer than TO in the mid-to high latitudes because the land warms up more than the ocean."
Why this source?
  • Describes the seasonal sign change of the land–ocean temperature difference: ocean warmer in winter, land warmer in summer.
  • Explains physical reason (land cools more in winter and warms more in summer) and notes the seasonal variation is larger in the Northern Hemisphere where continents are larger.
  • Supports the conclusion that seasonal magnitudes differ and allows comparison of which season can exhibit a larger contrast.

Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Manjunath Thamminidi, PMF IAS (1st ed.) > Chapter 23: Pressure Systems and Wind System > Seasonal Behaviour > p. 313
Strength: 5/5
“• During winter, because of the high contrast between land and sea, this belt is broken into two distinct low centres – one in the vicinity of the Aleutian Islands and the other between Iceland and Greenland. During summer, a lesser contrast results in a more developed and regular belt. The belt in the southern hemisphere is not well differentiated.”
Why relevant

States that during winter there is a high contrast between land and sea (belt broken into two centres) while in summer a lesser contrast results — directly indicating seasonal change in land–sea contrast.

How to extend

A student could combine this with a world map showing large continental interiors to infer that land–sea temperature contrast is larger in winter than in summer in the affected hemisphere.

Certificate Physical and Human Geography , GC Leong (Oxford University press 3rd ed.) > Chapter 20: The Temperate Continental (Steppe) Climate > Climate > p. 190
Strength: 4/5
“Temperature. Their location in the heart of continents means that they have little maritime influence. Their climate is thus continental with extremes of temperature. Summers are very warm, over 19 °C (66 °F) in Winnipeg for July, as illustrated in Fig. 20.2(a), and 22 °C (72 °F) for January for Pretoria as shown in Fig. 20.2(b). Winters are very cold in the continental steppes of Eurasia because of the enormous distances from the nearest sea. In contrast, the steppe type of climate in the southern hemisphere is never severe. The winters are so mild that the mean temperature for any of the winter months is usually between 2^°C (35 °F) and 13 °C (55 °F).”
Why relevant

Explains continental interiors have extremes of temperature — very warm summers and very cold winters — highlighting strong seasonal temperature swings over land.

How to extend

Extend by comparing these extreme continental seasonal swings to the milder maritime temperatures (from other snippets) to judge whether land–ocean contrast peaks in summer or winter.

Certificate Physical and Human Geography , GC Leong (Oxford University press 3rd ed.) > Chapter 14: Climate > FACTORS INFLUENCTNG TEMPERATURE > p. 134
Strength: 4/5
“This accounts for the warmer summers, colder winters and greater range of temperature of continental interiors as compared with maritime districts (Fig. 14.8). 4. Ocean currents and winds. Both ocean currents and winds affect temperature by transporting their Heat or coldness into adjacent regions (Fig. 14.8). Ocean currents like the Gulf Stream or the North Atlantic Drift warm the coastal districts of western Europe, keeping their ports ice-free. Ports located in the same latitude but washed by cold currents, such as the cold Labrador Current off north-east Canada, are frozen for several months. Cold currents also lower the summer temperature, particularly when they are carried landwards by onshore winds.”
Why relevant

States continental interiors have greater range of temperature than maritime districts and that ocean currents moderate coastal temperatures (narrower ranges).

How to extend

Use this rule plus knowledge that oceans change temperature more slowly to assess whether the difference between land and sea is seasonally larger (compare peak continental cold in winter vs peak continental heat in summer).

Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Manjunath Thamminidi, PMF IAS (1st ed.) > Chapter 21: Horizontal Distribution of Temperature > Northern Hemisphere > p. 290
Strength: 3/5
“• The isotherms are closer on the eastern margins as the temperature gradient is high because of the less moderating effect of the oceans (westerlies flow from west to east).• The isotherms deviate to the north over the ocean. For example, the presence of warm Gulf Stream and North Atlantic drift make the Northern Atlantic warmer and the isotherms show a poleward shift indicating that the currents are able to carry high temperatures poleward.• The isotherms deviate equatorward over the continents (due to continentality) as the cold polar winds are able to penetrate southwards into the interiors.• Lowest temperatures are recorded over northern Siberia and Greenland (due to continentality). • During July, it is summer in the northern hemisphere and winter in the southern hemisphere.”
Why relevant

Describes isotherm behaviour: oceans cause poleward shift and continents allow cold polar winds to penetrate equatorward (continentality), showing stronger temperature gradients over continents.

