NCERT Solutions for Class 8 Geography Chapter 5 - Major Domains of the Earth

Q1. Answer the following questions briefly.
(a) What are the four major domains of the earth?
Ans: The four major domains of the earth are the lithosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere and biosphere.

(b) Name the major continents of the earth?
Ans: The seven major continents of the Earth are Asia, Europe, Africa, North America, South America, Australia and Antarctica.

(c) Name the two continents that lie entirely in the Southern Hemisphere.
Ans: The two continents that lie entirely in the Southern Hemisphere are Australia and Antarctica.

(d) Name the different layers of the atmosphere.
Ans: The different layers of the atmosphere are the troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere and exosphere.

(e) Why is the earth called the ‘blue planet’?
Ans: The earth is called the ‘blue planet’ because more than 71 percent of the earth is covered with water.

Earth: Blue Planet

(f) Why is the Northern Hemisphere called the Land Hemisphere?
Ans: The Northern Hemisphere called the Land Hemisphere because the greater part of Earth’s landmass lies in the Northern Hemisphere.

(g) Why is the Biosphere important for living organisms?
Ans: The biosphere is the narrow zone of contact between the land, water and air. It is in this zone that life, that is unique to this planet, exists. All the living organisms including humans are linked to each other and to the biosphere for survival.

Q2. Tick the correct answers.
(a) The mountain range that separates Europe from Asia is
(i) the Andes
(ii) the Himalayas
(iii) the Urals
Ans: (iii) the Urals

(b) The continent of North America is linked to South America by
(i) an Isthmus
(ii) a Strait
(iii) a Canal
Ans: (i) an Isthmus 

(c) The major constituent of the atmosphere by percent is
(i) Nitrogen
(ii) Oxygen
(iii) Carbon dioxide
Ans: (i) Nitrogen

(d) The domain of the earth consisting of solid rocks is
(i) the Atmosphere
(ii) the Hydrosphere
(iii) the Lithosphere
Ans: (iii) the Lithosphere

(e) Which is the largest continent?
(i) Africa
(ii) Asia
(iii) Australia
Ans: (ii) Asia

Q3. Fill in the blanks.
(a) The deepest point on the earth is __________ in the Pacific Ocean.
Ans: Mariana Trench

The Depth of Mariana Trench is more than the height of Mt. Everest

(b) The _______________ Ocean is named after a country.
Ans: Indian

(c) The ___________ is a narrow contact zone of land, water and air that supports life.
Ans: Biosphere

(d) The continents of Europe and Asia together are known as ________________.
Ans: Eurasia

(e) The highest mountain peak on the earth is ______________.
Ans: Mount Everest