I. Tick (✔) the correct option.
1.
Ans: (b)
India is located at the head of the Indian Ocean in the Eastern Hemisphere.
2.
Ans: (b)
The Greater Himalayas or Himadri Range is the highest and northernmost Himalayan Range.
3.
Ans: (b)
The Outer Himalayas are also referred to as the Shiwalik Range.
4.
Ans: (a)
The Northern Plains are formed by the deposition of alluvium from three river systems.
5.
Ans: (c)
Triangular-shaped feature formed by a river meeting the sea as a delta.
6.
Ans: (b)
The Ganga, Brahmaputra, and their tributaries form the world's largest delta.
7.
Ans: (c)
The Aravalli Range marks the eastern limit of the Thar Desert.
8.
Ans: (c)
Terai is a marshy foothill region.
9.
Ans: (b)
Lagoons are found in the Western Coastal Plain, including Kerala.
10.
Ans: (a)
The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are separated by the Ten Degree Channel.
II. State whether the following statements are true or false. Rewrite the statements to correct them.
1. The Purvanchal forms the highest range in the Himalayas.
Ans: False.
The Himadri (Greater Himalayas) forms the highest range in the Himalayas.
2. No large river crosses the Western Coastal Plain.
Ans: False.
Large rivers cross the Western Coastal Plain.
3. Lagoons are formed when the sea water is trapped between land and sea because of sandbars.
Ans: False.
Lagoons are formed in coastal plains when large peninsular rivers form their deltas.
4. Andaman and Nicobar Islands lie in the Arabian Sea.
Ans: False.
The Andaman and Nicobar Islands lie in the Bay of Bengal, not the Arabian Sea.
5. Coral polyps form many islands in a sea.
Ans: True.
III. Answer the following questions in brief.
1. Name the three ranges of the Himalayas.
Ans: The three ranges of the Himalayas are the Greater Himalayas (Himadri), the Middle Himalayas (Himachal), and the Outer Himalayas (Shiwaliks).
2. What makes the Northern Plains so fertile?
Ans: The Northern Plains are fertile due to the deposition of alluvium from three river systems: the Satluj, Ganga, and Brahmaputra.
3. Which activity led to the formation of the Deccan Plateau?
Ans: The Deccan Plateau was formed by volcanic activity in the past when molten rock from inside the Earth flowed out through cracks in the lithosphere.
4. Write prominent characteristics of the Western Coastal Plain.
Ans: The Western Coastal Plain has rocky cliffs, an indented coastline, no large rivers, and features beautiful backwaters and lagoons.
5. What are coral polyps?
Ans: Coral polyps are tiny organisms that secrete hard skeletons of calcium carbonate, forming coral reefs and islands in seas.
IV. Answer the following questions In detail.
1. Write in detail about the geographical location of India.
Ans: India is located at the head of the Indian Ocean in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is part of the great Asian landmass and is separated from the rest of Asia by the mighty Himalayas. The Tropic of Cancer passes through the center of India, placing the southern half in the Tropical Zone and the northern half in the Temperate Zone. Surrounded by the Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal, and the Indian Ocean, India has a diverse range of physical features.
2. Where are the Shiwaliks located? How are they different from the Himadri and Himachal Ranges?
Ans: The Shiwaliks are located to the south of the Himadri (Greater Himalayas) and north of the Himachal (Middle Himalayas). The Himadri is the highest and northernmost range, while the Himachal lies to the south of the Himadri. The Shiwaliks, also known as the Outer Himalayas, have an average height of 1,550 m and are prone to landslides.
3. What is the Peninsular Plateau? Give a detailed description.
Ans: The Peninsular Plateau is the oldest physical feature of India, comprising the Central Highlands and the Deccan Plateau. The Central Highlands include the Malwa Plateau, Bundelkhand Plateau, Chhota Nagpur Plateau, and various hills. The Deccan Plateau, largely made up of igneous and metamorphic rocks, was formed by volcanic activity. Chains of hills called ghats are found along its western and eastern edges.
4. Name the two Ghats In India. What do you know about them?
Ans: The two Ghats in India are the Western Ghats and the Eastern Ghats. The Western Ghats, close to the Arabian Sea, have a narrow Western Coastal Plain with rocky cliffs, while the Eastern Ghats, between the Eastern Coastal Plain and the Bay of Bengal, form a broad coastal plain. Large rivers like the Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna, and Kaveri originate in the Western Ghats and flow eastward across the Deccan Plateau.
5. What do you know about the Coastal Plains of India?
Ans: India has two Coastal Plains: the Western Coastal Plain along the Arabian Sea and the Eastern Coastal Plain along the Bay of Bengal. The Western Coastal Plain, except in Gujarat, is narrow and has rocky cliffs, while the Eastern Coastal Plain is broad and extremely fertile due to the deltas formed by large peninsular rivers. The Northern Plains lie south of the Himalayan foothills and are considered among the world's most fertile and densely populated plains.