How to extend

A student could map isotherm spacing by season (using basic maps) to see whether continental–ocean gradients tighten more in winter or summer.

Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Manjunath Thamminidi, PMF IAS (1st ed.) > Chapter 21: Horizontal Distribution of Temperature > Northern Hemisphere > p. 289
Strength: 3/5
“• During January, it is winter in the northern hemisphere & summer in the southern hemisphere.• The western margins of continents are warmer than their eastern counterparts since the Westerlies are able to carry high temperatures (from the oceans) into the landmasses.”
Why relevant

Notes seasonal inversion between hemispheres and that westerlies carry ocean heat inland affecting western margins, implying seasonal transport differences influence land–sea contrasts.

How to extend

Combine this with hemisphere land distribution and prevailing winds on a world map to infer which season produces larger land–ocean temperature contrasts regionally.

Statement 2
Is the specific heat capacity of water greater than the specific heat capacity of typical land surface materials (soil and rock)?
Origin: Direct from books Fairness: Straightforward Book-answerable
From standard books
Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Manjunath Thamminidi, PMF IAS (1st ed.) > Chapter 21: Horizontal Distribution of Temperature > Land-Sea Differential > p. 286
Presence: 5/5
“• The specific heat of water is 2.5 times higher than landmass; therefore water takes longer to get heated up and to cool down. The average penetration of sunlight is more in water (up to 20 metres) than in land (up to 1 metre or less). Therefore, the land cools or becomes hot more rapidly compared to the oceans. In oceans, the continuous convection cycle helps in heat exchange between layers keeping diurnal and annual temperature ranges low.”
Why this source?
  • Directly states specific heat of water is ~2.5 times higher than landmass.
  • Explains consequence: water heats and cools more slowly due to higher specific heat.
Certificate Physical and Human Geography , GC Leong (Oxford University press 3rd ed.) > Chapter 14: Climate > FACTORS INFLUENCTNG TEMPERATURE > p. 134
Presence: 5/5
“2. Altitude. Since the atmosphere is mainly heated by conduction from the earth, it can be expected that places nearer to the earth's surface are warmer than those higher up. Thus temperature decreases with increasing height above sea-level. This rate of decrease with altitude (lapse rate) is never constant, varying from place to place and from season to season. But for all practical purposes, it may be reckoned that a fall of 0 3. Continentality. Land surfaces are heated more quickly than water surfaces, because of the higher specific heat of water. In other words, it requires only one-third as much energy to raise the temperature of a given volume of land by 0.6 \degree C (1 \degree F) as it does for an equal volume of water.”
Why this source?
  • Explicitly attributes faster land heating to higher specific heat of water (contrast).
  • Gives a quantitative comparison: land requires about one-third the energy to warm by the same amount as an equal volume of water.
Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Manjunath Thamminidi, PMF IAS (1st ed.) > Chapter 33: Ocean temperature and salinity > Why Is the Diurnal Range Of Ocean Temperatures Too Small? > p. 512
Presence: 4/5
“• The process of heating and cooling the oceanic water is slower than land due to vertical and horizontal mixing and high specific heat of the water (more time is required to heat a Kg of water compared to heating the same unit of a solid at the same temperatures and with equal energy supply).”
Why this source?
  • States water has high specific heat, requiring more time/energy to heat compared to solids.
  • Links high specific heat with slower diurnal heating/cooling of oceans versus land.
Statement 3
Does the higher specific heat capacity of water compared to land explain why the temperature contrast between continents and oceans is greater in summer than in winter?
Origin: Direct from books Fairness: Straightforward Book-answerable
From standard books
Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Manjunath Thamminidi, PMF IAS (1st ed.) > Chapter 21: Horizontal Distribution of Temperature > Land-Sea Differential > p. 286
Presence: 5/5
