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In This Post we are  providing  CHAPTER STRUCTURE AND PHYSIOGRAPHY NCERT MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION for Class 11 GEOGRAPHY which will be beneficial for students. These solutions are updated according to 2021-22 syllabus. These   can be really helpful in the preparation of Board exams and will provide you with a brief knowledge of the chapter.

NCERT MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION ON STRUCTURE AND PHYSIOGRAPHY

Question 1.
“The peninsular plateaus and the Himalayas mountains are quite different from each other in respect of stratigraphy, geological structure, and physiography.” Comment.
Answer:
The northern mountains are young, weak, and flexible and have suffered from folding and deformation. The peninsula contains mostly residual mountains. Here, the river valley is shallow having low gradients. On the other hand, the Himalayas mountains are tectonic and rivers are torrential. The formation and development of the surface of the land like mountains, plateaus, and plains are called physiography.

Question 2.
What is Bhangar?
Answer:
The south of Terai is a belt consisting of old and new alluvial deposits known as Bhangar. These areas stand above the level of floodwater and the flood plains. This land is made up of clay pebbles and gravel. In Gangetic plains, these alluvial lands have been formed by the deposition of sandbars by the river.

Question 3.
What is Doab? Give few examples from India.
Answer:
The plain formed between two rivers is known as Doab. It separates two rivers but maintains its uniform character over the whole area. In Punjab, Doabs maintain the physical characteristics of the Punjab plain.

1. Best Jalandhar Doab
2. Bari Doab
3. Chaz Doab
4. Sind Sagar Doab

Question 4.
What is Karewas?. Where do they found?
Answer:
In the valley of Kashmir, the lake deposits comprise thick deposits of glacial clay and other materials embedded with maintaining, These deposits occur in the valleys within the Himalayan mountain where there was once glacial action and deposition of Morain.

Question 5.
What is horst?
Answer:
A horst is the uplift land between two parallel faults. The central mass of the land keeps standing while the adjoining areas are thrown down. It forms the shape of a block mountain or a horst. For example Vindhyan and Vosges.

Question 6.
Describe in short the major physical division of India.
Answer:
India can be divided into the following physical divisions :

1. The Great Mountains
2. The Great Northern Plain
3. The Great Peninsular
4. The Great Indian Desert Plateau

1. The Great Mountains – These are formed by the continuous stretch of the mountain from Kashmir to Assam. It acts as a wall. They arc the Karakoram and the Himalayas. The Karakoram mountains lie between the Pamir plateau and the Indus River in the west. Baltoro is the famous glacier of the Karakoram range. They are very high mountains. The second Himalayas mountain chain stretch from the Indus river in the west to the Brahmaputra river in the east. Indus and Brahmaputra divide them into the main Himalayas, the western Himalayas, and the eastern Himalayas. The Garo hills, the Khasi hills, the Jaintia hills, and the Mikir hills form the Eastern Himalayas. They fall in the states of Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Assam, Mizoram, Tripura, and Meghalaya.

2. The Great Northern Plain – The great plains are composed of sediments deposited by rivers. They are quite extensive. The central and eastern parts of the plains have been formed by the tributaries of the Ganga and Brahmaputra rivers. Half of the Great plain lies in Uttar Pradesh and half in the state of Bihar.

3. The Great Peninsular Plateau – The peninsular plateau forms the largest physiographic division facing towards the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea. It stretches from the Satpura range (north) to Kanyakumari (south) and from the Sahyadri (Western Ghats) to Rajmahal hills in the east. It is triangular in shape having four physiographic divisions: the Western Ghats, the Deccan Plateau, the Eastern Ghats, and Eastern Plateau.

4. The Greatest Indian Desert – It lies to the west of the Aravali ranges in Rajasthan. This is the region of moving sand and low rainfall, known as Marusthali. It was drained by the Saraswati, Drisadvati, and Satluj rivers. But today Llini is the only river. There are numerous salt lakes of which Sambhar is the largest.

5. Coastal Plains: The peninsular plateaus are bordered on the east and the west by the coastal plains. There are two well-known peninsulas, Kathiawar and Kachchh, on the west coast and an extensive plain of Gujarat. The east coast has a number of deltas. The west coast has no delta.

6. Island Groups – Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal have a number of islands. They are called Lakshadweep, Andaman, and Nicobar islands. Andaman and Nicobar islands are the elevated portions of submarine mountains while the Lakshadweep Islands are built of coral deposits.

Question 7.
Write a short note on the saline lakes of Rajasthan.
Answer:
Rajasthan lies in the desert area to the west of the Aravali hills. This region has very low rainfall. The groundwater in this region is impregnated with salt, therefore various saline lakes are found. Out of these, there are two well-known saline lakes on the eastern edge of the Thar Desert. They are known as Sambhar end the Didwana. Both of these are the sources of common salts. The Sambhar is an example of a boson. Bolson is an extensive flat depression surrounded by hills in which the drainage is centripetal. The smaller lakes with flat floors are undrained basins in which water collects after rains and evaporates quickly are called Playas. The Didwana lake is a playa.

