THE WISDOM ACADEMYs GI… · THE WISDOM ACADEMY FOR CIVIL SERVICES “YOUR SUCCESS, YOUR WAY, TO...

THE WISDOM ACADEMY FOR CIVIL SERVICES

“YOUR SUCCESS, YOUR WAY, TO BUILD A NATION”

THE WISDOM ACADEMY www.upscwala.com 3rd floor,Keshav Prasad Building, near Jogesheari Silk Sarees, Kumthekar Road, Pune-30 Contact no.9158393003

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Dear students,

NCERT forms an important base for preparation of civil services.

Aspirants need to understand these books which are basic in nature.

Student should be thorough with this books conceptually and well

versed with the facts. There are number of subject like HISTORY,

GEOGRAPHY, and POLITY…. whose NCERT needs to be covered. Timely

revision and re-reading becomes a challenging task for aspirant.

Wisdom academy has come up with a solution by proving aspirant for

comprehensive GIST with solved questions below the chapter. The

purpose of providing these short summary notes is to travel with the

aspirant in achieving their dream in competitive exam.

ALL THE BEST!!!!




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Contents THE EARTH IN THE SOLAR SYSTEM .............................................................................................................................. 4

GLOBE: LATITUDES AND LONGITUDES ......................................................................................................................... 8

MOTIONS OF THE EARTH ................................................................................................................................................ 15

MAPS ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 18

MAJOR DOMAINS OF THE EARTH ............................................................................................................................................ 23

MAJOR LANDFORMS OF THE EARTH ........................................................................................................................... 30

OUR COUNTRY- INDIA ...................................................................................................................................................... 35

INDIA: CLIMATE, VEGETATION AND WILDLIFE .......................................................................................................... 37




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THE EARTH IN THE SOLAR SYSTEM A night when one side of the moon is completely visible from the earth is called a Full Moon night

or Poornima. A night without a moon or a no moon night is called a New Moon night. In Hindi, a New moon

night is called Amavasya.

The night sky is full of innumerable twinkling bodies. These bodies are called stars. They are very big and

hot celestial bodies made up of gases and emit large amounts of heat and light. Stars closer to earth appear




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brighter. The sun is the star closest to us.

Clusters of billions of stars along with dust and gas are bound together by gravity. Such clusters of stars are

called galaxies. Millions of galaxies together make up our Universe. Some stars in ancient times did not

twinkle and just glowed steadily. These celestial bodies were called the ―wandering stars‖. Today, we

recognise these bodies as planets.

A planet moves around a star along a fixed path and does not have its own heat and light but receives heat

and light from the star around which it moves. There are seven other planets that move around the sun in

fixed paths. Some planets have other celestial bodies moving around them. These celestial bodies are

called satellites. The moon moves around the earth; it is the earth‘s satellite.

It was observed that different groups of stars formed unique and beautiful patterns. These patterns were

given a common name, constellations. There are, in all, 88 constellations known to man. Ursa Major or

the Big Bear is one of the most well-known and easily recognisable constellations. Within a constellation,

small star patterns can also be observed. These stars patterns are called asterisms. One such asterism is

formed by the seven brightest stars of the Ursa Major. This asterism is called the Small Bear or

the Saptarishi in Hindi. The two stars that form the edge of the bear‘s bowl are called the Pointer Stars.

The pointer stars point to the Polaris or the Pole Star. The Polaris seems to remain aligned to the earth‘s

North Pole. This is the reason why the Polaris is also called the North Star. In Hindi, the Polaris is called the

Dhruva Tara. The sun‘s light is very bright. Hence, the other celestial bodies pale off and are barely visible to

the naked eye. The planet Venus is another celestial body that can be seen during the day. Venus is also

called the Morning Star.




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SOLVED QUESTIONS

Q1. Answer the following questions briefly:

a) How does a planet differ from star?

i) Stars emit their own heat and light while planets do not have their own light.

ii) There are millions of stars while we have only eight planets in the solar system.

b) What is meant by the ‘solar system’?

The sun, eight planets, satellites and some other celestial bodies known as asteroids and meteoroids form the

solar system. The sun is in the centre of the solar system. All the planets of the solar system move around the sun

in fixed paths.

c) Name all the planets according to their distance from the sun.

Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune.

d) Why Earth is called a unique planet?

Answer

Earth is called a unique planet because of the following reasons:

1. The land, air, water, favorable climatic facilities and the origin of life is possible on earth.

2. The earth is neither too hot nor too cold.

3. The earth has life supporting gases like oxygen.

4. No other planet of the solar system has life like that of earth.

e) Why do we see only one side of the moon always?

Answer

The moon moves around the earth in about 27 days. It takes exactly the same time to complete one spin. As a

result only one side of the moon is visible to us on the earth.

f) Define universe?

Answer

Universe is a cluster of galaxies. It is vast and ever expanding.

The planet known as the ‗earth‘s twin‘ is Venus.

Third nearest planet to sun is Earth.

The pole star indicates the direction to the North.




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Asteroids are found between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter.

A group of stars forming various patterns is called as constellation.

A huge system of stars is called as galaxy.

The moon is the closest celestial body to our earth.

Planets do not have their own heat and light.

The stars are not visible during the day because of sun‘s brightness.

The moon is a natural satellite.

Q3. Name the nearest star to the earth.

Answer

The nearest star to the earth is the Sun.

Q4. Name the second nearest star to the earth after sun.

Answer

Proxima Centuari is the second nearest star to the earth.

Q5. Why earth is called a ‘blue planet’?

Answer

Earth is called a blue planet because two third of earth‘s surface is covered with water.

Q6. How much time does it take for the light of the sun to reach earth?

Answer

It takes about 8 minutes for the light of the sun to reach earth.

Q7. Name the first person who stepped on the surface of the moon?

Answer

Neil Armstrong was the first person who stepped on the surface of the moon




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GLOBE: LATITUDES AND LONGITUDES

THE GLOBE

In olden days, people believed that the earth was flat. The earth is flattened at the North and South Poles,

and is bulging at the centre. It is also called a spheroid.

A globe is a miniature model of the earth. Countries, continents and oceans on a globe are shown to scale.

The ancient Greeks knew the world was spherical. Crates, a Greek, was credited with making the first globe

in about 150 BC.

The first of the modern-day globes were made in the late 15th century by Martin Behaim of Nuremberg, and

the great inventor, Leonardo da Vinci. The earth is constantly rotating so; a globe can be rotated too. The

axis of the earth, Latitudes and Longitudes are some imaginary lines on the globe that provide us with

reference points. One of these references is the earth‘s axis. The globe spins on a needle on which it rotates.




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This is called the axis. We need some points of reference to describe the location of a point on a sphere like

the earth. The earth rotates on an imaginary axis. The earth‘s axis is tilted at an angle of 23 ½ ° to the

vertical.

The two points through which the needle passes represent the two poles – North Pole at the top and South

Pole at the bottom. Thus, the points through which the earth‘s imaginary axis passes are the North Pole and

the South Pole.

Globes can be:

Terrestrial

Celestial

A terrestrial globe:

Depicts the areas on earth keeping their shapes, directions or relative sizes intact.

Ignores the flattening of the earth at the poles and its slight bulge below the equator.

A celestial globe is designed to show the positions of the stars in the sky.

LATITUDES

Sea-farers, including Magellan and Columbus, used their knowledge of latitudes to navigate the globe.

Latitudes are imaginary lines that run from west to east, ranging from zero to 90 degrees. Another imaginary line

on the globe that divides it into two equal parts at zero degree latitude is called the equator. The equator divides

the earth into the Northern Hemisphere and the Southern Hemisphere. The North and South Poles are at 90

degrees from the equator.

The distance from the equator to the poles is 1/4th of the circle around the earth. Each latitude is followed by the

letter N or S, for North and South respectively. The letter N or S with a latitude indicates whether it is located in

the Northern Hemisphere or the Southern Hemisphere. Places at different locations may have the same latitude,

but may be north or south of the equator.

Apart from the equator, other important parallels of latitude are:

1. Tropic of Cancer, which is located 23 ½ degrees North,

2. Tropic of Capricorn, which is located 23 ½ degrees South,

3. Arctic Circle, which is located 66 ½ degrees North and

4. Antarctic Circle, which is located 66 ½ degrees, South.

FEATURES OF LATITUDES:

The lines of Latitudes are parallel to each other and are called Parallels of Latitudes.

