Physical Features of India Class 9 Important Questions Very Short Answer Type Questions

Question 1.
Which are the two main causes of rock displacement?
Year of Question :(2012)

Answer: Folding, faulting and volcanic activity

Question 2.
Mention the three types of plate movements?
Year of Question :(2010)

Answer:

• Convergent
• Divergent
• Transform

Question 3.
Name any four factors which are responsible for creating and modifying the relief to its present form?
Year of Question :(2012)

Answer:

• Weathering
• Erosion
• Deposition
• Geological activities like earthquake, volcanic eruption etc

Question 4.
What is convergent boundary?
Year of Question :(2013)

Answer: It is a boundary which is formed due to the movement of plates towards each other

Question 5.
What is transformed boundary?
Year of Question :(2012)

Answer: It is a boundary which is formed when two plates move horizontally passing each other

Question 6.
What is divergent boundary?
Year of Question :(2012)

Answer: It is a boundary which is formed when two plates move away from each other

Question 7.
What was the Gondwanaland?
Year of Question :(2016)

Answer: It was an ancient super continent located in southern hemisphere which included the present day South America, Africa, Australia and Antarctica

Question 8.
Which continents of today were part of the Gondwanaland?
Year of Question :(2012)

Answer:

• South America
• Africa
• Australi
• Asia

Question 9.
What is Khadar?
Year of Question :(2018)

Answer: The younger alluvium of the flood plains is known as the Khadar

Question 10.
Name some of the depositional features formed by the rivers in the plain?
Year of Question :(2012)

Answer: Flood plains, levees, channel bars and bluffs

Question 11.
What is distributary?
Year of Question :(2019)

Answer: The rivers in their lower course split into numerous channels due to the deposition of silt. These channels are known as distributries. For example, Hoogly, Meghna is a distributary of river Ganga

Question 12.
What is meant by doab?
Year of Question :(2012)

Answer: The land between two rivers is locally known as the doab

Question 13.
What is the Terai Zone?
Year of Question :(2010)

Answer: It is a zone next to the Bhabar zone which is wet and marshy. It has a thick forest cover and a variety of wildlife

Question 14.
What is a Bhangar? HOTS?
Year of Question :(2012)

Answer: The older alluvium soil of the northern plains is called the Bhangar

Question 15.
Name the part of the Himalayas lying between the Indus and Satluj rivers?
Year of Question :(2014)

Answer: Punjab Himalayas lies betwee the Indus and Sutluj rivers. From west to east, this is also known as Kashmir Himalaya and Himachal Himalaya respectively

Question 16.
Name the most continuous range of Himalayas consisting of the lofty peaks?
Year of Question :(2012)

Answer: Himadri or Greater or Inner Himalayas

Question 17.
Name the mountain range which bounds Central Highlands on the north west?
Year of Question :(2016)

Answer: Aravalli Hills

Question 18.
How long are east-west distances covered by the Himalayas?
Year of Question :(2012)

Answer: 2,400 km

Question 19.
Which river marks the easternmost boundary of the Himalayas?
Year of Question :(2012)

Answer: The Brahmaputra

Question 20.
Name the part of the Himalayas lying between Teesta and Dihang rivers?
Year of Question :(2012)

Answer: Assam Himalayas

Question 21.
Which part of Himalayas is located between Kali and Satluj rivers? HOTS?
Year of Question :(2012)

Answer: Kumaon Himalayas

Question 22.
Which is the most important and longest mountain range of Himachal Himalaya?
Year of Question :(2012)

Answer: The Pir Panjal range forms the longest and the most important range

Question 23.
Name the three parallel ranges of the Himalayas and give their other names?
Year of Question :(2015)

Answer:

• The Himadri (Greater Himalayas)
• The Himachal (Lesser Himalayas)
• The Shiwaliks (Outer Himalayas)

Question 24.
Why are the Himalayas called the young fold mountains?
Year of Question :(2012)

Answer: The Himalayas are not very old, they are of recent birth. So they are called the young fold mountains

Question 25.
Which is the highest peak of India?
Year of Question :(2012)