There are four theories about the origin of these salt lakes :

1. The salt comes from the underlying beds.
2. The lakes are the relics of the receding sea.
3. The salt is transported from Kachchh by the wind.
4. The salt is obtained from the surrounding rocks.

Question 8.
Describe in short, how the Himalayas were formed?
Answer:
The Himalayas have been formed due to folding by different mountain building movements. The major areas of the Himalayas have been formed by folding while minor has been formed as a result of weathering and other agents of changes. It had been uplifted from the Great Geosyncline known as Tethys sea in the folded form. These uplifted ranges had been denuded by the weathering and the other agents such as rivers and glaciers. These agents of changes carved the physical features i.e. gorges, U-shaped valleys, hanging valleys, and ridges. The Indus gorge is formed as a result of erosion and weathering.

There are many U-shaped and hanging valleys which are the result of the erosional work of glaciers and ice. The complexity of the Himalayas is achieved by the various process of weathering and the cycle of erosion. The fertile valley of Kashmir represents the depositional work of the agents of change. Ganga, Indus, and their tributaries rise from the Himalayas. They are busy carving the minor physical features. The Himalayas peaks are snow-covered. They represent the work done by earth movements.

Question 9.
What is ‘KARE WAS’? Where are they found? Describe in short
Answer:
Kare was are the thick deposits of glacial clay and other materials embedded with moraine. The Kashmir Himalayas are famous for Karewas formations which are useful for the cultivation of Zafran, which is a local variety of saffron. Kashmir or the north-western Himalayas comprise a series of ranges such as the Karakoram, the Ladakh, the Zaskar, and the Pir-Punjab. The north-eastern part of the Kashmir Himalayas is a cold desert that lies between the Greater Himalayas and the Karakoram ranges. Between the Great Himalayas and the Pir- Punjab lies the famous valley of Kashmir and Dal Lake, important glaciers Baltoro and Siachin are also found here. Kare was formed in the valleys within the Himalayan mountain where there was once glacial action and deposition of Morain.

Question 10.
Describe the two island groups of India.
Answer:
There are two major island groups in India. One in the Bay of Bengal and the other in the Arabian Sea. The Bay of Bengal groups of islands consists of 572 islands approximately. These are situated between 6°N to 14°N and 92°E to 94°E. Richie’s archipelago and Labyrinth are the two principal groups of islands.

The entire group of islands is divided into two categories:
Andaman (north) and Nicobar (south). They are separated by a water body called 10° Channel. Some smaller islands are volcanic in origin. A barren island the only active volcano in India is situated in the Nicobar Islands. Some important peaks of this island are saddle peak, Mount Diavolo, Mount Koyob, and Mount Thuiller. The coastal line has beautiful beaches. These islands receive conventional rainfall and have an equatorial type of vegetation.

Lakshadweep islands lie in the Arabian Sea. They are scattered between 8°N to 12°N and 71 °E to 74°E longitude. These are located at a distance of 280 km to 480 km from the Kerala coast. The entire island group is built of coral deposits. They are approximately 36, out of which 11 are inhabited. Minicoy is the largest island. The entire group of islands is broadly divided by 11° Channel, north of which is Amini Island and south is Canannore Island. The Islands of this archipelago have storm beaches having pebbles, shingles, cobbles, and boulders on the eastern seaboard.

In This Post we are  providing  CHAPTER 4 CLIMATE NCERT MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION for Class 11 GEOGRAPHY which will be beneficial for students. These solutions are updated according to 2021-22 syllabus. These   can be really helpful in the preparation of Board exams and will provide you with a brief knowledge of the chapter.

NCERT MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION ON CLIMATE

Question 1.
Identify the four seasons based on Indian meteorology.
Answer:
In India the year is divided into four seasons based on Indian meteorology.

1. The cold weather season – begins from December to February.
2. The hot weather season – begins from March to May.
3. The south-west monsoon season – begins from June to September.
4. Theretreatingmonsoon season-beginsfromOctobertoNovember.

Question 2.
What are the coldest parts of India?
Answer:
The coldest parts of India are the trans-Himalayan regions. Jammu Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh are the coldest states of India. The minimum temperature drops up to -40°C at Drass. These regions get snowfall during winter and temperature remains below freezing point.

Question 3.
What do you mean by ‘breaks’ in monsoon?
Answer:
When the highly charged winds blow in south-west direction on the west coast, it advances rapidly over the west coast. The rain begins suddenly in the first week of June. The sudden onset of rain is termed as monsoon burst. The rainfall is heavily accompanied by thunder and lightning and appears as if a balloon of water has been burst. The sudden onset of monsoon is known as burst or breaking of monsoon.

Question 4.
What are the characteristics of western disturbances of the Indian climate?
Answer:

1. The cyclones developed near the Mediterranean Sea are termed as western disturbances.
2. They move towards India through Iran and Pakistan.
3. They come under the influence of westerly jet stream which. brings them to the northern part of India in the winter season.
4. They cause rain in the north-west part of the plain of India.

