Scribd
Upload
88 views

East West Model School: Q1. What Are Plains?

The document provides information about various landforms of the Earth including plains, mountains, plateaus and orogenesis. It discusses the key characteristics and formation processes of different types of plains like alluvial plains and glacial plains. It also describes the three main types of mountains - fold mountains, residual mountains and block mountains along with examples. Additionally, it differentiates between intermontane plateaus and volcanic plateaus.

Uploaded by

Prob Titan
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
88 views

East West Model School: Q1. What Are Plains?

The document provides information about various landforms of the Earth including plains, mountains, plateaus and orogenesis. It discusses the key characteristics and formation processes of different types of plains like alluvial plains and glacial plains. It also describes the three main types of mountains - fold mountains, residual mountains and block mountains along with examples. Additionally, it differentiates between intermontane plateaus and volcanic plateaus.

Uploaded by

Prob Titan
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 3

East West Model School

Class: IX
Chapter: Landforms of the Earth
Exercises
Q1. What are plains?
Ans: Plains are extensive flat areas of low altitude. They have a local relief of less than 150 metres above sea
level. An important characteristic of plains is that they have a completely level or nearly level surface. Some
plains have gently rolling topography and the slope is gradual.

Q2. What is orogenesis?


Ans: An orogeny is a period of mountain building. Orogenesis is the process of mountain building, leading to
the formation of the intensely deformed belts which constitute mountain ranges. Regional metamorphism and
granite placement are always found in the deeper levels of an orogenic belt.

Q3. Name the different types of mountains. Describe each of them with example.
Ans: Mountains are classified into three types. They are:

i. Fold Mountains: Fold mountains are the result of large-scale earth movements caused by stresses
in the earth's crust. Such stresses may be caused by weight of the overlying rocks, movements in
the mantle, the expansion or contraction of some part of the earth, etc. These stresses subject the
rocks to compressive forces, producing wrinkling or folding along the lines of weakness. For
examples, Himalayas, the Andes and the Rocky are Fold Mountains.
ii. Residual Mountains: Mountains which are subjected to weathering and erosion for a long time, are
lowered down and called residual or relict mountains. Denudation and erosion by natural agents
like winds, water, snow etc., cause the mountains to be lowered but some resistant areas may
remain and form residual mountains. Some examples of Residual Mountains are Nilgiri, Aravali
range.
iii. Block Mountains: Horst or a block mountain is an uplifted land mass situated between two adjacent
faults. The central block is up thrown or land on the outer side of the faults is down thrown so that
the central mass appears like a highland. The Vosges Mountains to the west of the Rhine Rift
Valley and the Black Forest Mountain to the east of the Rhine Rift Valley are good examples of
Block Mountains.

Q4. What are plateaus?


Ans: Plateau is an elevated tract of relatively flat land, usually limited on at least one side by a steep slope
falling abruptly to lower land. The large scale deformation of the Earth's crust which produced continents,
ocean basins and mountain ranges, etc., is known as diastrophism.

Q5. Name the various types of plateaus with examples.


Ans: The various types of plateaus:

i. Intermontane Plateau: These plateaus are surrounded by the mountains, hence known as
intermontane plateaus. For example, Plateau of Tibet, the Plateau of Bolivia and Peru and the
Mexican Plateau.
ii. Volcanic Plateau: The lava erupted from the volcanoes has resulted into numerous volcanic
plateaus. For example, the plateau of peninsular India, especially the north western Deccan, the
Columbia Plateau and Ethiopian Plateau.

Q6. State a few advantages of plains.


Ans: Advantages of plains:
i. Construction of settlements, railway, roads, etc. is easy on flat and soft surface.
ii. Fertile soils of alluvial plains are granaries of the world. In arid areas, irrigation can be provided easily
and economically.
iii. Most of the big cities are situated in plains as most of the plains provide fine climate and fertile land.
Movement is easy which encourages agriculture and industrial development.

Q7. Explain the types of depositional plains.


