QA Physical Features of India
Ch - Physical Features of India
Q 1. Name the three major divisions of the Himalayas from the north to the south.
Answer:
The three major divisions of the Himalayas from north to south are:
• The northernmost range is known as the Great Himalayas or Inner Himalayas or Himadri. It is the most continuous range consisting of the loftiest peaks. It has an average height of 6000 meters. It consists of all the prominent Himalayan peaks.
• The southern range of Himadri which is known as the Himachal or the lesser Himalayas lies to the South of Himadri. It forms the most rugged mountain system. The ranges are mainly composed of highly compressed and altered rocks. The altitude varies between 3700 and 4500 meters and its average width is 50 km.
• The outermost range of the Himalayas is known as Shiwaliks. Its height varies between 900 meters and 1100 meters. This range is composed of unconsolidated sediments brought down by rivers from the main Himalayan ranges. These are also called foothill ranges. They represent the southernmost division of the Himalayas.
Q 2. Name the southernmost range of the Himalayas. Mention features of this range.
Answer:
The southernmost range of the Himalayas is called Shiwaliks.
Features:
• The outermost range of the Himalayas is called the Outer Himalayas or Shiwaliks.
• They extend over a width of 10-15 km.
• Their altitude varies between 900-1100 meters.
• They are discontinuous ranges and are composed of unconsolidated sediments, gravel and alluvium brought down by the rivers from the main Himalayan ranges located farther north.
• Longitudinal valleys known as Duns lie between the lesser Himalayas and Shiwaliks. e.g., Dehradun, Kote Dun, Path Dun.
Q 3. How is the Himadri range different from the Himachal range? Mention any three differences.
Answer:
Himadri
• This range is the highest of the Himalayas with an average height of 6,000 meters.
• This range contains the loftiest peaks. Example: Kanchenjunga and Nanda Devi.
• This range is always covered with snow.
Himachal
• Himachal is not so high as Himadri. Its average height is between 3,700 and 4,500 meters.
• This range contains hill stations Example: Shimla and Nainital
• It snows here in winter.
Q 4. Differentiate between Western Himalayas and Eastern Himalayas.
Answer:
Western Himalayas
• These are spread over Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh.
• The Western Himalayas are very high.
• The Indus and the Sutlej are the main rivers that pass throughout the Western Himalayas and fall into the Arabian Sea.
• The average annual rainfall is less than 100 cm.
• Srinagar, Shimla, Manali are the famous hill stations found in the Western Himalayas.
Eastern Himalayas
• These are spread over West Bengal, Sikkim, Bhutan and Arunachal Pradesh.
• These are of medium height.
• The Brahmaputra is the main river that passes through these and falls into the Bay of Bengal.
• The average annual rainfall is more than 200 cm.
• Darjeeling and Shillong are the famous hill stations found in the Eastern Himalayas.
Q 5. State any three features of Himalayan mountains.
Answer:
The three features of the Himalayan mountains are:
(a) the Himalayas are geologically young as well as structurally fold mountains stretching along the northern borders of India.
(b) They run from west to east direction i.e. from River Indus to River Brahmaputra.
(c) They form an arc over a length of 2400 km. They are higher in the east than in the west. They are the loftiest rugged mountain range in the world.
Q 6. Give an account of the four divisions of the Himalayas from west to east along with Purvachal hills.
Answer:
The four divisions of the Himalayas from west to east are:
(a) Punjab Himalayas: They lie between Indus and Satluj rivers. They are also known locally as Kashmir and Himachal Himalayas from west to east.
(b) Kumaon Himalayas: These Himalayas lie between Satluj and Kali rivers.
(c) Nepal Himalayas: These Himalayas lie between Kali and Tista rivers.
(d) Assam Himalayas: These Himalayas lie between Tista and Dihang rivers.
Purvachal Hills: These are the north-eastern extension of the Himalayas. Beyond the Dihang gorge,
the Himalayas bend sharply to the South and spread along the north-eastern boundary of India.
They are mainly composed of strong sandstones. The important hills are the Patkai, the Naga,
the Manipur and the Mizo hills.
Q . Mention
divisions of Northern Plains marked by rivers.
Answer:
The Northern Plains of India are fertile alluvial plains. The division of Northern plains marked by the river are:
(a) Indus Plains: Indus plain formed by River Indus and its tributaries e.g. Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Beas and Satluj.