Question 5.
Why Mawsynram and Cherrapunji get very high rainfall?
Answer:
Mawsynram receives the highest amount of rainfall in the world in the rainy season because it is surrounded by the North-east hills of India, mainly Khasi, Garo, Jaintia in Meghalaya plateau is funnel-shaped. The Bay of Bengal branch of the south-west monsoon is enclosed by these hills resulting in the heaviest amount of rains.

Question 6.
Give the main characteristics of the monsoons rains.
Answer:

1. The beginning of the rains is sometimes delayed over the whole or a part of the country.
2. There are prolonged breaks of rains in July or August.
3. Sometimes the rain ends earlier than usual time causing great damage to standing crops.
4. The summer rainfall comes in heavy, leading to soil erosion.

Question 7.
What do you understand by ‘Mango showers’?
Answer:
‘Mango showers’ are actually premonsoon showers experienced towards the summer monsoon. It is common in Kerala and coastal areas of Karnataka in March and April. It helps in the ripening of mangoes. Therefore, locally it is known as Mango-showers.

Question 8.
What is the average amount of rainfall over the plains of India?
Answer:
The plain is divided into three zones to study the average rainfall.

1. TheplainsofBihar, BengalandeastemU.P.-rainfall is 100-200cm.
2. The plains of central and western U.P. – rainfall is 60-100 cm.
3. Plains of Haryana, Punjab – rainfall is 40-60 cm. annually.

Question 7.
What is the Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ)? How does it attract south monsoon? What are the important factors which influence the mechanism of Indian weather?
Answer:
ITCZ is the zone near the equator from where the north-east trade winds and the south-east trade winds meet each other. It changes its position with the effect of the vertical rays of the sun. It is near the Tropic of Cancer in the north in summer season and near the Tropic of Capricorn in the south in the winter season at about 25°N, as a result of which the south-east trade winds cross over the equator and enter in India as the south-west monsoon.

Factors influencing the mechanism of Indian weather-

1. Surface distribution of pressure and winds include monsoon, location of low and high pressure.
2. Upper air circulation which includes global weather conditions like air masses and the jet stream.
3. Atmospheric disturbances like western cyclones and tropical cyclones cause rainfall.
   These are the factors which affect the Indian weather.

Question 8.
Rainfall in India is orographic in nature. Describe the distribution of rainfall and the effect of relief on its distribution.
Answer:
The orographic nature of rainfall plays an important role in the distribution of rainfall in India. The rainfall is determined by the situation of the mountains. In India, it is called relief rainfall. It affects the distribution of rainfall in the following manner:

1. Western-coastal plains receive heavy rainfall due to the Western Ghats, more than 300 cm. but Deccan plateau that lies in the rain shadow area receives only 60 cm. rainfall.
2. Low rainfall in the rain shadow area of the Western Ghats (less than 60 cm.).
3. Due to funnel-shaped hills, heavy rainfall in Meghalaya (more than 1000 cm.).
4. Low rainfall in Rajasthan due to the direction of the Aravali range. It lies parallel to the south-west monsoon winds. So, Rajasthan remains dry.
5. Effect of Himalayan ranges on the direction of the monsoon. It does not allow the winds to cross. Hence the Ganga plain receives rainfall but it decreases westwards.

Fig. 4.8: India: Seasonal Rainfall (June-September)

Fig. 4.9: India: Normal Dates of Onset of the Southwest Monsoon

Question 9.
(a) What is EI-Nino? How is it related to Indian monsoon?
Answer:
El-Nino is used for forecasting long-range of monsoon rainfall. The system involves the ocean and atmospheric phenomena with the appearance of warm winds off the coast of Peru in the Eastern Pacific which affect the weather. EI-Nino is a complex weather system. It appears once every 5 to 10 years bringing drought, floods and other weather extremes to different parts of the world.

(b) Define ‘drought’ and its various types.
Answer:
Drought is a condition in which the amount of water needed for evapotranspiration exceeds the amount of water available for precipitation and soil.

Droughts are of three types:

1. permanent,
2. seasonal,
3. contingent.

Permanent drought is characterised by the arid climate in which vegetation is sparse and hardy, fully adapted to water shortage.

Seasonal drought is found in dry and rainy seasons. Most of the parts of India suffer from this kind of drought.

Contingent drought is irregular with variable rainfall and occurs in any season but frequently in sub-humid climates.

Question 10.
What is global warming? Give reasons.
Answer:
The climate of the world has changed in the past and is changing at present. Several natural and artificial factors are responsible for this change. Due to global warming, the polar ice caps and mountain glaciers would melt and the amount of water in oceans would increase.

There are following reasons for global warming:

1. The temperature of the world is increasing nowadays.
2. Carbon dioxide is the major source of global warming. This gas is released to the atmosphere by burning of fossil fuel.
3. Other gases like methane, chlorofluorocarbons, ozone and nitrous oxide which are present in much smaller concentrations in the atmosphere, together with carbon dioxide are known as greenhouse gases. These gases are contributing to global warming.
4. Rapid industrialization and technological changes, the revolution in agriculture and transport sectors has resulted in large supplies of carbon dioxide and methane which cause global warming.