These lines become shorter towards the Poles and end at two points, the North and the South Pole.

Parallels of Latitudes also determine the climatic zones of the world. The temperature decreases

gradually from the equator towards the poles.

The angle of the sun‘s rays on the surface of the earth increases as we go away from the equator. This is

the reason the intensity of the sun‘s rays decreases with an increase in latitude.

The areas between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn receive the maximum heat. The belt

between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn is called the Torrid Zone.




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Between the Tropic of Cancer and the Arctic Circle in the Northern Hemisphere and between the Tropic of

Capricorn and the Antarctic Circle in the Southern Hemisphere, one will find temperate weather, i.e.

moderate temperatures. These areas with temperate weather are called Temperate Zones.

In the areas between the Arctic Circle and the North Pole and between the Antarctic Circle and the South

Pole, the sun‘s rays have a huge slant. This makes these areas freezing cold and hence they are called

the Frigid Zones.

It is relatively easier to determine the latitude at a particular place by using celestial bodies and their

movements as reference points. In the Northern Hemisphere, the altitude of the Pole Star is always the

same as the latitude of a place.

LONGITUDES

The imaginary lines running from the North Pole to the South Pole on the globe are called longitudes. An English

clockmaker, John Harrison, devised the concept of longitudes. Knowing the latitude and the longitude of a place,

we can determine the location of that place on the globe accurately.

If you plot the lines of latitude and longitude on a map, you get a grid pattern. This is called the Earth grid, or

Graticule. Longitudes are also known as meridians.

The word ‗meridian‘ means mid-day. All the places situated on a particular longitude have their noon at the same

time. Therefore, they are called meridians of longitude.

Characteristics of longitudes:

Distances between longitudes are measured in ‗degrees of longitude.‘

Each degree is further divided into minutes, and minutes into seconds.

Longitudes are semi-circular in shape.

The distance between longitudes reduces as they move towards the poles.

At the poles, the distance between the longitudes is zero. It is shortest at the poles where all the meridians meet.

The distance at the poles is zero km.

All longitudes are of equal length

The 0° longitude passes through Greenwich and is called the Prime Meridian

The Prime Meridian divides the earth into the eastern hemisphere and the western hemisphere

The longitude of a place is followed by the letter E or W. This letter denotes whether the longitude is east

or west of the Prime Meridian

180°East meridian and 180° West meridian are the same.

If you cross the 180˚ longitude, the calendar date changes. The imaginary line on the Earth that separates two

consecutive calendar days is called the International Date Line.

To avoid having two different dates in the same country, the International Date Line has been made to bend at

several places. A great circle bisects the earth into two equal hemispheres. A great circle is the shortest distance

between any two points on the globe.




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DIFFERENCES BETWEEN LONGITUDES AND LATITUDES:

Latitudes are horizontal lines on the globe that run west to east, whereas longitudes are vertical lines that

run north to south.

Latitude lines run parallel to the equator and to each other and measure the distance north or south of the

equator while Longitude lines, are neither parallel to each other nor to the Prime Meridian and measure

the distance east and west of the Prime Meridian.

Values of latitude range from 0° at the equator to 90° N or 90°S at the poles while values of longitude

range from zero degrees at the Prime Meridian to 180°E or 180°W.

The lines of Latitudes get shorter as we move towards the poles and latitudes become points at the poles

while Longitudes, are all of equal length and converge to meet at the poles.

LONGITUDES AND TIME

Time at any location in the world is calculated on the basis of its distance from the Prime Meridian. The local time

at Greenwich, is considered as the accurate time for the Prime Meridian, and is called Greenwich Mean Time or

GMT.

Since the earth rotates from west to east, the places east of Greenwich are ahead of Greenwich Mean Time and

those to the west are behind it. All the places located on a particular meridian or a particular longitude have the

same local time.

How would you calculate the time at a specific longitude?

The earth rotates 360° in about 24 hours, means it rotates: 15° an hour or 1° in four minutes

Areas on the east of the Prime Meridian are ahead of areas on the west. Each place crosses the sun at different

times. So, the time of sunrise also differs from place to place. Sunrise in places east of the Prime Meridian occurs

earlier than that in places to the west of the Prime Meridian.

Japan is called the Land of Rising Sun because that is where the Sun rises first.

Uniformity in time needs to be maintained throughout the country and is done by determining the standard time

for the country. Most countries adopt the local time of some central meridian as the standard time for the country.

The Indian Standard Time is based on the time on longitude 82.5 degrees east that passes through

Mirzapur. This means that the difference between the standard meridian of India and that of Greenwich is 82 ½

degrees. India lies on the east of the Prime Meridian so IST is 5 hours 30 minutes ahead of GMT.

As you move east from the Prime Meridian, you lose time, and as you move west, you gain time.

There are countries like the USA and Russia that have multiple time zones. Multiple time zones exist in these

countries because they are spread across a large number of longitudes. Russia has 11 time zones hence it is

difficult to choose a single longitude as the standard time.

Canada spreads across about 90 degrees of longitude and has six time zones and each zone has its own

standard time. The earth has a total of 24 time zones of one hour each.

To compete for a round-the-world speed record, a flight must cover a distance equal to at least the length of the

Tropic of Cancer. It should also cross all meridians and end at the same place from where it took off.




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SOLVED QUESTIONS

Q1. What is a Globe?

Globe is a true model (miniature form) of the earth. The globe is not fixed. It can be rotated the same way astops

pin or a potter's wheel is rotated.

Q2. What is an Axis?

A needle is fixed through the globe in a tilted manner, which is called its axis

Q3. What are Poles?

Two points on the globe through which the needle of the axis passes are called poles.

Q4. What is the direction of the movement of the Earth?

The earth moves from the west to east.

Q5. What is an Equator?

Another imaginary line running on the globe divides it into two equal parts. This line is known as the equator.

Q6. What is the degree of North and South Pole?

90 degrees north latitude marks the North Pole and 90 degrees south latitude marks the South Pole.

Q7. Name the important heat zones of the Earth. Torrid heat Zone

Temperate heat Zone Frigid Zone

Q8. What are longitudes?

The lines of reference running from the North Pole to the South Pole are called the Meridians of the longitude.

Q9. How is the distance between the longitudes measured?

The distances between the longitudes are measured in 'degrees of longitude.' Each degree is further divided into

minutes, and minutes into seconds.

Q10. What is Prime Meridian?

The meridian that passes through Greenwich, where the British Royal Observatory is located is called the Prime

Meridian.

Q11. What is the value of Prime Meridian?

Its value is 0° longitude and from it we count 180° eastward as well as 180° westward.

Q12. How does Prime Meridian divides the Earth?

The Prime Meridian divides the earth into two equal halves, the Eastern Hemisphere and the Western Hemisphe

re. Therefore, the letter E for the east and W for the westfollows the longitude of a place.

Q13. How are latitudes and longitudes useful?

We can locate any point on the globe very easily if you know its latitude andlongitude.




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Q14. Why is it necessary to have a standard time for a country?

The local time of places, are on different meridians, are bound to differ. It is,therefore, necessary to adopt the loc

al time of some central meridian of a country asthe standard time for the country. For ex. In India, the longitude

of 822° E (82° 30'E)is treated as the standard meridian.

Q15. What is IST?

In India, the longitude of 822° E (82° 30'E) is treated as the standard meridian. Thelocal time at this meridian is t

aken as the standard time for the whole country. It isknown as the Indian Standard Time (IST).

Q16. What are the advantages and disadvantages of Globe?

Advantages- On the globe, countries, continents and oceans are shown in their correct size.

Disadvantages- Globes may be of varying size and type - big ones, which cannot be carried easily.

Q17. What are the parallels of Latitudes? How are they measured?

All parallel circles from the equator up to the poles are called parallels of latitudes.

Latitudes are measured in degrees.

Q18. What are " North Latitudes" and "South Latitudes "?

All parallels north of the equator are called 'north latitudes.' Similarly all parallels south of the equator arecalled 's

outh latitudes.' The value of each latitude is, therefore, followed by either the word north or south.Generally, the l

etter 'N' or 'S' indicates this.

