Selina Textbook Solutions: Major Landforms of the Earth | Geography Class 6 ICSE PDF Download

 Page 1


POINTS TO REMEMBER 
? Nearly 29 per cent of earth’s surface is land. 
? Land features on the surface of the earth are different in different places. These 
features are called landforms. The major landforms include mountains, plateaux, 
valleys and plains. 
? There are three main types of mountains—fold mountains, volcanic mountains 
and block mountains. 
? There are two types of fold mountains—old and young. 
? Plateaux are also called plains-in-the air or tablelands. 
? Plains are flat lowlands that are mostly built by the alluvium deposited by rivers. 
IMPORTANT TERMS 
Fold mountains: Mountains that are formed when horizontal layers of the earth’s crust 
are folded by compression. 
Landforms: Features of the land surface. 
Discuss 
Formation of landforms is a continuous process. Discuss the different ways in which 
landforms are changing around the world. 
Answer: 
The earth’s surface is constantly changing. These changes mostly occur in very minute 
ways which over time accumulates to create the earth’s physical features. Whereas 
some of these changes take thousands of years but surely they are occuring. We look 
around us that a mountain, river, plateau, valleys, rqck boulders etc. these all didn’t just 
disappear suddenly rather most of them had a building process. 
There are basically two types of changes that occur on the earth’s surface. 
1. Slow change 
2. Fast change. 
Fast change occur through the actions of earthquakes, volcanoes, landslides etc. While 
slow change takes time and has a process. 
VALUES AND LIFE SKILLS 
We constantly impact landforms around us by our actions such has mining, building 
roads, dams, etc. We should, therefore, try to minimize such activities that have an 
adverse impact on landforms around us. 
How can you help to preserve the landforms around you? 
Answer: 
Page 2


POINTS TO REMEMBER 
? Nearly 29 per cent of earth’s surface is land. 
? Land features on the surface of the earth are different in different places. These 
features are called landforms. The major landforms include mountains, plateaux, 
valleys and plains. 
? There are three main types of mountains—fold mountains, volcanic mountains 
and block mountains. 
? There are two types of fold mountains—old and young. 
? Plateaux are also called plains-in-the air or tablelands. 
? Plains are flat lowlands that are mostly built by the alluvium deposited by rivers. 
IMPORTANT TERMS 
Fold mountains: Mountains that are formed when horizontal layers of the earth’s crust 
are folded by compression. 
Landforms: Features of the land surface. 
Discuss 
Formation of landforms is a continuous process. Discuss the different ways in which 
landforms are changing around the world. 
Answer: 
The earth’s surface is constantly changing. These changes mostly occur in very minute 
ways which over time accumulates to create the earth’s physical features. Whereas 
some of these changes take thousands of years but surely they are occuring. We look 
around us that a mountain, river, plateau, valleys, rqck boulders etc. these all didn’t just 
disappear suddenly rather most of them had a building process. 
There are basically two types of changes that occur on the earth’s surface. 
1. Slow change 
2. Fast change. 
Fast change occur through the actions of earthquakes, volcanoes, landslides etc. While 
slow change takes time and has a process. 
VALUES AND LIFE SKILLS 
We constantly impact landforms around us by our actions such has mining, building 
roads, dams, etc. We should, therefore, try to minimize such activities that have an 
adverse impact on landforms around us. 
How can you help to preserve the landforms around you? 
Answer: 
We can preserve the landforms around us by adopting following methods, and they are 
: 
1. By Planting More Trees and Not cutting them. 
2. By Properly Disposing the Industrial waste. 
3. By Preserving greenery surrounding, National Parks and Wildlife Sancturies. 
4. Avoid de-vegetating the landforms and its Vicinity, if that’s it’s natural condition. 
5. Replicate Natural landscapes, patterns and processes. 
EXERCISES 
A. Match the columns 
 
 
Answer: 
 
 
B. With the help of your atlas identify and mark the following in an outline map of 
the world. 
Question 1. 
An old fold mountain range in India. 
Answer: 
Aravallis 
Page 3