In This Post we are  providing  CHAPTER 6 SOIL NCERT MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION for Class 11 GEOGRAPHY which will be beneficial for students. These solutions are updated according to 2021-22 syllabus. These  can be really helpful in the preparation of Board exams and will provide you with a brief knowledge of the chapter.

NCERT MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION ON SOIL

Question 1.
What are the characteristics of laterite soils?
Answer:

1. The laterite soils are brick coloured.
2. These are shallow, acidic and less fertile.
3. these less fertile due to leaching of soil.
4. These are poor in nitrogen, potash but rich in iron. This is found in Tamil Nadu.

Question 2.
What is the parent material of soil?
Answer:
The soils are formed due to the weathering and erosion of rocks exposed on the surface. The material which has undergone weathering and erosion and had contributed to soil formation is known as the parent material. The type and nature of parent materials play a vital role in determining the properties of soil.

Question 3.
What is contour ploughing?
Answer:
The method of tilting or ploughing hillsides or sloping lands among the contour lines, that is, around rather than up and down a slope mainly with a view of conserving soil and water.

Question 4.
How can we improve the fertility of soils?
Answer:
The fertility of the soil means the presence of humus contents and enough soil nutrients which provides nourishment to the plants. To improve the fertility of the soil following methods should be used:

Question 5.
Distinguish between soil erosion and soil conservation.
Answer:

Question 6.
Describe the areas affected by soil erosion. What are the factors responsible for it? Suggest measures to conserve it.
Answer:
The areas affected by the soil erosion are West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Delhi, Rajasthan and many other parts of India.

1. Potato cultivation in theregionofMeghalayaonNilgiri hills causes soil erosion.
2. Cleaning of forests in the Himalayas and on the Western Ghats.
3. Excessivegrazingbycattleontheslopesofhillscauserapidsoil erosion.
4. On steep slopes due to running water soil-erosion increases.
5. Strong winds cause soil erosion. They blow away soil in dry areas.
6. Heavy rainfall causes soil-erosion.
7. Jumping by the tribal population in different parts of the country have caused considerable depletion of the soils.
8. Deforestation causes soil erosion.

The followings are the measures to conserve the soils:

1. By scientific use of land.
2. Crop-rotation, contour ploughing and bunding.
3. Afforestation in the upper reaches of river basins.
4. Increased use of organic manures.
5. Construction of water barriers against gullies in wet regions.
6. Replacing flood irrigation by sprinklers and drip irrigation.

Question 7.
Write a short note on Arid soils and Saline soils.
Answer:
Arid soils – Arid soi 1 is red to brown in colour. They are generally sandy and alkaline. In some areas, the salt content is so high that common salt is obtained by evaporating the saline water. In a dry climate, due to high temperature and accelerated evaporation. They lack moisture and humus content is normal. Lower horizons of soils are occupied by Kankar due to increased calcium downward. This type of soil is found in Rajasthan where desert topography is found. These soils contain less humus and. organic matter. These are suitable for Jowar, Bajra, Ragi and oilseeds, etc.

Saline soils – These are known as Usara soils. It contains a larger portion of sodium, potassium and magnesium. It is poorly fertile. These require more salts largely because of the dry climate and poor drainage. These are found in arid and semi-arid regions and water-logged and swampy areas. Its structure ranges from sandy to loamy. It lacks nitrogen and calcium. Saline soils are found in the region of western Gujarat, deltas of the eastern coasts and Sunderban area of West Bengal. With the excessive use of cultivation and irrigation, the fertile alluvial soils are becoming saline.

Question 8.
Describe the major characteristics and distribution of the soils in India.
Answer:
Characteristics and distribution of soils in India:
1. Alluvial soil – It is fine silt deposited in the plains by rivers, brought from the mountain regions. It is very fertile and famous for agriculture. Relatively fine and new soil of the flood plains and deltas is known as Khadar and older deposits as Bangar. Great plains of the north and deltas of peninsular rivers abound in alluvial soil.

2. Black soil – Black soil is made of volcanic rocks of lava flows. The soil is fertile and clayey. It can maintain moisture for long periods. Due to black in colour, it is said to be black soil. Cotton is grown abundantly in this soil. Locally it is named as regur soil. Gujarat, parts of M.P. and Maharashtra have black soil over large areas.

3. Red soil – Red soil has developed on the crystalline igneous rocks. They are less fertile but with the help of manures and fertilisers, good crops are raised in it. Relatively hot and dry parts of southern and eastern peninsula abound in red soils.

4. Laterite soil – Due to heavy rains fertile portion of the soil has been washed away leading to leaching. Hence the soil is infertile. Hilly regions of Western Ghats and Chhotanagpur plateau with heavy rainfall and hot weather are represented by this type of soil.