Q19. Name the important parallels of the Latitudes, along with their degrees? There are four important p

arallelsof latitudes-

(i) Tropic of Cancer (232° N) in the Northern Hemisphere.

(ii) Tropic of Capricorn (232° S) in the Southern Hemisphere.

(iii) Arctic Circle at 662° north of the equator.

(iv) Antarctic Circle at 662° south of the equator.

Q20. Explain the Torrid heat Zone?

The mid-day sun is exactly overhead at least once a year on all latitudes in between the Tropic of Cancer andthe

Tropic of Capricorn. This area, therefore, receives the maximum heat and is called the Torrid Zone.

Q21. Explain the Temperate heat Zone?

The mid-day sun never shines overhead on any latitude beyond the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricor

n.The angle of the sun's rays goes on decreasing towards the poles. As such, the

areas bounded by the Tropic ofCancer and the Arctic Circle in the Northern Hemisphere, and the Tropic of Capri




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corn and the Antarctic Circle inthe Southern Hemisphere, have moderate temperatures. These are, therefore, ca

lled Temperate Zones.

Q22. Explain the Frigid Zone?

Areas lying between the Arctic Circle and the North Pole in the Northern Hemisphere and the Antarctic Circle an

d theSouth Pole in the Southern Hemisphere are very cold. It is because here the sun does not rise much above

thehorizon. Therefore, its rays are always slanting. These are, therefore, called Frigid Zones.

Q23. What is the best means to measure time and how?

The best means of measuring time is by the movement of the earth, the moon and the planets. The sun regularly

rises and sets every day, and is the best timekeeper throughout the world. The shadow cast by the sun canrecko

n local time, which is the shortest at noon and longest at sunrise and sunset.

Q24. Give some features of Latitudes?

· They are drawn between the poles.

· These circles run parallel to the Equator and never meet each other.

· 0° Latitude is Equator, which is the longest Latitude.

· They are 360 in number.

· Latitudes are not equal in size.

· The value of each latitude is followed by either the word north or south.

Q25. Give some features of Longitudes?

· They are drawn to join the poles.

· They are semi-circles and the distance between them decreases steadily pole wards until itbecome

s zero at the poles, where all the meridians meet.

· All meridians are of equal length.

· 0° meridian is called the Prime Meridian.

· They are 181 in number.

· The letter E for the east and W for the west follows the longitude of a place.

Q26. Why is it 5:30 P.M in India, When it is 12 noon at London?

India is located east of Greenwich at 82° 30'E that is

S hours and 30 minute ahead of GMT. So it will be 5:30 p.m. inIndia when its 12:00 noon in London




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MOTIONS OF THE EARTH ROTATION

The movement of the earth spinning around itself on its axis is called rotation. The imaginary line around which

the earth spins or rotates is called the axis of the earth. The earth‘s axis is at an angle of 66 ½ to the orbital plane,

which is the plane formed by the earth‘s orbit.

If a vertical line is drawn perpendicular to the orbital plane, the axis forms an angle of 23 ½. This is called the

earth‘s angle of inclination.

The earth takes 24 hours to complete one rotation around itself. While the earth rotates, the sun remains

stationary.

As the earth rotates, only half of it faces the sun at any time, while the other half faces away from the sun. It is

daytime in the part that faces the sun, while it is night in the other half.

The circle that divides the day and night on the globe is called the circle of illumination. The earth spins from west

to east. One side of the earth would always face the sun and would get extremely hot, while the other side would

always have night and would become too cold. Thus, night and day are caused because of the earth‘s rotation.

REVOLUTION

A year is 365 days long, because that‘s about how long it takes for the earth to complete one full revolution

around the sun. The earth rotates or spins around its own axis. It revolves around the sun in an elliptical orbit.

One full revolution around the sun takes exactly 365 ¼ days.

Every fourth year is a leap year - the extra day in a leap year results by adding the 1/4th days or 6 hours each

year over 4 years.

The earth‘s axis is inclined at an angle of 23-½ degrees to the vertical. This tilt and the revolution is the reason for

different seasons.

The northern hemisphere receives direct sunlight, for the longest duration on the June 21st. This position of the

earth is called the Summer Solstice. In summers, the days are longer and the nights are shorter. The areas

beyond the Arctic Circle have daylight for 6 months at a stretch.

The reverse happens in the southern hemisphere; with less sunlight, the days are shorter and the nights are

longer. The northern hemisphere receives sunlight for the shortest duration December 22. This position of the

earth is known as the Winter Solstice.

During its orbit, there are times when neither of the earth‘s poles is inclined towards the sun. Thus, on two

occasions - March 21 and September 23, sunlight falls directly on the equator. This position of the earth is called

an Equinox. On these days, the day and night are of equal duration on earth.

On September 23, it is autumn season in the Northern Hemisphere and spring in the Southern Hemisphere. The

opposite is the case on March 21, when it is spring in the Northern Hemisphere and autumn in the Southern

Hemisphere.




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SOLVED QUESTIONS

Q1. Name the two motions of the earth.

Revolution and Rotation

Q2. What is Rotation?

Rotation is the movement of the earth on its axis.

Q3. What is Revolution?

The movement of the earth around the sun in a fixed path or orbit is called Revolution.

Q4. What is Orbital Plane?

The plane formed by the orbit is known as the orbital plane.

QS. What is the angle of inclination of the earth's axis with its orbital plane?

The axis of the earth, which is an imaginary line, makes an angle of 662° with its orbital plane.

Q6. Why only one half of the Earth gets light at one time?

The earth receives light from the sun. Due to the spherical shape of the earth, only half of it gets light from the sun

at a time. The portion facing the sun experiences a day, while the other half away from the sun experiences night.

Q7. What is Circle of Illumination?

The circle that divides the day from night on the globe is called the Circle of illumination.

Q8. What time does the Earth take to complete one Revolution?

It takes 36S11 days (one year) to revolve around the sun.

Q9. Name the different seasons on the Earth.

A year on the Earth is usually divided into summer, winter, spring and autumn seasons.

Q10. Why do the seasons change?

Seasons change due to the change in the position of the earth around the sun.

Q11. What is an Equinox?

On 21st March and September 23rd, direct rays of the sun fall on the equator. At this position, neither of the poles

is tilted towards the sun; so, the whole earth experiences equal days and equal nights. This is called an equinox.

Q12. What time does the Earth take to complete one Rotation? What is it also called?

The earth takes about 24 hours to complete one rotation around its axis. The period of rotation is known as the

Earth day.

Q13. What will happen if the Earth did not rotate?

The portion of the earth facing the sun would always experience day, thus bringing continuous warmth to the

region. The other half would remain in darkness and be freezing cold all the time. Life would not have been

possible in such extreme conditions.




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Q14. Why do poles experience about six months of day and six months of night?

When Northern Hemisphere is tilted towards the sun, the North Pole is also inclined towards it and the places

beyond the Arctic Circle experience continuous daylight for about six months and the South Pole experiences

night at this time.

Q15. What is a Leap Year?

(i) Earth takes 36S11 days (one year) to revolve around the sun. We consider a year as consisting of 36S days

only and ignore six hours for the sake of convenience.

(ii) Six hours saved every year are added to make one day (24 hours) over a span of four years. This surplus day

is added to the month of February. Such a year with 366 days is called a leap year.

Q16. What is Summer Solstice?

On 21st June, the Northern Hemisphere is tilted towards the sun. The rays of the sun fall directly on the Tropic of Cancer

and the North Pole is also inclined towards the sun.

a. Since a large portion of the Northern Hemisphere is getting light from the sun, it is summer in the regions

north of the equator.

b. The longest day and the shortest night at these places occur on 21st June. This position of the earth is

called the Summer Solstice.

Q17. What is Winter Solstice?

a. On 22nd December, the Tropic of Capricorn receives direct rays of the sun as the South Pole tilts towards

it.

b. As the sun's ray's fall vertically at the Tropic of Capricorn, a larger portion of the Southern Hemisphere gets

light.

c. Therefore, it is summer in the Southern Hemisphere, with longer days and shorter nights. This position of

the earth is called the Winter Solstice.