POINTS TO REMEMBER 
? Nearly 29 per cent of earth’s surface is land. 
? Land features on the surface of the earth are different in different places. These 
features are called landforms. The major landforms include mountains, plateaux, 
valleys and plains. 
? There are three main types of mountains—fold mountains, volcanic mountains 
and block mountains. 
? There are two types of fold mountains—old and young. 
? Plateaux are also called plains-in-the air or tablelands. 
? Plains are flat lowlands that are mostly built by the alluvium deposited by rivers. 
IMPORTANT TERMS 
Fold mountains: Mountains that are formed when horizontal layers of the earth’s crust 
are folded by compression. 
Landforms: Features of the land surface. 
Discuss 
Formation of landforms is a continuous process. Discuss the different ways in which 
landforms are changing around the world. 
Answer: 
The earth’s surface is constantly changing. These changes mostly occur in very minute 
ways which over time accumulates to create the earth’s physical features. Whereas 
some of these changes take thousands of years but surely they are occuring. We look 
around us that a mountain, river, plateau, valleys, rqck boulders etc. these all didn’t just 
disappear suddenly rather most of them had a building process. 
There are basically two types of changes that occur on the earth’s surface. 
1. Slow change 
2. Fast change. 
Fast change occur through the actions of earthquakes, volcanoes, landslides etc. While 
slow change takes time and has a process. 
VALUES AND LIFE SKILLS 
We constantly impact landforms around us by our actions such has mining, building 
roads, dams, etc. We should, therefore, try to minimize such activities that have an 
adverse impact on landforms around us. 
How can you help to preserve the landforms around you? 
Answer: 
We can preserve the landforms around us by adopting following methods, and they are 
: 
1. By Planting More Trees and Not cutting them. 
2. By Properly Disposing the Industrial waste. 
3. By Preserving greenery surrounding, National Parks and Wildlife Sancturies. 
4. Avoid de-vegetating the landforms and its Vicinity, if that’s it’s natural condition. 
5. Replicate Natural landscapes, patterns and processes. 
EXERCISES 
A. Match the columns 
 
 
Answer: 
 
 
B. With the help of your atlas identify and mark the following in an outline map of 
the world. 
Question 1. 
An old fold mountain range in India. 
Answer: 
Aravallis 
Question 2. 
A block mountain in Europe 
Answer: 
The Black Forest of Europe. 
Question 3. 
A storehouse of mineral wealth in eastern India. 
Answer: 
The Chota Nagpur Plateau. 
Question 4. 
A rift valley in Egypt 
Answer: 
Nile Valley in Egypt. 
C. Answer the following questions in brief 
Question 1. 
What are Fold Mountains? With the help of a neat-sketch, briefly explain their formation. 
Answer: 
The mountains that are formed when the layers of the earth’s crust are folded by 
compression caused by the forces generated by movements inside the earth. 
 
There are particularly two types of fold mountains, they are : 
1. Old fold mountains 
2. Young fold mountains. 
Question 2. 
State two chief differences between old and young fold mountains. Give examples. 
Answer: 
The mountains which were formed over 250 million years ago due to compression of 
earth’s crust are called old fold mountains. They have gentle slopes and low altitude 
due to weathering overtime e.g. Urals in Russia, Aravallis in India and Appalachians in 
India. 
Page 4


POINTS TO REMEMBER 
? Nearly 29 per cent of earth’s surface is land. 
? Land features on the surface of the earth are different in different places. These 
features are called landforms. The major landforms include mountains, plateaux, 
valleys and plains. 
? There are three main types of mountains—fold mountains, volcanic mountains 
and block mountains. 
? There are two types of fold mountains—old and young. 
? Plateaux are also called plains-in-the air or tablelands. 
? Plains are flat lowlands that are mostly built by the alluvium deposited by rivers. 
IMPORTANT TERMS 
Fold mountains: Mountains that are formed when horizontal layers of the earth’s crust 
are folded by compression. 
Landforms: Features of the land surface. 
Discuss 
Formation of landforms is a continuous process. Discuss the different ways in which 
landforms are changing around the world. 
Answer: 
The earth’s surface is constantly changing. These changes mostly occur in very minute 
ways which over time accumulates to create the earth’s physical features. Whereas 
some of these changes take thousands of years but surely they are occuring. We look 
around us that a mountain, river, plateau, valleys, rqck boulders etc. these all didn’t just 
disappear suddenly rather most of them had a building process. 
There are basically two types of changes that occur on the earth’s surface. 
1. Slow change 
2. Fast change. 
Fast change occur through the actions of earthquakes, volcanoes, landslides etc. While 
slow change takes time and has a process. 
VALUES AND LIFE SKILLS 
We constantly impact landforms around us by our actions such has mining, building 
roads, dams, etc. We should, therefore, try to minimize such activities that have an 
adverse impact on landforms around us. 
How can you help to preserve the landforms around you? 
Answer: 
We can preserve the landforms around us by adopting following methods, and they are 
: 
1. By Planting More Trees and Not cutting them. 
2. By Properly Disposing the Industrial waste. 
3. By Preserving greenery surrounding, National Parks and Wildlife Sancturies. 
4. Avoid de-vegetating the landforms and its Vicinity, if that’s it’s natural condition. 
5. Replicate Natural landscapes, patterns and processes. 
EXERCISES 
A. Match the columns 
 