Answer: Kanchenjunga (8,598 m)

Question 26.
Which is the northernmost range of Himalayas?
Year of Question :(2012)

Answer: The Himadri

Question 27.
Which is the outermost range of Himalayas?
Year of Question :(2012)

Answer: The Shiwalik

Question 28.
Which is the highest peak of the world? Where is it situated?
Year of Question :(2012)

Answer: Mount Everest (8848 m) located in Nepal is the highest peak in the world

Question 29.
Which is the highest peak of the Deccan Plateau?
Year of Question :(2012)

Answer: The Anaimudi hill in Kerala

Question 30.
How is the northern plain divided on the basis of the differences in the relief?
Year of Question :(2016)

Answer:

• Bhabhar
• Terai
• Bhangar
• Khadar

Question 31.
Name some hill stations of the Himachal range?
Year of Question :(2015)

Answer: Mussoorie, Chakrata, Nainital, Ranikhet and Almora

Question 32.
In which hill does the Narmada river rise?
Year of Question :(2015)

Answer: Amarkantak hills in Madhya Pradesh

Question 33.
In which state Garo, Khasi and Jaintia hills are located?
Year of Question :(2012)

Answer: Meghalaya

Question 34.
Name the Himalayan range lying between Himadri and Shiwaliks?
Year of Question :(2012)

Answer: Himachal or lesser Himalayans

Question 35.
Name two famous valleys in the state of Himachal Pradesh?
Year of Question :(2013)

Answer: Kullu and Kangra

Question 36.
What is the northern and southern extension of the western coast called?
Year of Question :(2016)

Answer: Northern ? Konkan coast, Southern ? Malabar coast

Question 37.
Which plateau lies between the Aravalli and the Vindhya ranges?
Year of Question :(2012)

Answer: The Malwa Plateau

Question 38.
Name some of the important passes of the Himalayas from west to east?
Year of Question :(2017)

Answer: Shipkila, Nathula and Bomdila

Question 39.
What are Duns?
Year of Question :(2012)

Answer: These are broad valleys between Himachal and the Shiwalik ranges

Question 40.
What are duns made up of? Give an example of the duns?
Year of Question :(2018)

Answer: Duns are made up of gravel and alluvial soil. The Dehradun valley is an example of duns

Question 41.
Name any two hills which comprise the PurvanchaT?
Year of Question :(2013)

Answer: The Patkai, Naga, Manipur and the Mizo hills, (any two)

Question 42.
Why are the Northern Plains primarily an agricultural belt?
Year of Question :(2016)

Answer: The Northern Plains have a thick soil cover composed of fine silt or alluvium brought down by the Himalayan rivers. This alluvial soil is very fertile. Hence, this is primarily an agricultural belt

Question 43.
Name the major rivers of North India?
Year of Question :(2012)

Answer: The Indus, the Sutlej, the Ganga, the Yamuna, the Kosi, the Teesta and ; the Brahmaputra are the major rivers of North India

Question 44.
What is the width of the northern plains?
Year of Question :(2016)

Answer: Its width varies from 240 to 320 kilometres. It gets narrower towards the east

Question 45.
By which name, the coastal plain is known as in?
Year of Question :(2012)

• (i) Northern part
• (ii) Southern part

Answer:

• (i) Nortern part - Northern Circar
• (ii) Southern part - Coromandal Coast

Question 46.
What is barchan?
Year of Question :(2012)

Answer:It is crest shaped sand dune with cusps of the crescent pointing downward

Question 47.
Mention any two characteristics of the Aravalli Hills?
Year of Question :(2012)

Answer:

• The Aravalli Hills are eroded hills
• They extend from Gujarat to Delhi in a southwest - northeast direction

Question 48.
What is the local name of the Western Ghats in?
Year of Question :(2012)

• (i) Maharashtra and Karnataka
• (ii) Along Kerala-Tamil Nadu border
• (iii) Tamil Nadu

Answer:

• (i) Sahyadri
• (ii) Anaimalai and Cardamom hills
• (iii) Nilgiri

Question 49.
Name any two peaks of the Western GhaEST?
Year of Question :(2012)