5. Mountain soils are found in the Himalayan region. They are good for tea growing. Desert soil is found in Rajasthan. They are sandy and do not produce any significant crop.

Question 9.
Discuss the type of physical conditions leading to the formation of peaty and organic soils.
Answer:
The peaty and organic soils are found in the areas of heavy rainfall and high humidity, where there is a good growth of vegetation. A large amount of dead organic matter accumulates in these areas and this gives rich humus and organic content to the soil. Hence, they are peaty and organic soils. Organic matter in these soils may go even up to 40 to 50%.

These soils are normally heavy and black in colour. They occur widely in the northern part of Bihar, the southern part of Uttaranchal and coastal areas of West Bengal, Orissa and Tamil Nadu. Such soils are used for cultivation of high and less soil exhaustive crops.

Question 10.
(a) So long a balance exists between the processes of soils formation and soil erosion, there is no nutrient, but when the balance has distributed the erosion of the soil becomes a menace. Comment.
Answer:
The removal of soil by running water and the erosion process of running water and wind are continuous. Generally, there is a balance between these two processes. The rate of removal of fine particles from the surface is the same as the rate of addition of particles to the soil layer. Sometimes such a balance is distributed by natural or human factors, leading to a greater rate of removal of soil. When this happens, the entire soil layer may be removed in a few years.
Indiscriminate felling of trees, careless overgrazing of pasture lands, unscientific drainage operations and improper land use are some of the important causes which upset this balance.

(b) What are ravines? How are they different from gullies?
Answer:
Ravines: A ravine is a small narrow valley with steep sides, larger than a gully, but smaller than a canyon.

A gully, on the other hand, is a narrow channel worn in the earth by water. It is especially a miniature valley resulting from a heavy downpour of rain. Further erosion and deepening of a gully leading to the formation of a ravine.

In This Post we are  providing  CHAPTER 1 INDIA : LOCATION NCERT MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION for Class 11 GEOGRAPHY which will be beneficial for students. These solutions are updated according to 2021-22 syllabus. These MCQS  can be really helpful in the preparation of Board exams and will provide you with a brief knowledge of the chapter.

NCERT MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION ON INDIA : LOCATION

Question 1.
What are two geographical features which have played a great unifying role in strengthening Indian people?
Answer:
The two features are:

1. The great mountainous wall of Himalayas on the north,
2. The peninsular part of India, the Indian Ocean, the Arabian sea and the Bay of Bengal on the south.

These are the two geographical features acted as a physical barrier and kept Indian culture in a unified nature.

Question 2.
What is the position of India in the world in terms of size, area and population?
Answer:
India is the 7th largest country in the world having an area of 32,87,263 PQ. km. It is the second-largest country in population. The population of India is 103,00,00,000 next to China. India has 2% of the total area of the world while the population is 16% of the world.

Question 3.
Why India (subcontinent) show a distinct geography? Give reason in support of your answer.
Answer:
The Indian subcontinent has considered a distinct geographical unit. Because it is separated from the rest of the Asia continent by Hindukush in the north-west and in the north by Himalayan ranges. On the southern side, it is isolated by the Indian ocean from the rest of the world.

It has a distinct type of climate which is not found beyond the Himalayas.

It shows unity in diversity which is quite unique.

Question 4.
What do you mean by MacMohan line? What does it signify?
Answer:
The MacMohan line is a dividing line between India and China realms. Between India and China, the crest of Himalayas stand. It separates China and India. This crest of high Himalayas is known as the MacMohan line. It is to the East of Bhutan.

Question 5.
There is a difference of two hours in local time between the easternmost part and the westernmost part. Give reason.
Answer:
The difference in local time between the easternmost part and the westernmost part is for two hours. Because there is a longitudinal distance of 30° longitudes. This distance makes a difference of 2 hours. Hence, when it is 6 a.m. in Arunachal Pradesh (eastern part) the local time at Saurashtra (western part) is supposed to be behind 2 hours as compared to Arunachal Pradesh. Therefore, it is correct that when the sun has already risen in Arunachal Pradesh, it is still night in Saurashtra.

Question 6.
What is a subcontinent? India is a subcontinent. Prove it.
Answer:
India has a well-knit independent geographical unit. A subcontinent is a vast independent geographical unit. India is separated from the main continent. It is a vast country that produces diversity in economic, social and cultural conditions.

It is a land of towering mountains, beautiful valleys, magnificent culture and birthplace of numerous religious faiths. Geographically it stretches from the Himalayas in the north to the Indian Ocean in the south, but in terms of its cultural, economic, political influences, it has an emphatic presence in the south and southeast Asia and at the international level. India is the only land with a vast diverse geographic culture which is woven by the strong bond of nationhood and belongingness. India is described as a subcontinent. Other countries that are included are Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives. Many factors which prove that India is a subcontinent are:

1. Natural frontiers of India.
2. India is surrounded by the major realness of Asia on all sides. The% great mountain wall gives it an independent shape.
3. India is the 7th largest country in the world in area.
4. India is a land of rivers but it has cultural unity behind this diversity.
5. Monsoon climate determines the life of people and the economic development of the country. It givei^a a distinct character of the subcontinent to this landmass.