 
Answer: 
 
 
B. With the help of your atlas identify and mark the following in an outline map of 
the world. 
Question 1. 
An old fold mountain range in India. 
Answer: 
Aravallis 
Question 2. 
A block mountain in Europe 
Answer: 
The Black Forest of Europe. 
Question 3. 
A storehouse of mineral wealth in eastern India. 
Answer: 
The Chota Nagpur Plateau. 
Question 4. 
A rift valley in Egypt 
Answer: 
Nile Valley in Egypt. 
C. Answer the following questions in brief 
Question 1. 
What are Fold Mountains? With the help of a neat-sketch, briefly explain their formation. 
Answer: 
The mountains that are formed when the layers of the earth’s crust are folded by 
compression caused by the forces generated by movements inside the earth. 
 
There are particularly two types of fold mountains, they are : 
1. Old fold mountains 
2. Young fold mountains. 
Question 2. 
State two chief differences between old and young fold mountains. Give examples. 
Answer: 
The mountains which were formed over 250 million years ago due to compression of 
earth’s crust are called old fold mountains. They have gentle slopes and low altitude 
due to weathering overtime e.g. Urals in Russia, Aravallis in India and Appalachians in 
India. 
The recently formed mountains i.e. about 25 million years ago are called young fold 
mountains. They are rugged and lofty. They comprise the world’s highest mountain 
ranges. 
E.g. Rockies of North America, Alps, Andes, Himalayas and The great Dividing Range. 
Question 3. 
What are plateaux? Why are they of great economic value? 
Answer: 
Plateaux (plural of plateau) are the uplifted sections of the earth’s crust that are almost 
flat or level and usually descend steeply to the surrounding lowlands. Aplateau is also 
sometimes referred to as a plain-in-the air or tableland. The land of a plateau is very 
fertile while the latter is a storehouse of mineral wealth. They are rich in minerals like 
gold, iron, copper, manganese, etc. 
Question 4. 
Mention the different types of plateaux. 
Answer: 
Types of Plateaux — Plateaus may be classified into the following categories on the 
basis of their formation, appearance and location: 
Tectonic Plateau : A tectonic plateau is formed by the movement of the earth’s crustal 
plates. Tectonic movement causes a huge portion of the earth’s surface to rise. The 
plateau of South Africa and the Turkish-Iranian Plateau are examples of tectonic 
plateaus. 
Volcanic Plateau : A volcanic plateau is a plateau formed by the spread of successive 
layers of lava on a particular region. When the lava cools, it solidifies and the 
successive sheets of lava finally form a raised tabeland or a plateau over a period of 
time. The extensive Columbia Plateau (in the north-western part of the U SA), the north-
western part of the Deccan Plateau and the Malwa Plateau are examples of volcanic 
plateaus. 
Dissected Plateau : These have irregular surface marked by canyons, gorges and 
steep, narrow valleys formed by the process of erosion. They are mostly common in dry 
and desert regions. The Colorado Plateau, through which the Grand Canyon passes, 
and the Brazilian Plateau (Mato Grosso) are examples of dissected plateaus. 
Intermontane Plateau : These are surrounded by mountains and are the most 
common types of plateau. The most common example of an intermontane plateau is the 
Tibetan Plateau which is enclosed by the Himalayan Mountains to its south and the 
Kunlun Shan to its north. 
Piedmont Plateau : Piedmont plateau is one that lies between a mountain and a plain 
or an ocean. Examples of piedmont plateaus are the Patagonia Plateau in South 
America and the piedmont Plateau of North America. 
Question 5. 
What is a basin ? Give an example. 
Answer: 
A basin is a depressed section of the earth’s crust surrounded by higher land. Many 
Page 5