Answer:

• Anaimudi (2,695 m)
• Doda Betta (2,637 m)

Question 50.
What are the two divisions of Peninsular Plateau?
Year of Question :(2014)

Answer: The Central Highlands and the Deccan Plateau

Question 51.
Which physical feature marks the Western and the Eastern edges of the Deccan Plateau?
Year of Question :(2015)

Answer: The Western Ghats and the Eastern Ghats

Question 52.
Which type of rainfall is received by the Western Ghats?
Year of Question :(2016)

Answer: Orographic rain

Question 53.
Where are the Lakshadweep Islands situated?
Year of Question :(2017)

Answer: In the Arabian Sea

Question 54.
Name the island group of India having a coral origin?
Year of Question :(2018)

Answer: The Lakshadweep Islands

Question 55.
What are Coral polyps?
Year of Question :(2019)

Answer: Coral polyps are short-lived microscopic organisms which live in colonies

Question 56.
Where are the Andaman Islands situated?
Year of Question :(2020)

Answer: In the Bay of Bengal

Physical Features of India Class 9 Important Questions Short Answer Type Questions

Question 1.
Explain the theory of Plate Tectonics. HOTS?
Year of Question :(2012)

Answer: According to this theory, the crust of the earth has been formed out of seven major and some minor plates. The movement of these plates led to folding, faulting and volcanic activity. These are classified in three categories

• Convergent Boundary: When plates come .towards each other, also called folding movement
• Divergent Boundary: When plates move away from each other, also called faulting movement

Question 2.
What is the difference between a tributary and a distributary?
Year of Question :(2015)

Answer: A Tributary: A tributary is that river which joins the main river, and increases the volume of water. It is generally found in the upper or the middle course of a river. For example, the Yamuna is the main tributary of the river Ganga. A Distributary: It is that river which originates from a main river. It is formed near the rivers mouth before it falls into the sea. It is found in the lower course of the river. For example, the Hooghly is the main distributary of the Ganga

Question 3.
Name the three major divisions of Himalayas from the north to south?
Year of Question :(2012)

Answer: The three major divisions of Himalayas from north to south are

• The northernmost range which is known as the Great Himalayas or Inner Himalayas or Himadri. It is the most continuous range consisting of the loftiest peaks. It has an average height of 6000 meters. It consists of all the prominent Himalayan peaks
• The southern range of Himadri which is known the Himachal or the lesser Himalayas lies to the South of Himadri. It forms the most rugged mountain system. The ranges are mainly composed of highly compressed and altered rocks. The altitude varies between 3700 and 4500 meters and its average width is 50 kms
• The outermost range of the Himalayas is known as Shiwaliks. Its height varies between 900 meters and 1100 meters. This range is composed of unconsolidated sediments brought down by rivers from the main Himalayan ranges. These are also called foothill ranges. They represent the southernmost divison of Himalaya

Question 4.
Name the southernmost range of Himalaya. Mention any four features of this range?
Year of Question :(2016)

Answer: The southernmost range of Himalayas is called Shiwaliks

Features:

• The outermost range of the Himalayas is called the Outer Himalayas or Shiwaliks
• They extend over a width of 10-15 km
• Their altitude varies between 900-1100 metres
• They are discontinuous ranges and are composed of unconsolidated sediments, gravel and alluvium brought down by the rivers from main Himalayan ranges located farther north
• Longitudinal valleys known as Duns lie between the lesser Himalayas and Shiwaliks. e.g., Dehradun, Kote Dun, Path Dun. (any four)

Question 5.
How is Himadri range different from Himachal range? Mention any three differences?
Year of Question :(2012)

Answer:

#	Himadri	Himachal
(i)	This range is the highest of Himalayas with an average height of 6,000 metres	Himachal is not so high as Himadri. Its average height is between 3,700 and 4,500 metres
(ii)	This range contains loftiest peaks. Example: Kanchenjunga and Nanda Devi	This range contains hill stations Example: Shimla and Nainital
(iii)	This range is always covered with snow	It snows here in winter