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MAPS TYPES OF MAPS

A map is a representation or a drawing of the earth‘s surface, or a part of it, drawn or printed on a flat surface,

according to a scale. A map helps you to identify the places and locations within an area helping one to

navigate from one place to another.

Difference between globe and map:

A globe is a three-dimensional sphere while, a map is two-dimensional.

A globe represents the whole earth, whereas a map may represent the whole earth or just a part of it.

A globe can be used to get a broad-level picture of the world while, map provides more specific

information about different places.

A globe, being spherical in shape, spins around an axis. However, a map, being a representation on

a piece of paper, does not spin.

A globe is made of hard material and cannot be folded making it difficult to be carried around, unlike

maps, which are made on paper and can be easily folded and carried around.

Maps can be referred to for navigating from one place to another while globes don‘t provide enough

specific details to help you in navigation.

A compilation of many maps is called an atlas.

Maps are categorized into three broad types:

Physical maps

Political maps

Thematic maps

Physical maps show natural features of the earth, such as mountains, plateaus, plans, rivers and oceans.

Physical maps are also called relief maps. Maps used for sea and air navigation are called charts.




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Political maps show different countries and states of the world, and the villages, towns and cities within their

boundaries.

Thematic maps are maps that focus on a theme and provide specific information pertaining to that theme.

READING MAPS - DISTANCES AND DIRECTIONS

Every map has three essential components:

Distance

Direction and

Symbols

A Scale is a ratio that represents the relationship between the actual distance on the ground and the

distance on the map. The scale indicates how many units of the earth‘s surface are equal to one unit on the

map.

You use a large scale map to represent a small area, and a small scale map to represent a large area. A

map that represents a small area, such as a residential colony, a village or a town, in relatively greater detail

is called a large scale map.

Small scale maps are used to represent such large areas. The letter ‗N‘ with an arrow pointing upwards at

the upper right hand corner of most of the maps is called the North line and it represents the northern

direction.

Using the north line as a reference, one can easily figure out the East, West and South directions in the map.

One can refer to these four main directions as the cardinal points.

There are four intermediate directions:

North-East (NE)

South-East (SE)

South-West (SW)

North-West (NW)

You can use these directions to locate a place accurately on a map.

You can use a compass to find out the main directions of a place. A compass is an instrument with a

magnetic needle that always points in the north-south direction. Often, pilots and sailors refer a compass to

check if they are moving in the right direction.

Symbols, Sketches and Plans

The letters, pictures, lines, and colours used on the map are called symbols. Symbols are used to represent

different features on a map.

Symbols give more information in a limited space, make maps both easy to draw and easy to read, and help you

find your way in an unknown area.




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Maps use a universal language that everyone can follow. The universal symbols used in maps are referred to as

conventional symbols.

According to an international agreement, symbols follow a common colour code.

Blue is used for representing water bodies,

Brown for mountains,

Yellow for plateaus, and

Green for plains

Using symbols gives you a number of advantages:

Give a lot of information in a limited space

Symbols makes it easy to draw and read maps

A sketch map is drawn without a scale, based on memory and observation, and rRepresents the main features of

an area.

A plan is drawn to scale, represents a small area on a large scale and provides the finer details, such as the

length and breadth of a certain area.

SOLVED QUESTIONS

Q1. What is a Map?

A map is a representation or a drawing of the earth's surface or a part of it drawn on a flat surface according to a

scale.

Q2. How are the maps useful?

When we want to study only a part of the earth, for eg. about our country, states, districts, towns and villages,

maps are the most helpful. A map can show a small area and may contain as many facts as a big book.

Q3. What is an Atlas?

When many maps are put together we get an Atlas. Atlases are of various sizes, measurements drawn on

different scales.

Q4. Name the different types of maps.

PHYSICAL MAPS, POLITICAL MAPS, THEMATIC MAPS

Q5. What is a physical map?




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Maps showing natural features of the earth, such as mountains, plateaus, plains, rivers, oceans, etc. are called

physical or relief maps.

Q6. What is a political map?

Maps showing cities, towns and villages, and different countries and states of the world with their boundaries are

called political maps.

Q7. What is a thematic map?

Some maps focus on specific information; such as road maps, rainfall maps, maps showing distribution of forests,

industries etc. are known as thematic maps.

Q8.What are three components of maps?

The three components of Maps - distance, direction and symbol.

Q9. Why is scale important on a map?

Scale is very important in any map, as if we know the scale; we will be able to calculate the distance between any

two places on a map.

Q10. What is a Small Scale map?

When large areas like continents or countries are to be shown on a paper, then we use a small scale. For

example S cm. on the map shows 500 km. of the ground. It is called a Small Scale map.

Q11. What is a Large-Scale map?

When a small area like your village or town is to be shown on paper, then we use a large scale that is S cm. on

the map shows 500 meters only on the ground. It is called a Large Scale map.

Q12. What does an arrow with 'N' at the upper right hand corner of map denotes?

This arrow shows the northern direction. It is called the north line. When we know the north, we can find out other

directions.

Q13. Name the cardinal points.

There are four major directions, North, South, East and West . They are called cardinal points.




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Q14. Name the intermediate directions.

The four intermediate directions are north-east (NE), south-east (SE), south- west (SW) and north-west (NW).

Q15. What is a compass?

It is an instrument used to find out main directions. Its magnetic needle always points towards north-south

direction.

Q16. What are conventional symbols?

Maps have a universal language that can be understood by all. There is an international agreement regarding the

use of some symbols. These are called conventional symbols.

Q17. What is a sketch?

A sketch is a drawing mainly based on memory and spot observation and not to scale. Such a rough drawing is

drawn without scale, and is called a sketch map.

Q18. What is a plan?

A plan is a drawing of a small area on a large scale. For example when we want to know the length and breadth of

a room, which can't be shown in a map, we can refer drawings drawn to scale called a plan

Q19. How is globe useful?

Globe is a true model (miniature form) of the earth. On the globe, countries, continents and oceans are shown in

their correct size. A globe can be useful when we want to study the earth as a whole.

Q20. What is a scale? Give example.

Scale is the ratio between the actual distance on the ground and the distance shown on the map.

For example, the distance between your school and your home is 10 km. If you show this 10 km. distance by 2 cm

on a map, it means, 1 cm on the map will show 5 km. on the ground. The scale of your drawing will be 1cm = 5

km.

Q21. How are symbols on the maps important?

(i) It is not possible to draw the actual shape and size of different features such as buildings, roads, bridges,

trees, railway lines or a well on a map. So, they are shown using certain letters, shades, colours, pictures and

lines.

(ii) These symbols give a lot of information in a limited space. With the use of these symbols, maps can be drawn

easily and are simple to read. Even if we don't know the language of an area we can collect information from

maps with the help of these symbols.

(iii) These symbols are universal language that can be understood by all as there is an international agreement

regarding the use of these symbols which are called conventional symbols.




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MAJOR DOMAINS OF THE EARTH THE COMPLEX SURFACE OF THE EARTH

The surface of the earth is composed of:

The solid portion where we live is the Lithosphere. The Lithosphere is defined as the realm of the earth

(outer part) consisting of a solid crust (rocks). Thin layers of soil that contain nutrient elements.

The air that we breathe is part of the gaseous layers that surround the earth. The blanket of these

gaseous layers forms the Atmosphere. The atmosphere contains gases like oxygen, nitrogen and carbon

dioxide.

Water covers about 70% of the total surface of the earth. The huge area covered by water on the earth is

called the Hydrosphere.

There is a narrow zone where we find land, water and air together, in contact with each other. This zone is

called the Biosphere. Biosphere contains all forms of life.

We can determine the elevation of any piece of land by measuring its elevation from the level of the sea.

THE LITHOSPHERE

Lithosphere is the solid part that forms the outermost shell of the earth. It is made up of rocks and thin layers of

soil that sustain organisms.

There are high mountain ranges, plains and plateaus and deep valleys that form the ocean floor. But, the level of

water in the oceans remains the same everywhere. This level is referred to as the sea level.

Mt. Everest is the highest mountain peak on the earth. New Zealander Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay from

Nepal were the first climbers to reach the peak of Mt. Everest in 1953.