Question 7.
Explain the term unity in diversity.
Answer:
In India, many diversities are found but India exhibits a high degree of unity in diversity. The factors which are responsible for this unique feature of the Indian polity are much large geographical spread of the subcontinent provides fertile grounds for germination and blossoming of regional diversities in the social setup. Differentiation in the physical landscape has contributed to the emergence of different ways and pattern of human interaction with nature. People led to the concentration of diverse elements in different regions.

The factors which are responsible for the unity of social character in the country are:

1. Monsoonal season.
2. The horizontal spread of cultural and socio-economic attributes from different parts of the country.

The strong bond generated by nationhood and belongingness. The development of regional linkages and emergence of a regional home market during the British rule in India.

Question 8.
How the central position of India is beneficial to us? Explain it.
Answer:
Geographically India occupies a central position in the Asia continent.

This position is beneficial to us in many ways:

1. India is located on the Eastern hemisphere, Europe and Eastern part of America are at equal distance from India.
2. The tropic of cancer passes through the centre of India. So that India is a tropical country.
3. India has a long coastline which provides many deep and natural harbours.
4. Indian ocean provides a favourable route for international trade.
5. The natural boundaries are favourably located from a different point of view.
6. Indian ocean is the origin of monsoons.
7. The chain of towering Himalayas acts as a climatic barrier. It protects northern India from polar cold winds and forces the monsoon to give rainfall.

Question 9.
What are the three major physical divisions of India? Describe one of them in detail:
(i) The great mountain of north.
Answer:
The great mountains of the north: This physical part lie between the great mountains of the north and the peninsular plateau. It has been built by the deposition of the sediments brought by the rivers. It is alluvial and extremely level. It extends from east to west, about 2,500 km! in length.

(ii) The great plains.
Answer:
The plains consist of the two river basins – Indus and the Ganga- Brahmaputra basins. The Indus and its tributaries The Jhelum, The Chenab, The Ravi, The Beas and the Sutlej flow into The Arabian sea through Pakistan.

(iii) The great plateau Of peninsular India.
Answer:
The Ganga, Brahmaputra and their tributaries flow into the Bay of Bengal. Indus and Brahmaputra originated beyond the Himalayas.

The entire plain region is very fertile and the major occupation of the people is agriculture. A large number of industries come up in the region. This region has a dense network of transport. This region is densely populated.

Question 10.
Describe the changing pattern of human activities in India.
Answer:
The human activities in India have developed in stages. Because many racial stocks came to India at different periods of history and they influence the human activities in India. They had developed various human activities from food gathering to the modem industries. This oldness and continuity of changing human activities of cultural and civilisation areas:
(a) The Negritos represented the food gatherer of the stone age. They had led their life completely on nature. They are still surviving in Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
(b) The Dravidian presented the farmer. They came from the Mediterranean lands. They started agriculture and led a settled life. They tilled their land with ordinary instruments and produced various crops. They loved their motherland.
(c) The Aryans represented the artisans and handcraftsman. They started cottage industries. They were more civilised people and knew the art of iron smelting. They made canals from the rivers. They developed cities on the lands of Ganga and Yamuna. They prepared the multicoloured cloth from the silk-threads.

In This Post we are  providing  CHAPTER 13 WATER (OCEANS) NCERT MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION for Class 11 GEOGRAPHY which will be beneficial for students. These solutions are updated according to 2021-22 syllabus. These MCQS  can be really helpful in the preparation of Board exams and will provide you with a brief knowledge of the chapter.

NCERT MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION ON WATER (OCEANS)

Question 1.
Differentiate between continental shelf and continental slope.
Answer:
Continental shelf:

• It is an extended margin of each continent occupied by shallow sea, gulfs, etc. It is a submerge part of the land adjoining the coast.
• It is shallow and is about 800m deep with an average gradient 1° or even less.
• Its edges extended upto the denth of 150-200 m. ‘
• It contains the sediments deposited with land its average width is 80km.
• The largest continental shelf is a Siberian shelf in Arctic Ocean which stretches upto 1500 km of width.
• About one-fourth of the petroleum is produced from oil wells on the continental shelfs.
•  It is important for coastal transport and trade.

Continental slopes:

• It represents the edge of continental block.
• It connects continental shelf and ocean basin.
• The depth varies from 200-300 m.
• Its average gradient is 2-5°.
• It has a steep slope linking continental shelf and deep sea flow lying at an average depth of 3600 m.
• Canyons are formed here.

Question 2.
Write a short note on variation in salinity.
Answer:
The salinity for normal open ocean ranges between 33% and 37%. In the land locked Red Sea, it is as high as 41%, while in the estuaries and the Arctic, the salinity fluctuates from 0 – 35 %, seasonally. In hot and dry regions, where evaporation is high, the salinity sometimes reaches to 70%. Salinity decreases from 35% – 31% on the western parts of the northern hemisphere because of the influx of melted water from the Arctic region. In the same way, after 15° – 20° south, it decreases to 33%.