Question 6.
Differentiate between Western Himalayas and Eastern Himalayas?
Year of Question :(2017)

Answer:

S. No	Western Himalayas	Eastern Himalayas
(i)	These are spread over Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh	These are spread over West Bengal, Sikkim, Bhutan and Arunachal Pradesh
(ii)	The Western Himalayas are very high	These are of medium height
(iii)	The Indus and the Sutlej are main rivers which pass throught the Western Himalayas and fall into the Arabian Sea	The Brahmaputra is the main river which passes through these and falls into the Bay of Bengal
(iv)	The average annual rainfall is less than 100 cm	The average annual rainfall is more than 200 cm
(v)	Srinagar, Shimla, Manali are the famous hill stations found in the Western Himalayas	Darjeeling and Shillong are the famous hill stations found in the Eastern Himalaya

Question 7.
Write about the main features of the Shiwaliks?
Year of Question :(2014)

Answer:

• It is the outermost range of the Himalayas
• The average altitude of the Shiwalik range varies between 900 m and 1,100 m above the sea level, and extends over a width of about 10-50 km
• This range is made of unconsolidated material such as mud, silt and soft rocks and is prone to earthquakes and landslides
• Some narrow valleys are found between the Shiwaliks and the Himachal. They are called duns. For example, Dehradun, is situated in one such valley

Question 8.
How did the northern plains come to existence? Write two points briefly. Also mention two features of these plains?
Year of Question :(2012)

Answer:

• (i) The northern plains have been formed by the interplay of the three major river systems, i.e., the Indus, the Ganga and the Brahmaputra
• (ii) The northern plain is formed of the alluvial soil brought by these rivers

Features:

• These plains are very fertile
• These are densely polulated

Question 9.
Why are Northern Plains agriculturally productive parts of India?
Year of Question :(2012)

Answer:

• The deposition of alluvium in a vast basin lying at the foothills of the Himalaya over millions of years, formed this fertile plain. It spreads over an area of 7 lakh sQuestion km
• The plain being about 2400 km. long and 240 to 320 km. broad, is a densely populated physiographic division
• With a rich soil cover combined with adequate water supply and favourable climate, it is agriculturally a very productive part of India

Question 10.
Which three river systems form the northern plains of India? Mention main features?
Year of Question :(2019)

Answer: The northern plain has been formed by the interplay of the three major river systems-the Indus, the Ganga and the Brahmaputra

Features:

• The river Indus and its tributaries form the western part of the northern plain which is referred to as the Punjab plains. The larger part of this plain lies in Pakistan
• The Ganga plain extends between Ghaggar and Teesta rivers. It spreads over the states of North India; Haryana, Delhi, U.P., Bihar, partly Jharkhand and West Bengal
• The Brahmaputra plain particularly lies mainly in Assam. It forms the largest riverine islands in the world

Question 11.
State any three differences between Himadri range and Shiwalik range?
Year of Question :(2018)

Answer:

Himadri Range	Shiwalik Range
(i) It is the innermost or northernmost range of Himalayas	It is the outermost range of Himalayas
(ii) Its average height is 6,000 metres. Shiwalik Range	Its height varies between 900 and 1100 metres
(iii) The core of this part of Himalayas is composed of granite	These ranges are composed of uncon¬solidated sediments brought down by rivers from the main Himalayan ranges located farther nort

Question 12.
What is a delta? Name some deltas of the Indian sub-continent?
Year of Question :(2017)

Answer: The triangular deposition of sediments at the mouth of a river is known as a delta

• The Ganga-Brahmaputra Delta
• The Mahanadi Delta
• The Godavari Delta
• The Krishna Delta
• The Kaveri Delta

Question 13.
What are Purvanchal hills? Mention any two features of these hills?
Year of Question :(2011)

Answer: Mountains along the eastern boundary of India are called the Purvanchal. There are medium heights. Some of the important mountains of Purvanchal are

• The Patkoi Bum and the Naga Hills in the North
• The Mizo Hills in the South
• The Jaintia, the Khasi and the Garo hills from east to west