Ans: The types of depositional plains:
i. Alluvial Plains: These are formed by gradual accumulation of silt brought down by rivers. As a river
leaves the mountains, the water spreads out and fast speed is arrested. The sluggish water deposits the
material. The fan shaped deposits at the foot of the hills are called Piedmont Alluvial Fan. If the eroded
material or load of a river is deposited in the form of a belt along the foot of the hills, it forms the
piedmont alluvial plain. It is called Bhabhar in India.
ii. Glacial Deposits: These plains are very fertile owing to deposits left by continental glaciers. When the
glaciers melt, the debris are deposited. Such plains are extensive in size.
iii. Aeolian Loess Plains or Deposition by Winds: These plains are formed by the material which has been
transported and deposited by winds.
iv. Lacustrine Plains or River Deposits: These plains result from the filling of lake beds. When rivers enter
a lake, they are muddy. The plain of Hungary in Europe and the plains surrounding Great Lakes of
North America are best examples.

Q8. State the main uses of mountains.


Ans: The main uses of mountains:

i. The swift streams of mountains are frequently sources of hydro-electric power.


ii. Many mountains areas provides minerals. For an example, the Western Cordillera provides gold,
copper, lead and silver.
iii. The lumbering industries are also important in mountains areas.
iv. Mountain pastures have been utilized most extensively for cattle rearing in Switzerland and
Scandinavia.
Q9. Differentiate between Intermontane plateau and Volcanic plateaus.

Ans: Difference between intermontane plateau and volcanic plateau:


When a plateau is covered by mountains on all sides, it is called an intermontane plateau. The Tibetan plateau
and the Bolivian plateau are examples of the intermontane plateau. Whereas volcanic plateaus are produced
by the volcanic activity. The lava which flows down from volcano, it accumulates and form a plateau. The
Deccan plateau is an example of volcanic plateau.

Q10. Define a plain. How does it differ from plateau?


Ans: Plains are extensive flat areas of low altitude. They have a local relief of less than 150 metres above sea
level. An important characteristic of plains is that they have a completely level or nearly level surface. Some
plains have gently rolling topography and the slope is gradual.

 Plains are different from plateau in many area. They are:


i. Plains are an un-raised flat area but plateau is a raised area of land with a flat top.
ii. The slope of the plain is gradual and not abrupt but a plateau rises abruptly from the surrounding
area.
iii. The soil in a plain is typically fertile and supports agriculture while the climate at the top of the
plateau may not be supportive towards agriculture.
iv. Plains are called lowlands where plateaus are called high plains, table tops or flat-topped
mountains.
Q11. What are mountains?
Ans: A portion of land surface rising considerably above the surrounding either as a single eminence area or
in a range of chain is known as mountain. Mountain system show evidence of enormous forces which have
folded, faulted and generally deformed large sections of the Earth's crust.

Q12. State any two characteristics of young fold mountains.


Ans: Two characteristics of young fold mountains are:

i. During the physical history of the Earth, mountain building appears to have proceeded more
actively at some periods than other.
ii. The young fold mountains are characterised by ruggedness of relief and rounded contours.

Q13. How are the young fold mountains useful? State one example.
Ans: The young fold mountains are useful for us in different ways. They are:

i. Hydroelectricity is most important in these areas because these areas act as the most important place
for the generation of electricity.
ii. Tourism is also very much prevalent in these areas.
iii. Many young fold mountains areas, agriculture has been developed.
iv. High young fold mountains are effective climate barriers and the climates of regions on either side of
a high mountain range are very different.
v. Forest areas of young fold mountains are important for lumbering industries.

For an example the Himalayas. This mountains are sources of many large river system. It provides large
amounts of wood for industry. It prevent bitter cold winds from the Siberia in India.

Q14. How are alluvial plains formed?


Ans: Alluvial plains are formed by the deposition of alluvium by rivers. These plains are intensively cultivated
as they have fertile soil and abundant water supply.

Q15. Give an example each of the following:


Ans:
i. Fold Mountains --The Himalayas
ii. Block mountains-- The Black Forest
iii. Volcanic plateau-- The South African Plateau
iv. Structural plain-- The great plains of USA

Q16. Define the following terms:


Ans: Intermontane plateaus: The plateaus which are surrounded by mountains are known as Intermontane
plateaus. These plateaus are the highest, largest and in many respects most complex plateaus of the world.
Their surfaces show us extraordinary variety of topographic features.
Example: The Plateau of Tibet, The Mexican Plateau.
Block Mountains: Sometimes movement of the Earth's crust causes cracks or faults. Where such movement
leaves a block of higher land standing between two areas of lower land, the highland is known as a 'Block
Mountain' or Horst.

You might also like