Which of the following is/are correct inference/inferences from isothermal maps in the month of January ?
- 1.The isotherms deviate to the north over the ocean and to the south over the continent.
- 2.The presence of cold ocean currents, Gulf Stream and North Atlantic Drift make the North Atlantic Ocean colder and the isotherms bend towards the north.
Select the answer using the code given below :
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Answer: A. Statement 1 is correct: in January (northern winter) the oceans are warmer than the land, so isotherms bend north (poleward) over the oceans and south (equatorward) over the continents. Statement 2 is wrong: the Gulf Stream and North Atlantic Drift are warm currents, and they make the North Atlantic warmer, which is why isotherms bend north there. So only 1.
Watch for: Statement 2 gets the direction of bending right but calls the currents cold; read every word.
Why the other options are wrong
- B. Wrong because the Gulf Stream and North Atlantic Drift are warm currents, not cold ones.
- C. Wrong because Statement 2 wrongly calls these currents cold.
- D. Wrong because Statement 1 correctly describes January isotherms.
Source to check: NCERT Class 11 Fundamentals of Physical Geography, Chapter 8 'Solar Radiation, Heat Balance and Temperature' (distribution of temperature, January isotherms)
Answer from the official UPSC key. Written and fact-checked by AI against the official key. Spotted a mistake? Report it.