The Mariana Trench in the Pacific Ocean has the greatest depth found on the earth.The depth of the deepest

point in the sea exceeds the height of the highest peak on the Earth. The sea level is considered to be zero. The

elevation of land is then measured keeping the sea level as reference.

Almost two-third of the earth‘s surface is occupied by huge water bodies that are connected to each other called

oceans. The remaining one-third of the earth‘s surface has large land masses called the continents.

There are in all seven major continents. They are Asia, Europe, Africa, North America, South America, Australia

and Antarctica.

The earth is divided into four hemispheres: Northern, Southern, Western and Eastern.

Most of the landmasses lie in the Northern Hemisphere while most of the Southern Hemisphere is occupied by

water.

The Northern Hemisphere is called the Land Hemisphere and the Southern Hemisphere is called the water

hemisphere. Asia is the largest continent on the earth. It covers about one-third of the total land area of the earth.

The world‘s largest hot desert—the Sahara Desert is located on this continent!

The world‘s longest river—the Nile, also flows through Africa.




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Antarctica is permanently covered by thick sheets of ice and is known as the Frozen Continent. The first Indian

expedition was sent to Antarctica in 1981.

THE HYDROSPHERE

Water occupies more than 71% of the earth‘s surface and is present in the oceans, rivers and lakes ice in glaciers,

underground water and water vapour in the air. All the water present on the earth‘s surface together forms the

hydrosphere.

More than 97% of water is in the oceans and seas. Ocean water contains large quantities of dissolved salts and is

not fit for drinking. A little less than 3% of water is in the form of glaciers. Only 0.03 per cent of water is available

as fresh water.

Oceans form a major portion of the earth‘s hydrosphere. The major oceans found on the earth‘s surface are

Pacific ocean, Atlantic ocean, Indian Ocean and the Arctic ocean. The three main movements of water are waves,

tides and ocean currents.

An important fact to note is that all the oceans are interconnected. The Pacific Ocean is the largest of all the

oceans and covers one-third of the earth‘s surface. It is surrounded by the continents Asia, Australia, North

America, and South America.

The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest. It has the continents of North and South America on the western side

and Europe and Africa on the eastern side. The Indian Ocean, it is named after our country India and is triangular

in shape. It has the continents of Asia on the north, Africa on the west and Australia on the east.

The Arctic Ocean is the smallest ocean and surrounds the North Pole. It is connected to the Pacific Ocean by a

narrow stretch of shallow water known as the Bering Strait.

ATMOSPHERE

Water occupies more than 71% of the earth‘s surface and is present in the oceans, rivers and lakes ice in glaciers,

underground water and water vapour in the air. All the water present on the earth‘s surface together forms the

hydrosphere.

More than 97% of water is in the oceans and seas. Ocean water contains large quantities of dissolved salts and is

not fit for drinking. A little less than 3% of water is in the form of glaciers. Only 0.03 per cent of water is available

as fresh water.

Oceans form a major portion of the earth‘s hydrosphere. The major oceans found on the earth‘s surface are

Pacific ocean, Atlantic ocean, Indian Ocean and the Arctic ocean. The three main movements of water are waves,

tides and ocean currents.

An important fact to note is that all the oceans are interconnected. The Pacific Ocean is the largest of all the

oceans and covers one-third of the earth‘s surface. It is surrounded by the continents Asia, Australia, North

America, and South America.

The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest. It has the continents of North and South America on the western side

and Europe and Africa on the eastern side. The Indian Ocean, it is named after our country India and is triangular

in shape. It has the continents of Asia on the north, Africa on the west and Australia on the east.

The Arctic Ocean is the smallest ocean and surrounds the North Pole. It is connected to the Pacific Ocean by a

narrow stretch of shallow water known as the Bering Strait.




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BIOSPHERE

The earth is made up of land, water and air. These form three domains of the earth—the lithosphere, the

hydrosphere, and the atmosphere. All these three domains combine to form the life-giving domain of the earth,

called the Biosphere. The biosphere is the narrow zone of contact between land, water, and air where life exists.

The biosphere is divided into the plant kingdom and the animal kingdom. Living organisms on the Earth are

broadly classified as plant and animals. All the living organisms are linked to each other, and to the Biosphere.

Humans affect the balance of the biosphere by:

Gases and smoke emitted from factories and vehicles are released in the air. The quantity of gases like

carbon monoxide, dust and smoke has increased in the air, leading to air pollution.

Waste water and chemicals from residences and factories are disposed in rivers, lakes and ponds. This

has resulted in water pollution.

Human activities have also affected our natural resources:

Reckless cutting down of forests and clearing green areas for construction and agricultural purposes has

resulted in land pollution.

Less trees means less oxygen and more carbon dioxide in the air. More carbon dioxide has resulted in

global warming.

SOLVED QUESTIONS

Q1. What is Lithosphere?

The solid portion of the earth on which we live is called the Lithosphere.

Q2. What is Atmosphere?

The gaseous layers that surround the earth, is the Atmosphere, where oxygen, nitrogen, carbon dioxide and other

gases are found.

Q3. What is Hydrosphere?

Water covers a very big area of the earth‘s surface and this area is called the Hydrosphere. The Hydrosphere

comprises water in all its forms, that is, ice, water and water vapour.

Q4. What is Biosphere?

The Biosphere is the narrow zone where we find land, water and air together, which contains all forms of life.

Q5. What are the components of the Lithosphere?

Lithosphere comprises of the rocks of the earth‘s crust and the thin layers of soil that contain nutrient elements

which sustain organisms.

Q6. Why do the climbers experience problems in breathing at height?

The density of the atmosphere varies with height. It is maximum at the sea level and decreases rapidly as we go

up. The climbers experience problems in breathing at height due to decrease in the density of air.




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Q7. What is wind?

Air moves from high pressure to low pressure. Moving air is known as wind.

Q8. What is Global Warming?

The increase in the amount of CO2 leads to increase in global temperatures. This is termed as global warming.

Q9. How is elevation of land measured?

Elevation of land is measured from the level of the sea, which is taken as zero.

Q10. Why the earth is called a blue planet?

The earth is called the blue planet as more than 71 per cent of the earth is covered with water and only 29 per

cent is with land.

Q11. What are the two major divisions of the earth’s surface?

The two main divisions of the earth‘s surface are- continents and ocean basins.

The large landmasses are known as the continents and the huge water bodies are called the ocean basins.

Q12. How many continents are there on the earth? Name them.

There are seven major continents separated by large water bodies. These continents are – Asia, Europe, Africa,

North America, South America, Australia and Antarctica.

Q13. What are the components of the Hydrosphere?

Hydrosphere consists of water in all its forms. As running water in oceans and rivers and in lakes, ice in glaciers,

underground water and the water vapour in atmosphere, all comprise the hydrosphere.

Q14. Name the chief movements of the ocean water.

The three chief movements of ocean waters are the waves, the tides and the ocean currents.

Q15. Name the four major oceans of the world.

The four major oceans are the Pacific Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean, the Indian Ocean and the Arctic Ocean, in order

of their size.

Q16. Give some characteristics of the continent - Asia.

(i) Asia is the largest continent. It covers about one third of the total land area of the earth.

(ii) The continent lies in the Eastern Hemisphere.




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(iii) The Tropic of Cancer passes through this continent.

(iv) Asia is separated from Europe by the Ural Mountains on the west and the combined landmass of Europe and

Asia is called the Eurasia (Europe + Asia).

Q17. Give some features of the European continent.

(i) Europe is much smaller than Asia. The continent lies to the west of Asia.

(iii) The Arctic Circle passes through it.

(iv) It is bound by water bodies on three sides.

Q18. Give some characteristics of the continent - Africa.

Africa is the second largest continent after Asia.

The Equator or 00 Latitude runs almost through the middle of the continent.

A large part of Africa lies in the Northern Hemisphere.

It is the only continent through which the Tropic of Cancer, the Equator and the Tropic of Capricorn pass.

The Sahara Desert, the world‘s largest hot desert, is located in Africa.

The continent is bound on all sides by oceans and seas. The world‘s longest river the Nile flows through

Africa.

Q19. How is the continent of North America different from that of South America?

North America

· North America is the third largest continent of the world.

· It is linked to South America by a very narrow strip of land called the Isthmus of Panama.