Features:

• They comprise of sandstone and sediments
• They are covered with dense forests.
• They comprise of Patkoi Hills, Manipur hills etc. (any two)

Question 14.
Distinguish between Central highlands and Deccan Plateau on the basis of rivers that flow and hill ranges?
Year of Question :(2017)

Answer: Central Highlands Deccan Plateau (i) The Central Highlands are wider in the west but narrower in the east. The Deccan plateau is a triangular land mass. (ii) The rivers draining this region are the Chambal, the Sind, the Betwa and the Ken. The rivers draining this region are the Tapi, the Krishna, the Godavari and the Kaveri. (iii) The hills lying in this region are the Vindhya range and the Aravalli hills. The hills lying in this region are the Mahadev, the Kaimur and the Maikal.

Question 15.
Give an account of the Deccan Plateau?
Year of Question :(2012)

Answer: An account of Deccan Plateau of India

• It is a triangular landmass that lies to the south of the river Narmada. The Satpura range flanks its broad base in the north while the Mahadev forms its eastern extensions
• The Deccan Plateau is higher in the west and slopes gently eastwards
• An extension of the Plateau is also visible in the north-east. It is locally known as the Meghalaya, Karbi Anglong Plateau and North Cachar Hills
• It is separated by a fault from the Chhotanagpur Plateau. Three prominent hill ranges form the West to East are the Garo, the Khasi and the Jaintia Hills. The Western Ghats and the Eastern Ghats mark the Western and Eastern edges of the Deccan Plateau respectively. The Western Ghats lie parallel to the western coast and Eastern Ghats, lie parallel to the eastern coast

Question 16.
Compare the main features of the Western Coastal Plain and Eastern Coastal Plain?
Year of Question :(2011)

Answer: Western Coastal Plain Eastern Coastal Plain (i) The plain is located between the Western Ghat and the Arabian Sea coast. The plain is located between the Eastern Ghats and the coast of Bay of Bengal. (ii) It is a narrow plain with an average width of about 64 km. It is comparatively broader plain with average width of around 80-100 km. (iii) There are several lagoons especially in the southern part. Very few lagoons are formed. (iv) Kandla, Mumbai, Marmagao, Cochin are the main ports. Tuticorin, Chennai, Paradeep, Vishakha- patnam are the major ports on the eastern coast. (v) No big delta is formed. Large deltas are formed.

Question 17.
Name the four major states which are the parts of the eastern coastal plains. Mention the two divisions of these coastal plains?
Year of Question :(2016)

Answer: The plains extend from the state of Tamil Nadu in the southern part to the state of West Bengal in the northern region of India. Other states include Andhra Pradesh and Odisha. The three main divisions into which the eastern coastal plains can be divided are Utkal Plains, Tamil Nadu Plains and the Andhra Plains

• (i) Utkal Plains: This is the coastal stretch of the state of Odisha and consists of the Mahanadi delta. The famous feature of the region is the Chilka Lake lying on the south of the Mahanadi Delta
• (ii) Tamil Nadu Plains: The plains extend from the Pulicat Lake to Kanyakumari. The prominent feature of the region is the Kaveri delta, the fertile soil and irrigational facilities of which make it a granary in South India
• (iii) Andhra Plains: The plains extend from the Utkal Plains on the North to Pulicat Lake in the south. The delta formation by the rivers Kaveri and Godavari happens to be the important feature of the region

Question 18.
Describe any three features of coastal plains of India?
Year of Question :(2015)

Answer:

•  The Peninsular plateau is flanked by a strip of narrow coastal strips running along the Arabian Sea on the west and the Bay of Bengal on the east
• The western coast, sandwiched between the Western Ghats and the Arabian Sea, is a narrow plain. It consists of three sections. The northern part of the coast is called the Konkan (Mumbai-Goa), the central stretch is called the Kannad Plain while the southern stretch is referred to as the Malabar coast
• The plains along the Bay of Bengal are wide and level
• In the northern part, it is referred to as the Northern Gircar, while the southern part is known as the Coromandel Coast
• Large rivers such as the Mahanadi, the Godavari, the Krishna and the Kaveri have formed extensive delta on this coast. Lake Chilka is an important feature along the eastern coast

