Chapter: 03. Major Landforms Of The Earth
A. Choose the correct option.
Which of these continents is the largest in area? Which of these mountains is not a young fold mountain? Which one of these is a block mountain? The Mediterranean Sea separates _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ from Europe. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ is sometimes called ‘the Land Down Under’. B. Match the following.
(ii) Old fold mountains in North America (iii) The opening through which lava comes to the surface (iv) The rupturing or fracturing of rock strata due to strain (i) Low-lying lands between hills or mountains C. Fill in the blanks.
South America is shaped roughly like an inverted triangle. Europe has the most indented coastline among the continents, which is why it has numerous ports. Fold mountains are formed when the layers of the earth’s crust are folded by compression. The funnel-shaped depression at the top of a volcano’s vent is called a crater. Plateaux are almost flat or level and usually descend steeply to the surrounding lowlands. D. State whether the following are true or false. Rewrite the false statements correctly.
Subduction is the collision of two plates pushes the heavier plate below the lighter plates. Old fold mountains have steep slopes and high altitude. False. Old fold mountains have gentle slopes and low altitude due to weathering over time. Faulting is the rupturing or fracturing of rock strata due to strain. Dissected plateaus have irregular surface marked by canyons, gorges and steep, narrow valleys. An isthmus is an elongated narrow piece of land, with water on each side, that joins two large land masses. E. Explain the differences between each of the following pairs.
Old fold mountain and young fold mountain Old fold mountains were formed over 250 million years ago, characterized by gentle slopes and low altitude due to prolonged weathering. Young fold mountains were formed comparatively recently, about 25 million years ago, and are rugged, lofty, and include the world’s highest mountain ranges. A peninsula and an island A peninsula is a piece of land that is surrounded by water on three sides and connected to a larger land mass, while an island is a piece of land that is completely surrounded by water on all four sides. Tectonic plateau and volcanic plateau A tectonic plateau is formed by the upliftment of a large portion of the Earth’s surface due to the movement of the Earth’s crustal plates. A volcanic plateau is formed by the successive spread and solidification of layers of molten lava on a particular region over time. F. Answer the following questions in brief.
Mention the different types of plateaux. The different types of plateaux are Tectonic Plateau, Volcanic Plateau, Dissected Plateau, Intermontane Plateau, and Piedmont Plateau. Why do plateaus have great economic value? Plateaus have great economic value because they are often rich in mineral and metal deposits such as gold, diamond, copper, manganese, and chromium, which are essential for industries. A basin is a depressed section of the Earth’s crust surrounded by higher land, often forming areas of inland drainage where the rivers flowing into them do not reach the sea. Name the different types of plains. The different types of plains are Structural Plains, Erosional Plains, and Depositional Plains. State any two advantages of plains. Plains are the most suitable landforms for human and animal habitation and historically support large populations. They are also highly fertile, making them ideal for agriculture and serving as the “granaries of the world.” Their flat surface facilitates the easy construction of infrastructure like roads, railways, and airports, promoting industrialization. G. Answer the following questions.
What are fold mountains? Explain their formation with a diagram. Fold mountains are formed when the layers of the Earth’s crust are folded by intense compression. This compression is caused by powerful forces generated by movements within the Earth, typically when two tectonic plates collide, pushing the crust upwards to create a series of folds, forming mountain ranges (as illustrated in ‘A Compression of the crust leads to the formation of fold mountains’ in the source chapter). List the continents according to size. Describe the largest continent in detail. The continents listed according to size from largest to smallest are: Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Antarctica, Europe, and Australia. Asia is the largest continent, covering approximately one-third of the planet’s total land area. It is connected to the landmass of Europe, forming what is known as Eurasia, with the Ural Mountains, the Black Sea, and the Caspian Sea serving as a natural boundary between them. Asia is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to its north, the Pacific Ocean to its east, and the Indian Ocean to its south. How is Mt Fuji of Japan different from the Vosges of Europe? Mt Fuji in Japan is a volcanic mountain, formed by the accumulation of molten lava, ash, cinder, and dust erupted from the Earth’s interior through a vent. In contrast, the Vosges in Europe is a block mountain, formed due to faulting, where sections of the Earth’s crust rupture and the land between the cracks sinks, leaving upstanding blocks as mountains. State any three importance of mountains. Mountains are a crucial storehouse of water, as many rivers originate from their glaciers, providing water for irrigation and hydroelectricity generation. They support a rich variety of flora and fauna, contributing significantly to global biodiversity. Mountains also play a vital role in affecting the climate of an area, for instance, by blocking monsoon winds to cause rainfall or protecting regions from cold winds. What is a V-shaped valley? A V-shaped valley is a type of valley, typically formed by the erosional action of a river flowing down from mountains. As the river cuts downwards through the land over time, it creates a narrow, deep valley that characteristically resembles the letter ‘V’ in its cross-section. H. Map work
With the help of your atlas identify and mark the following on an outline map of the world. (i) An old fold mountain range in India: Aravallis (ii) A block mountain in Europe: Vosges or Black Forest (iii) A storehouse of mineral wealth in eastern India: Chota Nagpur Plateau (iv) A rift valley in Egypt: Nile Valley (v) A mountain range in north Africa: Atlas Mountains On an outline map of India, mark the different landforms such as mountains, plateaus and plains. You can talk about each landform in brief. (This is a practical map-marking exercise. A typical answer would involve identifying and labelling major mountain ranges (e.g., Himalayas, Vindhyas, Satpura, Western/Eastern Ghats), plateaus (e.g., Deccan Plateau, Chota Nagpur Plateau, Malwa Plateau), and plains (e.g., Indo-Gangetic Plain, coastal plains) on a map of India.) I. Source-based questions
Which of the following is NOT a major landform on earth? Mountains are formed by the movement of which of the following? Plateaus are often found at the edges of which of the following? Plains are often found near which of the following? (ii) Rivers (and also Oceans, as per the source text) 
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