The average salinity of the Atlantic Ocean is around 36%. The highest salinity is recorded between 15° and 20° latitudes. Maximum salinity (37%) is observed between 20° N and 30° N and 20° W—60° W. It gradually decreases towards the north. The North Sea, in spite of its location in higher latitudes, records higher salinity due to more saline water brought by the North Atlantic Drift. Baltic Sea records low salinity due to influx of river water in large quantity. Highest salinity is found in water bodies as Lake Van in Turkey, Dead Sea, Great Salt Lake.

Question 3.
The average temperature of water on oceans floor keeps on falling from equator to poles systematically. Explain.
Answer:
The average temperature of surface water of the- oceans is about 27°C and it gradually decreases from the equator towards the poles. The rate of decrease of temperature with increasing latitude is generally 0.5°C per latitude. The average temperature is around 22°C at 20° latitudes, 14° C at 40° latitudes and 0° C near poles.

The oceans in the northern hemisphere record relatively higher temperature than in the southern hemisphere. The highest temperature is not recorded at the equator but slightly towards north of it.

The average annual temperatures for the northern and southern hemisphere are around 19° C and 16° C respectively. This variation is due to the unequal distribution of land and water in the northern and southern hemispheres.

Question 4.
Explain about horizontal distribution of salinity.
Answer:
Horizontal distribution of salinity:

• The salinity for normal Open Ocean ranges between 33% and 37%. In the land locked Red Sea records higher salinity due to high evaporation.
• Salinity is, however, very low in Black Sea due to enormous fresh water influx by rivers.
• The average salinity of the Indian Ocean is 35 %.
• The low salinity trend is observed in the Bay of Bengal due to influx of river water.
• On the contrary, the Arabian Sea shows higher salinity due to high evaporation and low influx of fresh water.

Question 5.
Explain about vertical distribution of salinity.
Answer:
Vertical distribution of salinity

• Salinity changes with depth, but the way it changes depends upon the location of the sea. Salinity at the surface increases by the loss of water to ice or evaporation, or decreased by the input of fresh waters, such as from the rivers.
• Salinity at depth is very much fixed, because there is no way that water is ‘lost’, or the salt is ‘added.’
• There is a marked difference in the salinity between the surface zones and the deep zones of the oceans. The lower salinity water rests above the higher salinity dense water.
• Salinity, generally, increases with depth and there is a distinct zone called the halocline, where salinity increases sharply.
• Other factors being constant, increasing salinity of seawater causes its density to increase. High salinity seawater, generally, sinks below the lower salinity water. This leads to stratification by salinity.

Question 6.
Explain about vertical distribution of temperature.
Answer:
The temperature structure of oceans over middle and low latitudes can be described as a three-layer system from surface to the bottom.

• The first layer represents the top layer of warm oceanic water and it is about 500 m thick with temperatures ranging between 20° and 25° C. This layer, within the tropical region, is present throughout the year but in mid-latitudes it develops only during summer.
• The second layer called the thermocline layer lies below the first layer and is characterised by rapid decrease in temperature with increasing depth. The thermocline is 500 – 1,000 m thick.
• The third layer is very cold and extends upto the deep ocean floor. In the Arctic and Antarctic circles, the surface water temperatures are close to 0 C and so the temperature change with the depth is very slight.

Question 7.
Explain the features of the deep sea plains, submarine ridges, ocean deeps and seamount.
Answer:
Abyssal plains (the deep sea plains):

• These are the world’s flattest and smoothest regions.
• About 40% of the oceanic floor is flat.
• It is formed accumulation of sediments on the sea floor.
• Its depth varies from 3000-6000 m.

Submarine ridges:

• Oceanic floors have submarine narrow and elongated ridges.
• They resemble mountain ridges on the earth surface.
• Peak of these ridges may rise above the sea level to form islands.
• Eg-Philippines Ice land is a mid-Atlantic ridge.

Oceanic deeps of submarine trenches:

• Deep narrow steep sided depression is found along the abyssal plain.
• The depth of these trenches may vary from 6,000 to 11,000 m. Example, Marina trenches is the deepest trench in Pacific Ocean.
• Trenches are formed as a result of tectonic forces and normally occur along the marines of Pacific Ocean.
• They occur at the base of the continental slopes and along the island area. Normally associated with volcanoes and strong earthquake.
• There are 32 trenches in Pacific Ocean, 19 in Atlantic Ocean and just 6 in Indian Ocean.

Seamount:

• It is the mount with a pointed submit rising from the sea floor but do not reach the surface of ocean. For example
  • Emperor seamount, an extension of Hawaiian islands in Pacific Ocean
  • The tallest seamount between Soman and New Zealand.
• Seamounts are volcanic in origin and can be 3000 to 4500 m tall.