Question 19.
Name two island groups possessed by India. Mention one feature of each?
Year of Question :(2012)

Answer:

• The Andaman and Nicobar Islands: This group of island is composed of small coral islands
• Lakshadweep Islands: These are bigger in size and are more numerous and scattered

Question 20.
Write a note on corals?
Year of Question :(2012)

Answer:

• Corals are small, sedentary marine animals with a calcareous homy skeleton
• These thrive in warm shallow water and grow into large colonies called coral reefs
• They secrete hard rock like substance. The coral secretion and their skeletons form coral deposits in the form of reefs
• They are mainly of three kinds: barrier reef, fringing reef and atolls
• The Great Barrier Reef of Australia and Lakshadweep Islands are a good example of the first kind of coral reefs

Question 21.
Explain the formation of the Peninsular Plateau. Write any four of its distinct features?
Year of Question :(2012)

Answer: The Peninsular Plateau was formed due to the breaking and drifting of the Gondwana land. It is a tableland composed of the old crystalline, igneous and metamorphic rocks

• It has broad and shallow hills, valleys and rounded hills
• It consists of the two broad divisions namely, the Central Highland and Deccan Plateau
• It has black soil area known as Deccan Trap which is of volcanic origin
• The flow of rivers is westward

Physical Features of India Class 9 Important Questions Long Answer Type Questions

Question 1.
"The land of India displays great physical variations". Justify this statement with five examples. HOTS?
Year of Question :(2012)

Answer: Physical variations of land of India are

• Geologically, the Peninsular Plateau constitutes one of the ancient landmasses on the earths surface. It was supposed to be one of the most stable land blocks
• The Himalayas and the Northern Plains are the most recent landforms
• From the yiew point of geology, Himalayan Mountains form an unstable zone
• The whole mountain system of Himalaya represents a very youthful topography with high peaks, deep valleys and fast flowing rivers
• The Northern Plains are formed of alluvial deposits
• The Peninsular Plateau is composed of igneous and metamorphic rocks with gently rising hills and wide valleys, (any five)

Question 2.
"Each physiographic region of India complements the other and makes the country richer in its natural resources." Justify this statement with five examples?
Year of Question :(2012)

Answer: Importance of diverse physical features of India is as follows

• The northern mountains are the major sources of water and forest wealth
• The northern plains are the granaries of the country. They provide the base for early civilisations
• The plateau is a storehouse of minerals which has played a crucial role in the industrialisation of the country
• The coastal region and island groups provide sites for fishing and port activities
• The deserts are the storehouse of solar energy

Question 3.
Explain the three types of plates and write the effects of movements of plates?
Year of Question :(2012)

Answer: The plate movements are classified into three types

• Some plates come towards each other and form convergent boundaries
• Some plates move away from each other and form divergent boundary
• At times, they may also move horizontally pass each other and form transform boundary
• When two plates come together, they are known as convergent plates. They are also known as constructive plates. When two plates move far away from each other, they are known as divergent plates. When two plates coming towards each other collide or burst pass, they are known as transform plate. The movement of plates causes volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, formation of mountains etc

Question 4.
Distinguish between Bhabhar and Terai?
Year of Question :(2012)

Answer: Bhabhar Terai (i) It lies to the south of Shiwalik range. The belt exist to the south of Bhabhar area. (ii) The width ranges between 8 to 16 km. It is almost parallel to the Bhabhar. (iii) The area is highly coarse in nature due to many pebbles and kankars found over here The area has got highly fine sediments due to the deposition made by several streams. (iv) Vegetation found here is very less. Very dense vegetation is found in Terai region. (v) Main feature is that river disappears in the Bhabhar region because big pores present in it. Since the river re-emerges back in this region, the area becomes highly swampy and marshy.

