Answer: The diurnal range of temperature refers to the change in temperature within a single day, from the highest (usually in the afternoon) to the lowest (usually just before sunrise). Thus, the correct answer is B. Difference in the maximum and minimum temperature of the day.
Complete Answer:
The diurnal range of temperature means the difference between he highest (maximum) and lowest (minimum) temperatures that occur within a single day. In simple words, it tells us how much the temperature rises during the day and how much it drops at night.
For example, if today’s maximum temperature at noon is 35°C and the minimum temperature early in the morning is 20°C, then the diurnal range of temperature is:
35°C – 20°C = 15°C
This change happens because:
- During the day, the Sun heats the Earth, making it warmer.
- At night, there is no sunlight, so the Earth loses heat, and it becomes cooler.
This rise and fall of temperature within 24 hours is what we call the diurnal range. It is highest in deserts (like the Thar Desert in India) where days are very hot and nights are very cold. It is lowest near seas or oceans, because water keeps the temperature more stable.
So, the correct answer is: B. Difference in the maximum and minimum temperature of the day
Reference to other options:
A. Difference in the maximum and minimum temperature of the week: This is not correct because this shows the temperature change over 7 days. It tells us how hot or cold it was in the whole week, but not how much temperature changed within one day. This is sometimes called a weekly range, but it is not diurnal.
C. Difference in the maximum and minimum temperature of the year: This is wrong because this means the temperature change over 12 months. It is called the annual range of temperature. For example, if the highest temperature in summer is 42°C and the lowest in winter is 6°C, then the annual range is 36°C. But this has nothing to do with daily temperature changes.
D. Difference in the maximum and minimum temperature of the month: This is also incorrect. It talks about how much the temperature changes in the whole month, like 30 or 31 days. This is sometimes looked at in monthly weather reports, but again, this is not about daily temperature. So, it is not the diurnal range.
Common Geography Doubts:
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