· The continent lies completely in the Northern and Western Hemisphere.

· Three oceans surround this continent are Pacific Ocean, Atlantic ocean and arctic Ocean.

South America

· South America lies mostly in the Southern Hemisphere.

· The Andes, world‘s longest mountain range, runs through its length from north to south.

· South America has the world‘s largest river, the Amazon.




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Q20. Give some characteristics of the continent - Australia.

· Australia is the smallest continent that lies entirely in the Southern Hemisphere.

· It is surrounded on all sides by the oceans and seas. It is called an island continent.

Q21. Give some features of the Antarctica.

Antarctica, completely in the Southern Hemisphere, is a huge continent. It is larger than the combined area of

Europe and Australia.

The South Pole lies almost at the centre of this continent.

It is permanently covered with thick ice sheets.

There are no permanent human settlements.

Many countries have research stations in Antarctica. India also has research stations there. These are named

as Maitri and Dakshin Gangotri.

Q22. Write few lines on Pacific Ocean.

· The Pacific Ocean is the largest ocean. It is spread over one-third of the earth.

· Mariana Trench, the deepest part of the earth, lies under the Pacific Ocean.

· The Pacific Ocean is circular in shape. Asia, Australia, North and South Americas surround it.

Q23. How is Atlantic Ocean different from Artic Ocean? Atlantic Ocean

The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest Ocean in the world.

It is ‘S’ shaped. It is flanked by the North and South Americas on the western side, and Europe and Africa on the

eastern side.

The coastline of Atlantic Ocean is highly indented which provides ideal location for natural harbours and ports.

From the point of view of commerce, it is the busiest Ocean. Artic Ocean

The Arctic Ocean is located within the Arctic Circle and surrounds the North Pole.

It is connected with the Pacific Ocean by a narrow stretch of shallow water known as Berring strait.

It is bound by northern coasts of North America and Eurasia.

Q24. Give some features of the Indian Ocean.

· The Indian Ocean is the only ocean named after a country, that is, India.

· The shape of ocean is almost triangular.

· In the north, it is bound by Asia, in the west by Africa and in the east by Australia.




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Q25. Name the different layers of the atmosphere.

The atmosphere is divided into five layers based on composition, temperature and other properties. These layers

starting from earth‘s surface are called-

· The troposphere

· The stratosphere

· The mesosphere

· The thermosphere

· The exosphere

Q26. Giving an example state how the three domains of the Earth interact with each other?

All the living organisms including humans are linked to each other and to the biosphere for survival.

The organisms in the biosphere may broadly be divided into the plant kingdom and the animal kingdom.

The three domains of the earth interact with each other and affect each other in some way or the other.

For example, cutting of forests for fulfilling our needs of wood, or clearing land for agriculture may lead to fast

removal of soil from slopes. Similarly earth’s surface may be changed due to natural calamities like earthquakes.

Q27. What is the composition of the Atmosphere? How are these gases useful to us?

The atmosphere is composed mainly of nitrogen and oxygen, which make up about 99 per cent of clean, dry air.

Nitrogen 78 per cent, oxygen 21 per cent and other gases like carbon dioxide, argon and others comprise 1 per

cent by volume.

Oxygen is essential for the life of organism.

Nitrogen helps in the growth of living organisms.

Carbon dioxide, though present in minute amount, is important as it absorbs heat radiated by the earth

and keeps the planet warm. It is also essential for the growth of plants.




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MAJOR LANDFORMS OF THE EARTH INTRODUCTION

The earth is made up of land, water and air. These form three domains of the earth—the lithosphere, the

hydrosphere, and the atmosphere. All these three domains combine to form the life-giving domain of the earth,

called the Biosphere. The biosphere is the narrow zone of contact between land, water, and air where life exists.

The biosphere is divided into the plant kingdom and the animal kingdom. Living organisms on the Earth are

broadly classified as plant and animals. All the living organisms are linked to each other, and to the Biosphere.

Humans affect the balance of the biosphere by:

Gases and smoke emitted from factories and vehicles are released in the air. The quantity of gases like

carbon monoxide, dust and smoke has increased in the air, leading to air pollution.

Waste water and chemicals from residences and factories are disposed in rivers, lakes and ponds. This

has resulted in water pollution.

Human activities have also affected our natural resources:

Reckless cutting down of forests and clearing green areas for construction and agricultural purposes has

resulted in land pollution.

Less trees means less oxygen and more carbon dioxide in the air. More carbon dioxide has resulted in

global warming.

MOUNTAINS

A mountain is a high natural landform that projects above the surrounding land, in a limited area. It is only when

the natural elevation of a landform is more than 1000 feet high above the sea level; it is termed as a mountain.

The peaks of many high mountains are snow-capped because the temperature dips below zero beyond a certain

height. Owing to the extreme cold, the rivers in some mountains are permanently frozen. Such rivers of ice are

called glaciers.

Mountains have been found under the sea also. Owing to the steep slopes, relatively less land is available for

farming in the mountains. People in the mountainous regions practice terrace cultivation. A mountain range is the

term used for mountains arranged in a line.

There are three different types of mountains on the earth‘s surface:

Fold mountains,

Block mountains and

Volcanic mountains

Fold Mountains are a result of folding and are formed when collision occurs between two parts of the earth‘s

crust. The oldest fold mountain system is found right here in India: The Aravali range.

Block mountains form when large areas of rock lying beneath the surface deposits of soil are broken and

displaced in a vertical direction. The displacement of rocks results in elevated blocks known as horsts and

lowered blocks known as grabens.




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Volcanic mountains are formed because of volcanic activity. Glaciers in the mountains are source of water for

many rivers. This water is stored in reservoirs and used by us for irrigation and generation of hydro-electricity.

Mountains act as storehouses of water for human beings. River valleys and terraces are used for cultivation of

crops. Cardamom is produced through terrace cultivation. Mountains are also home to a variety of species of

plants and animals. Therefore, tourists are also attracted to mountains for their scenic beauty.

The steep slopes of the mountains attract people who are involved in sports like paragliding, hand gliding, river

rafting and skiing.

PLATEAUS

A plateau is an elevated land with a flat top, bound by steep slopes on one or more sides. A plateau is also called

a tableland. Plateaus cover about 45% of the earth‘s surface.

Examples of plateaus are:

The Deccan Plateau in India,

The East African Plateau in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda,

The Western Plateau in Australia and

The Tibet Plateau in East Asia

The Deccan Plateau of India is one of the oldest plateaus on the earth‘s surface. The Tibet Plateau, is the

youngest, highest and largest plateau in the world. Plateaus are formed by lava, rivers or wind.

Lava erupting from cracks on the earth‘s surface spreads in the surrounding areas, then cools down, and

eventually forms plateaus. Plateaus formed by lava are called lava plateaus.

As rivers flow down the slopes of high mountains, they carry stones and sand with the water. This results in the

erosion of the mountains and formation of table lands or plateaus. Plateaus are created when winds wear away

the side of an uplifted region and carry the debris to far-off places.

Plateaus are rich in mineral deposits, such as gold and iron. Waterfalls are fairly common in plateau regions. This

is because there are often spots where river water falls from great heights. These waterfalls have added to the

tourist attractions of these areas.

Lava plateaus have a high percentage of productive black soil containing calcium and magnesium

carbonates. Crops like maize, cotton, ragi and chilli grow well in the black soil of plateau regions. The Deccan

Plateau, which is a lava plateau, has an extensive deposit of black soil.

Tourists are attracted to plateaus for the beautiful scenery, flora and fauna.

PLAINS

Plains are large stretches of flat land on the earth‘s surface. The elevation of plains is generally limited to about

200 metres above the mean sea level. While some plains are extremely level, there are plains which have a

rolling surface. Plains cover about 55% of the earth‘s area.

Most plains have low elevation. However, some plains, are highly elevated from sea level. These types of plains

are called high plains. Plains are the most popular areas for human habitation.

Plains are formed by the erosion and deposition caused by rivers and their tributaries. Plains formed by the river

deposits are called riverine plains or alluvial plains.




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Plains are important for agriculture. This is because the soil deposited on plains in the form of sediments is fertile.

