Mnemonics : Geomorphology | Geography for UPSC CSE PDF Download

This document will help you understand the key concepts of Geomorphology in a simple and engaging way. Inside, you'll find easy memory tricks (mnemonics) to help you recall important landforms, geological processes, plate tectonics, weathering, and erosion patterns.

Whether you're preparing for the UPSC, SSC CGL, or any other competitive exam, these mnemonics will make studying Geomorphology easier and more effective. Use them alongside your regular studies to grasp concepts quickly and retain information for a longer time!

1. Types of Volcanoes

Mnemonic: Some Cool Cats Find Magma

• S – Shield Volcanoes
• C – Composite Volcanoes
• C – Caldera
• F – Flood Basalt Provinces
• M – Mid-Ocean Ridge Volcanoes

2.  Endogenic Forces

> Types of Endogenic Forces
Mnemonic: Dogs Vomit Suddenly

• D – Diastrophism
• V – Volcanism
•  S – Sudden Movements (Earthquakes, Tsunamis)

> Types of Diastrophism

Mnemonic: Old Elephants Dance Wildly

• O – Orogeny (Mountain building)
•  E – Epeirogeny (Continental uplift/subsidence)
• D – Deformation (Folding, warping, fracturing)
• W – Warping (Bending of earth’s crust)

> Difference Between Orogeny and Epeirogeny

Mnemonic: Orogeny = Overlapping, Epeirogeny = Expansion

Orogeny  : Forms mountains by overlapping rock layers through folding.
 Epeirogeny : Causes continental expansion or subsidence without much folding.

>  Causes of Endogenic Forces

Mnemonic : Real Tigers Hunt Prey

• R – Radioactivity (Heat from radioactive decay)
• T – Tidal friction (Movement of ocean tides)
• H – Heat flow (Primordial heat from Earth’s formation)
• P – Pressure changes (Internal pressure causing deformation)

3. Exogenetic forces

^{> Denudation (4 Phases)}

Mnemonic:  We Eat Thick Dal

• W – Weathering
• E – Erosion
• T – Transportation
• D – Deposition

4. Weathering

Types of Weathering

>Physical/Mechanical Weathering

Mnemonic: Four Elephants Gather Slowly

• F – Frost action
• E – Exfoliation
• G – Granular disintegration
• S – Salt weathering

>Chemical Weathering
Mnemonic: Cold Oranges Have Acidic Drops

• C – Carbonation
• O – Oxidation
• H – Hydrolysis
• A – Acid action
• D – Dissolution

> Biological Weathering
Mnemonic: Bats And Monkeys

• B – Bacteria
• A – Animals
• M – Microbes

 5. Landslides

> Types of Landslides
Mnemonic: Five Tigers Love Small Snacks

• F – Falls
• T – Topples
• L – Lateral spreads
• S – Slides
• S – Slumps

6.  Seafloor Spreading

 >Steps of Seafloor Spreading: "H.O.M.E."

Mnemonic: H.O.M.E.

• H – Heat from mantle convection
• O – Ocean ridges form as magma rises
• M – Magma cools, creating new crust
• E – Expansion pushes older crust away