(b) Ganga Plains: The plain formed by River Ganga and its tributaries such as Yamuna, Ghaghara, Gandak, Kosi etc. It extends between Ghaggar and Teesta rivers. It covers the states of Haryana, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal.
(c) Brahmaputra Plains: The plains lie in the east mainly in Assam. These are very narrow plains drained by the Brahmaputra and its tributaries.
Q 2. Write some important features of Ganga Plains.
Answer:
Some important features of Ganga Plains are:
(a) The Ganga Plain lies in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Haryana, Delhi and West Bengal. The deltaic part of the plain is in West Bengal and Bangladesh. This part of the plain is formed by Ganga and its Himalayan tributaries (Yamuna, Ghaghara, Gandak) and Peninsular tributaries (Chambal, Betwa, Ken and Son).
(b) The plain slopes towards east and southeast and also has high fertile soils.
(c) These plains extended between Ghaggar and Teesta rivers.
Q 3. Differentiate between bhabhar and terai.
Answer:
Bhabar
(a)It is formed by the rivers after descending down from the mountains (along the foothills-Shiwalika to Tista).
(b) It is 8-16 km wide.
(c)The bhabar area comprises of pebble rocks. It makes a porous bed near the river.
(d)Streams disappear in bhabar and flow underground.
(e)Not suitable for agriculture.
Terai
(a)It lies to the south of bhabar running parallel to it.
(b)It is 20-30 km wide.
(c)It has rich deposits of alluvium.
(d)Underground streams of bhabar re-emerge here as a marshy land.
(e)Suitable for agriculture or can be reclaimed for agriculture.
Q 4. Write the importance of the peninsular plateau.
Answer:
(a) The peninsular plateau which is made up of old crystalline igneous and metamorphic rocks, is a rich source of mineral wealth.
(b) The Deccan Trap provides the black soil, which is most suitable for the cultivation of cotton crops.
(c) It has several industries especially in the Chotanagpur plateau area e.g. Jamshedpur and Bokaro steel plants etc.
Q 5. Classify the Northern plains based on the variations in the relief features.
Answer:
The Northern Plains are alluvial plains formed by the deposition of sediments brought down by rivers from the mountains. Based on the variation in relief of the northern plains, it can be divided into four regions.
(a) Bhabar: The rivers, after descending down from the mountains, deposit pebbles in a narrow belt of 8-16 km lying parallel to the slopes of the Shiwaliks. This is known as bhabar. The streams disappear in this belt.
(b) Terai: Below the Bhabar belt, the streams and rivers re-emerge and create a wet, swampy and marshy region called terai. It was a thickly forested area rich in wildlife. But now the area is cleared for cultivation.
(c) Bhangar: It is the largest part of the northern plains made up of older alluvium. This region lies above the flood plains of the rivers and presents a terrace-like feature. The soil is not fertile here, it contains calcareous deposits called kankar.
(d) Khadar: The newer, younger deposits of the flood plains found in the lower river valley and at the mouth of the river. These are very fertile and get renewed every year by annual floods. They are suitable for intensive cultivation.
Q 6. Which is the oldest land mass of India? Name its two hroad divisions and explain any three features of each.
Answer:
The Great Peninsular Plateau lies to the south of the great plains and is , the oldest land mass of India. It is triangular in shape. The river
Narmada divides it into two parts:
The Cental Highlands and
The Deccan Plateau.
The Central Highlands:
It is made up of hard igneous and metamorphic rocks.
It comprises the Malwa Plateau, the small plateau of Bundelkhand and the Chhota Nagpur Plateau while the Western Ghats extend to the west of the Deccan Plateau.
Chambal, Sind and Betwa are three important rivers which flow through the Central Highlands.
It has been’drained by tributaries of Yamuna and Ganga.
Bundelkhand in southern UP and Baghelkhand in northern Madhya Pradesh.
The Deccan Plateau:
It is a triangular landmass that lies to the south of river Narmada.
It is higher in the west and slopes gendy eastwards.
It is the largest unit of the Peninsular Plateau of India.
Satpura range, Mahadev hills, Maikal range covers northern edge.
It is the oldest block made up of igneous and metamorphic rocks.
Q. Distinguish between - (a) Bangar and Khadar. (b) Western Ghats and Eastern Ghats
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