POINTS TO REMEMBER 
? Nearly 29 per cent of earth’s surface is land. 
? Land features on the surface of the earth are different in different places. These 
features are called landforms. The major landforms include mountains, plateaux, 
valleys and plains. 
? There are three main types of mountains—fold mountains, volcanic mountains 
and block mountains. 
? There are two types of fold mountains—old and young. 
? Plateaux are also called plains-in-the air or tablelands. 
? Plains are flat lowlands that are mostly built by the alluvium deposited by rivers. 
IMPORTANT TERMS 
Fold mountains: Mountains that are formed when horizontal layers of the earth’s crust 
are folded by compression. 
Landforms: Features of the land surface. 
Discuss 
Formation of landforms is a continuous process. Discuss the different ways in which 
landforms are changing around the world. 
Answer: 
The earth’s surface is constantly changing. These changes mostly occur in very minute 
ways which over time accumulates to create the earth’s physical features. Whereas 
some of these changes take thousands of years but surely they are occuring. We look 
around us that a mountain, river, plateau, valleys, rqck boulders etc. these all didn’t just 
disappear suddenly rather most of them had a building process. 
There are basically two types of changes that occur on the earth’s surface. 
1. Slow change 
2. Fast change. 
Fast change occur through the actions of earthquakes, volcanoes, landslides etc. While 
slow change takes time and has a process. 
VALUES AND LIFE SKILLS 
We constantly impact landforms around us by our actions such has mining, building 
roads, dams, etc. We should, therefore, try to minimize such activities that have an 
adverse impact on landforms around us. 
How can you help to preserve the landforms around you? 
Answer: 
We can preserve the landforms around us by adopting following methods, and they are 
: 
1. By Planting More Trees and Not cutting them. 
2. By Properly Disposing the Industrial waste. 
3. By Preserving greenery surrounding, National Parks and Wildlife Sancturies. 
4. Avoid de-vegetating the landforms and its Vicinity, if that’s it’s natural condition. 
5. Replicate Natural landscapes, patterns and processes. 
EXERCISES 
A. Match the columns 
 
 
Answer: 
 
 
B. With the help of your atlas identify and mark the following in an outline map of 
the world. 
Question 1. 
An old fold mountain range in India. 
Answer: 
Aravallis 
Question 2. 
A block mountain in Europe 
Answer: 
The Black Forest of Europe. 
Question 3. 
A storehouse of mineral wealth in eastern India. 
Answer: 
The Chota Nagpur Plateau. 
Question 4. 
A rift valley in Egypt 
Answer: 
Nile Valley in Egypt. 
C. Answer the following questions in brief 
Question 1. 
What are Fold Mountains? With the help of a neat-sketch, briefly explain their formation. 
Answer: 
The mountains that are formed when the layers of the earth’s crust are folded by 
compression caused by the forces generated by movements inside the earth. 
 