“• The specific heat of water is 2.5 times higher than landmass; therefore water takes longer to get heated up and to cool down. The average penetration of sunlight is more in water (up to 20 metres) than in land (up to 1 metre or less). Therefore, the land cools or becomes hot more rapidly compared to the oceans. In oceans, the continuous convection cycle helps in heat exchange between layers keeping diurnal and annual temperature ranges low.”
Why this source?
  • Explicitly states water has much higher specific heat so it takes longer to heat and cool than land.
  • Notes greater sunlight penetration and continual convection in oceans reduce surface temperature change compared with land.
  • Explains land therefore warms more rapidly, producing larger summer contrasts between land and sea.
Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Manjunath Thamminidi, PMF IAS (1st ed.) > Chapter 21: Horizontal Distribution of Temperature > ity (far from the moderating effect of the seas). > p. 288
Presence: 5/5
“• Diurnal (daily) and annual range of temperatures are highest in the interiors of continents due to continentality.• Diurnal and annual range of temperatures are least in oceans because of high specific heat and mixing.• The northern hemisphere is warmer because of the predominance of land over water in the north.• Low-temperature gradients are observed over the tropics (the sun is almost overhead the entire year).• High-temperature gradients are observed over middle and higher latitudes (insolation decreases substantially polewards in the middle and higher latitudes and the sun's apparent path varies significantly from season to season).”
Why this source?
  • States diurnal and annual temperature ranges are highest in continental interiors and lowest over oceans.
  • Directly attributes lower ocean ranges to high specific heat and mixing, linking thermal inertia to reduced seasonal variation at sea.
Exploring Society:India and Beyond ,Social Science-Class VII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 3: Climates of India > c) Proximity to the sea > p. 51
Presence: 4/5
“Temperatures in coastal areas do not vary much; the summers are not too hot and the winters are not too cold. That is because the sea acts as a moderator for the temperature. This diagram sums up the phenomenon, and your Science textbook explains this further while discussing the heating and cooling of land and water in coastal regions. The result is that those Fig. 3.6 regions tend to be more temperate. As you move inland from the coast, the temperatures get more extreme — summer temperatures will be higher and winter temperatures lower. For instance, Mumbai and Nagpur are located at a similar latitude, but Mumbai, being near the sea, has cooler summers (around 32°C) and milder winters (around 18°C), while Nagpur, away from the coast, experiences up to 44°C in summer and about 10°C in winter.”
Why this source?
  • Gives a coastal vs inland comparison showing coastal summers are cooler and winters milder.
  • Provides numerical example where the summer inland–coast temperature gap exceeds the winter gap, supporting the claim about larger summer contrast.
Pattern takeaway: UPSC is moving from asking 'What is the phenomenon?' to 'What is the magnitude/direction of the phenomenon?'. They test the second derivative—not just that land/sea differ, but *when* they differ most.
How you should have studied
  1. [THE VERDICT]: Trap. Looks like a Sitter (basic climatology), but Statement I is counter-intuitive. Source: Direct lines in PMF IAS (Ch 23) and implied in GC Leong (Ch 20).
  2. [THE CONCEPTUAL TRIGGER]: Factors controlling Temperature Distribution (Land-Sea Differential & Specific Heat).
  3. [THE HORIZONTAL EXPANSION]: 1. Specific Heat: Water (~4.2 J/g°C) vs Soil (~0.8 J/g°C) — Water needs 5x energy. 2. Isotherm Bending: Bends Equatorward on land in Winter (Cold), Poleward in Summer (Warm). 3. Hemispheric Difference: NH has irregular isotherms due to 40% land; SH has parallel isotherms (Water hemisphere). 4. Albedo Effect: Snow cover in winter increases land albedo, further cooling it and widening the winter contrast.
  4. [THE STRATEGIC METACOGNITION]: Don't just memorize 'Land heats/cools faster.' Ask 'When is the difference BIGGEST?' Visualize the extremes: Siberia in winter (-50°C) vs Ocean (0°C) is a 50° gap. Sahara in summer (45°C) vs Ocean (25°C) is only a 20° gap. Winter wins.
Concept hooks from this question
📌 Adjacent topic to master
S1
👉 Continentality vs. Maritime Influence
💡 The insight

Continental interiors show larger annual and seasonal temperature ranges while maritime districts have moderated, smaller ranges.