Question 5.
Describe any five features of northern plains of India?
Year of Question :(2012)

Answer: Features of northern plains of India are

• (i) The northern plains have been formed from the alluvium deposited by the mountain rivers
• (ii) They are located between the Himalayan rivers in the north and the Peninsular Plateau in the south
• (iii) They turned the soil on the surfaced land fertile for growing a rich harvest of variety of crops. This led to the development of the Indus river valley civilization
• (iv) They are made up of deposits of alluvium and cover an area of 7 lakh sQuestion km
• (v) They are densely populated physiographic division of India and are believed to be highly productive in terms of agriculture
• (vi) The North Indian plains have the Indus river system in the west and the Ganga, Brahmaputra river system in the East
• (vii) The first include Jhelum, Chenab, Rabi, Beas. The Indus flows into the Arabian Sea. The second includes Ganga-Brahmaputra which combines with Meghna at the point when it drains into the Bay of Bengal. They form the worlds largest and fastest growing delta. On the basis of difference of relief, they are divided into four parts-Bhabhar, Terai, Bhangar and Khadar
• (viii) The northern plain is divided into three sections- Punjab plain, Ganga plain and Brahmaputra plain. The Ganga plain has diverse relief features. It has four belts
• Bhabhar is a belt of pebbles extending from 8-16 kms in width in which stream disappears
• Terai is a wet, swampy, marshy region with thick forests and wildlife
• Bhangar is a terrace-like feature made of old alluvium. It contains calcareous deposits called Kankar
• Khadar is the flood plain which renewed everywhere and is very fertile

Question 6.
Which is the oldest land mass of India? Name its two hroad divisions and explain any three features of each?
Year of Question :(2012)

Answer: The Great Peninsular Plateau lies to the south of the great plains and is , the oldest land mass of India. It is triangular in shape. The river

Narmada divides it into two parts:

• The Cental Highlands and
• The Deccan Plateau

The Central Highlands:

• It is made up of hard igneous and metamorphic rocks
• It comprises the Malwa Plateau, the small plateau of Bundelkhand and the Chhota Nagpur Plateau while the Western Ghats extend to the west of the Deccan Plateau
• Chambal, Sind and Betwa are three important rivers which flow through the Central Highlands
• It has beendrained by tributaries of Yamuna and Ganga
• Bundelkhand in southern UP and Baghelkhand in northern Madhya Pradesh

The Deccan Plateau:

• It is a triangular landmass that lies to the south of river Narmada
• It is higher in the west and slopes gendy eastwards
• It is the largest unit of the Peninsular Plateau of India
• Satpura range, Mahadev hills, Maikal range covers northern edge
• It is the oldest block made up of igneous and metamorphic rocks

Question 7.
Describe any five features of the Central highlands of India?
Year of Question :(2012)

Answer: Features of Central Highlands

• The part of the Peninsular Plateau lying to the north of the Narmada river covering major area of the Malwa Plateau is known as the Central Highland
• The Vindhyan range is bounded by the Central Highland on the south and the Aravallis on the northwest. The further westward extension gradually merges with the sandy and rocky desert of Rajasthan
• The flow of the rivers draining this region, namely Chambal, the Sind, the Betwa and Ken is from southwest to northeast, thus indicating the slope
• The Central Highlands are wider in the West but narrower in the East
• The eastward extensions of this plateau are locally known as the Bundelkhand and Baghelkhand

Question 8.
Describe the features of Western Ghats and Eastern Ghats in reference to height, slope, continuity, rivers and vegetation?
Year of Question :(2012)

Answer: Features Western Ghats Eastern Ghats

• (i) Height Their height is 900 to 1,100 m. The highest peak of this region is from Anaimudi with a height of 2,659 km. The Eastern Ghats are lower in height than the Western Ghats. It ranges from 600 to 900 m. Mahendragiri is the highest peak in Eastern Ghats
• (ii) Slope They have steep slop as height increases from North to South. They have a gentle slope
• (iii) Continuity They are continous and can be crossed through passes only. They are irregular and discontinous and dissected by the rivers
• (iv) Rivers They lie parallel to Western Coast and are source for some rivers. They stretch from Mahanadi valley to Niligiris in South. The rivers flow through easily
• (v) Vegetation Western Ghats have tropical evergreen forests. They are evergreen to deciduous forests. Eastern Ghats have scrub vegetation due to overgrazing and deforestation

Important questions Chapter 2, Physical Features of India

Question1.
What are the major physiographic divisions of India?