There are particularly two types of fold mountains, they are : 
1. Old fold mountains 
2. Young fold mountains. 
Question 2. 
State two chief differences between old and young fold mountains. Give examples. 
Answer: 
The mountains which were formed over 250 million years ago due to compression of 
earth’s crust are called old fold mountains. They have gentle slopes and low altitude 
due to weathering overtime e.g. Urals in Russia, Aravallis in India and Appalachians in 
India. 
The recently formed mountains i.e. about 25 million years ago are called young fold 
mountains. They are rugged and lofty. They comprise the world’s highest mountain 
ranges. 
E.g. Rockies of North America, Alps, Andes, Himalayas and The great Dividing Range. 
Question 3. 
What are plateaux? Why are they of great economic value? 
Answer: 
Plateaux (plural of plateau) are the uplifted sections of the earth’s crust that are almost 
flat or level and usually descend steeply to the surrounding lowlands. Aplateau is also 
sometimes referred to as a plain-in-the air or tableland. The land of a plateau is very 
fertile while the latter is a storehouse of mineral wealth. They are rich in minerals like 
gold, iron, copper, manganese, etc. 
Question 4. 
Mention the different types of plateaux. 
Answer: 
Types of Plateaux — Plateaus may be classified into the following categories on the 
basis of their formation, appearance and location: 
Tectonic Plateau : A tectonic plateau is formed by the movement of the earth’s crustal 
plates. Tectonic movement causes a huge portion of the earth’s surface to rise. The 
plateau of South Africa and the Turkish-Iranian Plateau are examples of tectonic 
plateaus. 
Volcanic Plateau : A volcanic plateau is a plateau formed by the spread of successive 
layers of lava on a particular region. When the lava cools, it solidifies and the 
successive sheets of lava finally form a raised tabeland or a plateau over a period of 
time. The extensive Columbia Plateau (in the north-western part of the U SA), the north-
western part of the Deccan Plateau and the Malwa Plateau are examples of volcanic 
plateaus. 
Dissected Plateau : These have irregular surface marked by canyons, gorges and 
steep, narrow valleys formed by the process of erosion. They are mostly common in dry 
and desert regions. The Colorado Plateau, through which the Grand Canyon passes, 
and the Brazilian Plateau (Mato Grosso) are examples of dissected plateaus. 
Intermontane Plateau : These are surrounded by mountains and are the most 
common types of plateau. The most common example of an intermontane plateau is the 
Tibetan Plateau which is enclosed by the Himalayan Mountains to its south and the 
Kunlun Shan to its north. 
Piedmont Plateau : Piedmont plateau is one that lies between a mountain and a plain 
or an ocean. Examples of piedmont plateaus are the Patagonia Plateau in South 
America and the piedmont Plateau of North America. 
Question 5. 
What is a basin ? Give an example. 
Answer: 
A basin is a depressed section of the earth’s crust surrounded by higher land. Many 
basins are found alongside plateau edges and form areas of inland drainage, i.e., the 
rivers flowing in the basin do not reach reach the sea. The Tarim and Tsaidam Basins of 
Asia and the Chad Basin of north-central Africa are examples of basin. 
Question 6. 
Mention the different types of plains. 
Answer: 
Types of Plains: On the basis of formation, plains are grouped in three categories: 
Structural Plains: Plains that lie near the coast of a sea or an ocean are called structural 
plains. Due to endogenetic movements, large, broad, flat areas of the sea floor are 
raised and appear on the surface. These types of plains are very flat and broad. The 
addition of sediments brought in by the sea waves over a period of time makes them 
broader and flatter than they originally were. Structural plains border all countries. The 
coastal plains of south-eastern USA near the Gulf Coast, which are part of the Great 
Plains, are one of the largest plains in the world. The plains of northern Russia and the 
central lowlands of Australia are other examples of structural plains. 
Erosional Plains: Erosional plains are the result of the erosion of mountains, hills and 
plateaux. The eroded material is brought down to a low level by wind, rivers, rain, and 
ice. This kind of erosion caused by various agents gives rise to several types of plains. 
The plains of northern Canada, northern Europe and Kashmir in India are examples 
such plains. 
Depositional Plains : Depositional plains are formed by sediments brought down on a 
large scale by natural agents such as moving ice, water and wind from the upper 
regions of mountains. 
Question 7. 
What is the importance of plains ? 
Answer: 
The importance of the plains are discussed below: 
1. Plains are important because they are good source of fresh fruits and vegetables. 
2. Plains are being ploughed by a farmer or a carabaos. 
3. Owing to the flat nature of the land. It is easy to construct roads and railways in 
plains. 
4. Plains have good and rich source of river which is very fertile for crops. 
Question 8. 
What is a peninsula? Take the help of your atlas and name four major peninsulas of the 
world. 
Answer: 
A Peninsula is a piece of land that is surrounded by water on three sides and joined to a 
larger land mass. The peninsular plateau of India and the Malay Peninsula are two 
examples of peninsulas attached to the continent of Asia. Europe is a peninsula of 
peninsulas. Can you name the three large water bodies that surround it ? Also identify 
the smaller peninsulas that jut out from it.