High-yield for UPSC: explains patterns of extreme temperatures, helps answer questions on climate types (continental vs marine), and links to topics like isotherms, monsoon dynamics and regional agriculture. Mastering this clarifies why inland areas have hot summers and very cold winters versus milder coastal climates.

📚 Reading List :
  • Certificate Physical and Human Geography , GC Leong (Oxford University press 3rd ed.) > Chapter 20: The Temperate Continental (Steppe) Climate > Climate > p. 190
  • Certificate Physical and Human Geography , GC Leong (Oxford University press 3rd ed.) > Chapter 14: Climate > FACTORS INFLUENCTNG TEMPERATURE > p. 134
🔗 Anchor: "Is the temperature contrast between continents and oceans greater in summer than..."
📌 Adjacent topic to master
S1
👉 Seasonal Land–Sea Temperature Contrast
💡 The insight

The magnitude of land–sea temperature contrast changes seasonally and is a key control on the strength and position of pressure belts and wind systems.

Essential for answering questions on seasonal pressure systems, wind belts, and storm tracks; it explains why atmospheric circulation is more disturbed in winter and more regular in summer. This concept enables explanations of seasonal shifts in cyclonic activity and oceanic influence on climate.

📚 Reading List :
  • Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Manjunath Thamminidi, PMF IAS (1st ed.) > Chapter 23: Pressure Systems and Wind System > Seasonal Behaviour > p. 313
  • Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Manjunath Thamminidi, PMF IAS (1st ed.) > Chapter 21: Horizontal Distribution of Temperature > Northern Hemisphere > p. 290
🔗 Anchor: "Is the temperature contrast between continents and oceans greater in summer than..."
📌 Adjacent topic to master
S1
👉 Ocean Currents and Coastal Temperature Moderation
💡 The insight

Warm and cold ocean currents transport heat and cold to adjacent coasts, narrowing coastal annual and seasonal temperature ranges.

Valuable for UPSC geography and environment questions: links physical oceanography with regional climate (e.g., warm currents warming western Europe), aids in interpreting isotherm deviations and coastal climate classifications, and supports reasoning in case-based questions about regional climate anomalies.

📚 Reading List :
  • Certificate Physical and Human Geography , GC Leong (Oxford University press 3rd ed.) > Chapter 14: Climate > FACTORS INFLUENCTNG TEMPERATURE > p. 134
  • FUNDAMENTALS OF PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY, Geography Class XI (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 13: Movements of Ocean Water > Effects of Ocean Currents > p. 112
🔗 Anchor: "Is the temperature contrast between continents and oceans greater in summer than..."
📌 Adjacent topic to master
S2
👉 Specific heat capacity — water vs solids
💡 The insight

Specific heat capacity controls how much energy is needed to change temperature; water requires substantially more energy than typical soils and rocks.

High-yield for explaining land–sea thermal contrasts, coastal climate moderation, and why oceans buffer temperature changes. Connects to thermodynamics, climate system behaviour, and questions on continentality and seasonal lag.

📚 Reading List :
  • Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Manjunath Thamminidi, PMF IAS (1st ed.) > Chapter 21: Horizontal Distribution of Temperature > Land-Sea Differential > p. 286
  • Certificate Physical and Human Geography , GC Leong (Oxford University press 3rd ed.) > Chapter 14: Climate > FACTORS INFLUENCTNG TEMPERATURE > p. 134
  • Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Manjunath Thamminidi, PMF IAS (1st ed.) > Chapter 33: Ocean temperature and salinity > Why Is the Diurnal Range Of Ocean Temperatures Too Small? > p. 512
🔗 Anchor: "Is the specific heat capacity of water greater than the specific heat capacity o..."
📌 Adjacent topic to master
S2
👉 Thermal penetration and mixing in water
💡 The insight

Water transmits solar energy deeper and mixes vertically/horizontally, distributing heat over depth and reducing surface temperature change.

Essential for understanding small diurnal/annual temperature ranges over oceans, sea surface temperature impacts on weather (e.g., cyclones), and heat exchange processes in oceanography and meteorology.