Answer:

• Himalayan Mountains: Located in the north, these mountains have high peaks and young, fold structures
• Northern Plains: Formed by alluvial soil from the rivers Indus, Ganga, and Brahmaputra; ideal for agriculture
• Peninsular Plateau: An ancient landmass with the Deccan Plateau in the south and Central Highlands in the north
• Indian Desert: Found in the west, known for sand dunes and the arid climate; includes the river Luni
• Coastal Plains: Along the Arabian Sea (west) and Bay of Bengal (east); includes deltas and lakes
• Islands: Includes the Lakshadweep Islands (coral origin) and Andaman & Nicobar Islands in the Bay of Bengal

Question2.
Describe the Himalayan Mountains and their divisions?

Answer:

• The Himalayas stretch from the Indus to Brahmaputra rivers, forming a barrier in the north
• Divisions:
• Great Himalayas (Himadri): Highest peaks, like Mt. Everest and Kanchenjunga; snow-bound with glaciers.
• Lesser Himalayas (Himachal): Lower height than Himadri; includes Pir Panjal and Mahabharat ranges
• Shiwaliks: Outermost range; composed of sediments and gravel
• Regional Divisions:
• Punjab Himalaya: Between Indus and Satluj.
• Kumaon Himalayas: Between Satluj and Kali rivers
• Assam Himalayas: Between Teesta and Dihang rivers

Question3.
Explain the Northern Plains and their importance?

Answer:

• Formed by alluvial deposits from Indus, Ganga, and Brahmaputra rivers
• Divisions:
• Punjab Plains: In western India, formed by the Indus and its tributaries (Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, etc.)
• Ganga Plains: Spanning Haryana, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and West Bengal. Brahmaputra Plains: Located in Assam
• Significance:
• Fertile soil supports agriculture
• Flat terrain aids transportation and habitation
• Doab and Riverine Islands:
• Doab: Land between two rivers, e.g., the Punjab region
• Riverine Islands: E.g., Majuli in the Brahmaputra, the worlds largest inhabited riverine island

Question4.
What is the Peninsular Plateau and its characteristics?

Answer:

• Composed of ancient rocks, like igneous and metamorphic rocks
• Central Highlands:
• Includes the Malwa Plateau, bounded by Vindhya and Aravali ranges
• Deccan Plateau:
• South of Narmada River, bordered by Western and Eastern Ghats
• Western Ghats: Higher and continuous, causing orographic rain. Eastern Ghats: Lower, broken by rivers
• Black Soil (Deccan Trap):
• Formed from volcanic rocks, supports cotton farming

Question5.
Describe the Indian Desert and its features?

Answer:

• Located in western India, near Aravali Hills
• Climate: Arid, very low rainfall (below 150 mm)
• Vegetation: Sparse due to lack of water
• Luni River: The only significant river in this region
• Sand Dunes: Various shapes, with barchans (crescent dunes) being commn

Question6.
What are the Coastal Plains in India?

Answer:

• Western Coastal Plains:
• Narrow, between the Western Ghats and Arabian Sea
• Divisions: Konkan (north), Kannad Plain (central), Malabar Coast (south)
• Eastern Coastal Plains:
• Wider, adjacent to the Bay of Bengal
• Divisions: Northern Circar (north), Coromandel Coast (south)
• Contains river deltas like Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna, and Kaveri

Question7.
What are the Islands of India?

Answer:

• Lampshade Islands: Coral origin; located near the Malabar Coast of Kerala
• Andaman and Nicobar Islands: Larger, diverse islands in the Bay of Bengal. Barren Island: Indias only active volcano, located here

• CBSE Class 9 SA-1 English Set 1 QP
• CBSE Class 9 Social Physical Features of India Notes