The flat surface of plains is suitable for the cultivation of crops. Due to the flat surface, it is easier to build a

transport network on the plains.

Flatness of plans makes it is easier for people to build houses as well. It is easier to live on the plains than in the

mountains. Human beings need to be careful in their use of land so that it can be used by future generations as

we.

SOLVED QUESTIONS

Q1. What is Erosion?

The wearing away of the earth‘s surface is called erosion.

Q2. What is Deposition?

The process of rebuilding of the surface of the earth is called the deposition.

Q3. What is a mountain?

A mountain is any natural elevation of the earth surface.

Q4. Define the term Glacier?

The permanently frozen rivers of ice are called glaciers.

Q5. Name the three different types of mountains.

The three types of mountains are- Fold Mountains, Block Mountains and the Volcanic Mountains.

Q6. Why is the plateau of Tibet special?

The Tibet plateau is the highest plateau in the world with a height of 4,000 to 6,000 metres above the mean

sea level.

Q7. What is the difference between internal and external process of the Earth?

The internal process leads to the upliftment and sinking of the earth‘s surface, whereas the external

process is the continuous wearing down and rebuilding of the land surface.

Q8. Define Range. Give its example.

Mountains may be arranged in a line known as range. Many mountain systems consist of a series of parallel

ranges extending over hundreds of kilometres.

For e.g.: The Himalayas, the Alps and the Andes are mountain ranges of Asia, Europe and South America,

respectively




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Q9. How is a hill different from a mountain?

A hill is a land surface higher than the local area, whereas a steep hill with an elevation of more than 600

metres is termed as a mountain.

Q10. Give some examples of Fold Mountains.

The Fold Mountains can be old and young fold mountains. For e.g. The Appalachians in North America, the

Ural Mountains in Russia and the Aravali range in India are the oldest fold mountain systems in the world.

The Himalayan Mountains and the Alps are young fold mountains with rugged relief and high conical peaks.

Q11. What are Block Mountains? Give its examples.

Block Mountains are created when large areas are broken and displaced vertically. The uplifted blocks are

termed as horsts and the lowered blocks are called garben. The Rhine valley and the Vosges Mountain in

Europe are examples of such mountain systems.

Q12. What are Volcanic Mountains? Give its examples.

Volcanic mountains are formed due to volcanic activity. For e.g. Mt.Kilimanjaro in Africa and Mt.Fujiyama in

Japan.

Q13. What is a Plateau? Name some plateaus in the world.

A plateau is an elevated flat land. It is a flat-topped table land standing above the

Surrounding area. A plateau may have one or more sides with steep slopes. Plateaus, like mountains may

be young or old.

For e.g. The Deccan plateau in India is one of the oldest plateaus. The East African Plateau, The Tibet

plateau and the Western plateau of Australia are other examples.

Q14. Giving examples, explain how land as a resource is being wasted by the man.

If we construct houses on a fertile land or throw garbage on land or in water making them dirty, the precious

resource of land is wasted. We should avoid using such important gifts of nature in a careless manner. The

available land is not only for our use. It is our duty to leave the earth a better place for future generations as

well.

Q15. What are plains? How are they formed?

Plains are large stretches of flat land. They are, generally, not more than 200 metres above mean sea level.




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Most of the plains are formed by rivers and their tributaries. The rivers flow down the slopes of mountains

and erode them. They carry forward the eroded material. Then they deposit their load consisting of stones,

sand and silt along their courses and in their valleys. It is from these deposits that plains are formed.

Q16. How are plateaus useful?

(i) Plateaus are very useful as they are rich in mineral deposits. As a result, many of the mining areas in the

world are located in the plateau areas. The African plateau is famous for gold and diamond mining. In India

huge reserves of iron, coal and manganese are found in the Chhota nagpur plateau.

(ii) In the plateau areas, there may be several waterfalls as the river falls from a great height.

(iii)The lava plateaus are rich in black soil that is fertile and good for cultivation.

(iv) Many plateaus have scenic spots and are of great attraction to tourists.

Q17. Why are the plains most thickly populated regions of the world?

Plains are the most useful areas for human habitation. There is great concentration of people in the plains

because more flat land is available for building houses, roads etc. Because of fertile soils, the land is highly

productive for cultivation as well.

Q18. How are mountains useful for us?

(i) The mountains are a storehouse of water. Many rivers have their source in the glaciers in the mountains. .

(ii)Water from the mountains is also used for irrigation and generation of hydroelectricity.

(iii) The river valleys and terraces are ideal for cultivation of crops.

(iv) Mountains have a rich variety of flora and fauna. The forests provide fuel, fodder, shelter and other

products like gum, raisins, etc.

(v) Mountains provide an idyllic site for tourists.

(vi) Several sports like paragliding, hang gliding, river rafting and skiing are popular in the mountains.




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OUR COUNTRY- INDIA Q1. Name the seas which surround India.

India is surrounded by the Arabian Sea in the west, the Bay of Bengal in the east.

Q2. State the Latitudinal and Longitudinal extend of India.

From south to north, India extends between 8°4'N and 37°6'N latitudes. From west to east, India extends between

68°7'E and 97°25'E longitudes.

Q3. Name the countries with which India shares its land boundaries.

Pakistan, Afghanistan, China, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Myanmar.

Q4. Name the island neighbours of India.

Across the sea to the south, lie our island neighbours— Sri Lanka and Maldives. Sri Lanka is separated from

India by the Palk Strait.

Q5. What is a peninsula?

The peninsula is a piece of land that is surrounded by water on three sides.

Q6. What is a tributary?

It is a river or stream which contributes its water to a main river by discharging it into main river from either side.

Q7. Name the largest and smallest states of India, in terms of area.

Largest- Rajasthan; Smallest- Goa

Q8. Name the west flowing rivers of India.

The rivers Narmada and Tapi are the only west-flowing rivers that drain into the Arabian Sea.

Q9. Why is Lakshadweep known as a coral island?

Lakshadweep Islands are located in the Arabian Sea. These are coral islands located off the coast of Kerala.

Corals are skeletons of tiny marine animals called Polyps. When the living polyps die, their skeletons are left.

Other poplyps grow on top of the hard skeleton which grows higher and higher, thus forming the coral islands.

Q10. What is standard Meridian on India and why?

Due to great longitudinal extent of about 29°, there can be difference of about two hours in local time of places

located at two extreme points of India. As the local time changes by four minutes for every one degree of

longitude, the sun rises two hours earlier in the east (Arunachal Pradesh) than in the west (Gujarat). That is why

the local time of longitude of 82°30'E has been taken as the Indian Standard Time. This meridian or longitude is

also termed as the Standard Meridian of India.

Q11. How are Western Ghats different from Eastern Ghats?

The differences between the Western Ghats and Eastern Ghats of India can be summarized as follows :

1. Direction: Western Ghats runs parallel to the western coast in a north-south direction from the Tapi River to

Kanayakumari. But Eastern Ghats runs in a north-east to south-west direction parallel to the eastern coast from

Orissa to the Nilgiri hills.




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2. Width: Western Ghat‘s average width is 50 to 80 km. But Eastern Ghat‘s width varying from 100 to 200 km.

3. Source of rivers: Western Ghats is source of many large rivers which flow in the Peninsular India. But no big

river originates from the Eastern Ghats.

4. Rainfall: Western Ghats is almost perpendicular to the south-west monsoons coming from the Arabian Sea

and causes heavy rainfall in the west coastal plain. But Eastern Ghats is almost parallel to the monsoons coming

from the Bay of Bengal and does not cause much rainfall.

5. Physical divisions: Western Ghats continuous and can be crossed through passes only. But Eastern Ghats

has been divided into several parts by large rivers.

6. Elevation: Western Ghats average elevation is 900 to 1,100 meters above sea-level. But the average

elevation of Eastern Ghats is about 600 metres above sea level.

Q12. Explain the physical features of India.

India is marked by a diversity of physical features such as mountains, plateaus, plains, coasts and islands.

(i) In the north are the lofty snow-capped Himalayas. Him+alaya mean ‗the abode of snow‘. The Himalayan

Mountains are divided into three main parallel ranges.

The northernmost is the Great Himalaya or Himadri. The world’s highest peaks are located in this range.