📚 Reading List :
  • Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Manjunath Thamminidi, PMF IAS (1st ed.) > Chapter 21: Horizontal Distribution of Temperature > Land-Sea Differential > p. 286
  • Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Manjunath Thamminidi, PMF IAS (1st ed.) > Chapter 33: Ocean temperature and salinity > Why Is the Diurnal Range Of Ocean Temperatures Too Small? > p. 512
  • Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Manjunath Thamminidi, PMF IAS (1st ed.) > Chapter 26: Tropical Cyclones > The Sea Surface Temperature (SST) Is Higher In The Northern Hemisphere > p. 369
🔗 Anchor: "Is the specific heat capacity of water greater than the specific heat capacity o..."
📌 Adjacent topic to master
S2
👉 Continentality and land–sea breeze dynamics
💡 The insight

Different heating/cooling rates of land and water (due to specific heat differences) drive local wind systems and larger continentality effects.

Useful for questions on local wind patterns, coastal climate phenomena, and human-environment interactions; links to atmospheric circulation, monsoon mechanisms, and practical examples like land/sea breezes.

📚 Reading List :
  • Certificate Physical and Human Geography , GC Leong (Oxford University press 3rd ed.) > Chapter 14: Climate > lnsolation > p. 131
  • Science-Class VII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 7: Heat Transfer in Nature > 7.2.1 Land and Sea Breeze > p. 95
  • Certificate Physical and Human Geography , GC Leong (Oxford University press 3rd ed.) > Chapter 14: Climate > FACTORS INFLUENCTNG TEMPERATURE > p. 134
🔗 Anchor: "Is the specific heat capacity of water greater than the specific heat capacity o..."
📌 Adjacent topic to master
S3
👉 Specific heat and thermal inertia of water
💡 The insight

Water’s higher specific heat makes oceans heat and cool more slowly than land, directly producing smaller seasonal swings at sea.

High-yield for questions on land–sea temperature contrast, climate moderation, and seasonal temperature ranges; links thermodynamic properties to regional climate behavior and helps answer why coastal climates are milder. Mastery allows one to explain continentality, maritime influence, and timing of seasonal maxima/minima.

📚 Reading List :
  • Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Manjunath Thamminidi, PMF IAS (1st ed.) > Chapter 21: Horizontal Distribution of Temperature > Land-Sea Differential > p. 286
  • Certificate Physical and Human Geography , GC Leong (Oxford University press 3rd ed.) > Chapter 14: Climate > FACTORS INFLUENCTNG TEMPERATURE > p. 134
  • Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Manjunath Thamminidi, PMF IAS (1st ed.) > Chapter 33: Ocean temperature and salinity > Why Is the Diurnal Range Of Ocean Temperatures Too Small? > p. 512
🔗 Anchor: "Does the higher specific heat capacity of water compared to land explain why the..."
🌑 The Hidden Trap

The 'Thermal Equator' (ITCZ) does not align with the geographic equator. It shifts significantly North (up to 20°N) in July due to large landmasses, but stays closer to the equator in January. The shift is smaller in the Southern Hemisphere.

⚡ Elimination Cheat Code

Use the 'Siberia Test'. In Winter, land can drop to -60°C while the ocean stays liquid (~0°C). That's a 60-degree gap. In Summer, land hits 45°C and ocean is ~25°C. That's only a 20-degree gap. Math proves Winter Contrast > Summer Contrast. Statement I is False. Mark [D].

🔗 Mains Connection

Mains Link (GS-1 & GS-3): This thermal contrast is the engine of the Monsoon. A 'weakening thermal contrast' (due to Global Warming warming the oceans faster than before) can lead to erratic Monsoons, impacting Food Security (Agriculture) and Inflation.

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Consider the following statements : Statement I : In January, in the Northern Hemisphere, the isotherms bend equatorward while crossing the landmasses, and poleward while crossing the oceans. Statement II : In January, the air over the oceans is warmer than that over the landmasses in the Northern Hemisphere. Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

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Statement I: Temperatures of countries like United Kingdom, Norway, the Netherlands and Denmark are higher as compared to places located on similar latitudes during the winter. Statement II : United Kingdom, Norway, the Netherlands and Denmark are located on the coast.