Middle Himalaya or Himachal lies to the south of Himadri. Many popular hill stations are situated here.

The Shiwalik is the southernmost range.

(ii) The Northern Indian plains lie to the south of the Himalayas. They are generally level and flat. These are

formed by the alluvial deposits laid down by the rivers– the Indus, the Ganga, the Brahmaputra and

their tributaries. These river plains provide fertile land for cultivation.

(iii) In the western part of India lies the Great Indian Desert. It is a dry, hot and sandy stretch of land. It has very

little vegetation.

(iv) To the south of northern plains lies the Peninsular plateau. It is triangular in shape. The relief is highly

uneven. This is a region with numerous hill ranges and valleys. Aravali hills, one of the oldest ranges of the world,

border it on the north-west side. The rivers Narmada and Tapi flow here drain into the Arabian Sea.

(v) The Western Ghats or Sahyadris border the plateau in the west and the Eastern Ghats provide the eastern

boundary. While the Western Ghats are almost continuous, the Eastern Ghats are broken and uneven (Figure

7.3). The plateau is rich in minerals like coal and iron-ore.

(vi) To the West of the Western Ghats and the East of Eastern Ghats lie the Coastal plains. The western coastal

plains are very narrow. The eastern Coastal plains are much broader. There are a number of east flowing rivers.

The rivers Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna and Kaveri drain into the Bay of Bengal. These rivers have formed fertile

deltas at their mouth. The Sunderban delta is formed where the Ganga and Brahmaputra flow into the Bay of

Bengal.

(vii) Two groups of islands also form part of India. Lakshadweep Islands are located in the Arabian Sea. These

are coral islands located off the coast of Kerala. The Andaman and the Nicobar Islands lie to the southeast of

the Indian mainland in the Bay of Bengal




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INDIA: CLIMATE, VEGETATION AND WILDLIFE MAJOR SEASONS OF INDIA

The weather is the day-to-day change in the atmosphere of a place at a particular time. Change in weather

includes change in temperature, sunshine, humidity and rainfall. Weather changes in cycles known as

seasons.

Weather is the state of atmosphere over a shorter period of time, like a day and can change on a daily basis.

Climate is the state of the atmosphere that prevails over a longer period of time, like over 30 to 35 years and

does not change as frequently as the weather.

Throughout the year, climate changes in cycles; these cycles are known as seasons. In India, we

experience four major seasons i.e. summer, rainy, autumn and winter. During March, April and May the sun

shines very brightly and the temperature soars. The air becomes very hot stating the onset of the summer

season.

In some parts of India, hot and dry cutting winds blow during the summer called Loo. Loo mostly blows over

the northern and the western parts of India. In India, the season of rains is called the monsoon season. A

good monsoon means adequate rains and a good crop. A good crop means a good economy for the

country.

There are two types of monsoon seasons. The Southwest monsoon season that marks the onset of rain

begins in June and lasts until September. The Retreating monsoon season occurs in September and

October.

The month of June, marks the onset of the south-west monsoon. The moisture laden winds blow from the

Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal towards the mainland. The months of October and November mark the

beginning of autumn during which the monsoon winds move back towards the sea.

The month of December marks the beginning of the winter season. In India, winters stretch from December

to February. During this season, cool, dry winds blow from the north of India to the south of India.

India lies between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn. It is located in the tropical or the Torrid

Zone. The general climate of India is hot and wet all-round the year. India‘s climate can be described as the

Monsoon type.

There are various factors that affect the climate of a place are location, altitude, distance from the sea, and

relief.

VEGETATION OF INDIA

Grasses, shrubs and trees which grow on their own without interference or help from human beings are

called natural vegetation. India has a wide range of natural vegetation.

India has five types of natural vegetation:

Tropical rain forests

Tropical deciduous forests

Thorny bushes

Mountain vegetation and




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Mangrove forests

Tropical rainforests exist in regions where the temperature is moderate and rainfall is heavy and

regular. The Tropical Rainforests which always appear green are also called evergreen forests.

In an evergreen forest, because of the high temperature and heavy rainfall, most trees do not shed all their

leaves at a time. Most evergreen forests in India are found in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and

north-eastern states such as Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland and Tripura.

There are certain rainforest regions that are not as dense as the regions with evergreen forests. The trees in

these forests shed all their leaves at a particular time of the year. These rainforests are known as deciduous

forests. They are also known as monsoon forests.

Deciduous forests are found in many parts of our country, such as Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar,

Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Orissa, and in parts of Maharashtra. The spines on a cactus are actually modified

leaves. They help to reduce the loss of water through evaporation in the hot sun.

Cacti and other thorny bushes are the third type of vegetation found in dry areas with high temperatures and

very less rainfall. Thorny bushes are found in Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, parts of the Western Ghats and

Gujarat.

Trees which grow in cold regions mostly found in mountainous regions where the temperatures are low are

called coniferous trees owing to their conical shape. They are also classified as mountain vegetation and

also known as Montane vegetation.

The fifth category of natural vegetation includes forests that grow in coastal areas: Mangrove

forests. Mangroves are found mainly in the Sunderbans in West Bengal near the mouth of the river Hooghly.

Oxygen is very important for all animals to breathe. We breathe in oxygen and breathe out carbon dioxide.

Plants and trees absorb the carbon dioxide that we exhale and release oxygen. This helps in maintaining the

balance of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the ecosystem. Soil erosion can be caused by natural agents like

water, wind and glaciers.

In mountainous regions, the topmost fertile soil can get eroded by heavy rainfall. This is called leaching. In

desert regions, the topmost fertile soil gets eroded by strong winds. In coastal regions, the waves of the sea

wash away the topmost layer of fertile soil.

The roots of plants and trees bind the soil and prevent it from being washed away. This controls soil

erosion. Rainforests are a rich source of rare trees that are useful in making furniture and musical

instruments.

Some trees and plants also have medicinal properties and are used to treat various health disorders.

Forests also provide us with fuel wood, timber, fodder, herbs, lac, honey and gum. Besides all the above,

forests are the natural habitat of wild life.

Trees play an important role in our ecology. Reckless cutting of trees can destroy the natural ecological

balance as well as the flora and fauna. This has led to a depletion of our natural resources, which can, in

turn, affect our living conditions.

Adoption of the policy of the 3Rs is extremely important i.e. Reduce, recycle and reuse. We should reduce

unnecessary cutting of trees, and recycle and reuse forest resources. We can have special programmes like

the Van Mahotsav, where we can involve people in planting saplings.




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WILDLIFE OF INDIA

Natural vegetation, also known as ‗flora,‘ refers to plants and trees that grow without any interference or help

from human beings.

Wildlife refers to animals that cannot be domesticated by human beings and known as ‗fauna‘. India is also

home to a variety of wildlife.

Tigers are found throughout India - from the Himalayas to Kanyakumari. The Royal Bengal Tiger is our

national animal.

The Gir forest in Gujarat is the home of the Asiatic lion. Snow leopards are found in the Himalayan region.

Elephants and one-horned rhinoceroses are found in the forests of Assam.

Hot desert areas, such as the Great Indian Desert and the Rann of Kutch are the habitat of camels.

Asiatic lions, tigers, elephants, one-horned rhinoceroses, camels, wild asses, wild goats, snow leopards,

bears, nilgais and cheetahs are some wild animals commonly found in India.

The peacock is our national bird. Parrots, pigeons, mynahs, geese, bulbuls and ducks are some of the

commonly spotted birds.

India has a rich variety of birds; bird sanctuaries provide birds with a natural habitat. India also has several

hundreds of species of snakes. Cobras and kraits are the most poisonous snakes.

Reckless cutting down of forests not only destroys our natural vegetation, it also causes the loss of several

species of wildlife. Wildlife is hunted for commercially valuable products like skin, horns, bones, fur and more.

This is also known as poaching.

To protect our wildlife, many national parks, sanctuaries and biosphere reserves have been set up.The

government has also started Project Tiger and Project Elephant to protect these animals.

Measures to conserve wildlife:

When visiting a forest or a park, carry a trash bag with you, so you can keep the environment clean.

Refuse to buy things made from an animal‘s body parts, such as bones, horns, fur, skins and

feathers.

Wildlife week is celebrated in the first week of October to create awareness among people.




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