Question 8.
“Ocean seems to be water body but it has many types of landforms within it”. Justify the statements by giving some examples.
Answer:
The statement is absolutely right. Like the surface of the earth ocean flow is neither level or flat, it is undulating and varying. It comprises of different types of landforms below it. Some of these are:

• Continental shelf: It is an extended margin of each continent occupied by shallow sea, gulfs, etc. It is a submerge part of the land adjoining the coast.
• Continental slopes: It represents the edge of continental block. It connects continental shelf and ocean basin. The depth varies from 200-300 m.
• Abyssal Plains (The Deep Sea Plains): These are the world’s flattest and smoothest regions. About 40% of the oceanic floor is flat. It is formed accumulation of sediments on the sea floor. Its depth varies from 3000-6000m.
• Sub Marine Ridges: Oceanic floors have sub-marine narrow and elongated ridges. They resemble mountain ridges on the earth surface. Peak of these ridges may rise above the sea level to form islands. Eg- Philippines Ice land is a mid-Atlantic ridge.
• Oceanic deeps of sub-marine trenches: Deep narrow steep sided depression found along the abyssal plain. The depth of these trenches may vary from 6,000 to 11,000 m. Example, Marina trenches is the deepest trench in Pacific Ocean.

Question 9.
Explain hydrological cycle.
Answer:
The hydrological cycle is a conceptual model that describes the storage and movement of water between the biosphere, atmosphere, lithosphere, and the hydrosphere. Water on our planet can be stored in any one of the
following major reservoirs: atmosphere, oceans, lakes, rivers, soils, glaciers, snowfields, and groundwater. Water moves from one reservoir to another by way of processes like evaporation, condensation, precipitation, deposi-tion, runoff, infiltration, subli¬mation, transpiration, melting, and groundwrater flow. The oceans supply most of the evaporated water found in the atmosphere. Of this evaporated water, only 91% of it is returned to the ocean basins by way of precipitation. The remaining 9% is transported to areas over landmasses where climatologically factors induce the formation of precipitation. The resulting imbalance between rates of evaporation and precipitation over land and ocean is corrected by runoff and groundwater flow to the oceans.

Question 10.
Show different types of ocean floors.
Answer:

In This Post we are  providing  CHAPTER 12 WORLD CLIMATE AND CLIMATE CHANGE NCERT MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION for Class 11 GEOGRAPHY which will be beneficial for students. These solutions are updated according to 2021-22 syllabus. These MCQS  can be really helpful in the preparation of Board exams and will provide you with a brief knowledge of the chapter.

NCERT MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION ON WORLD CLIMATE AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Question 1.
Explain why the tropical humid climate is found in an irregular belt of 20° to 40° latitudes.
Answer:
The tropical belt extends across the two tropics, viz., Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn in Northern and Southern hemisphere respectively. It is one of the belts which, for part of the year, comes under the influence of trade winds but for the rest of the year is subjected to conventional rain. Moreover, the trade winds which blow from north-east and southeast also bring a considerable amount of rainfall.

Question 2.
What could be the possible consequences of the continued addition of carbon dioxide and methane gases to the atmosphere?
Answer:
The continued addition of carbon dioxide and methane gases to the atmosphere will increase the atmospheric temperature to an extent that it will cause ice to melt in the Arctic Ocean and in Antarctica. As a result, sea levels will rise causing the drowning of central lowlands and islands, altering rainfall and evaporation patterns, creating new plant diseases and part problems, and enlarging the ozone hole. Enlargement of the ozone hole, in turn, will cause more and more ultraviolet radiation to reach the earth’s surface, leading to a further rise in temperature of the lower layers of the atmosphere.

Question 3.
Match the following :

Answer:

Question 4.
Discuss the bases of climatic classifications of Koeppen and Thornthwaite.
Answer:
Koeppen’s classification is based upon annual and monthly means of temperature and precipitation. Native vegetation was considered as the best expression of the totality of climate. Similarly, Thornthwaite followed Koeppen’s principle that plant is nature’s meteorological instrument capable of integrating climatic elements like precipitation effectiveness and potential evapotranspiration.

Question 5.
Discuss the aims and objectives of Trewartha’s classification.
Answer:
Trewartha believed that people who need to understand and use the climatic environment for their own purposes should have the parts of climate presented realistically. At the same time, he also recognized the merits of the genetic type of climatic classification. According to him, “genetic not only increases interest and adds to the scientific quality of climatic analysis, but also gives an extra dimension of insight to the student’s understanding of the description.” Genetic classification of climates emphasizes the causes or origin of their formation based on weather processes.

Question 6.
Give an account of any four factors which control the climate of a region.
Answer:
These are the following factors that control the climate of a region :

1. Altitude: Regions on the higher altitude have a cold climate and on the lower altitude have a warm climate.
2. Location: The climate of a region depends on the location of that region. If the location is close to the equator, the climate will be hot and wet.
3. Distance from the sea: Regions that are closer to the sea have a moderate climate and others have an extreme type of climate.
4. The direction of the mountains: The extension of the Himalayas does not allow the cold winds of Central Asia into India and the temperature of India does not come down.

Question 7.
Describe in brief Koeppen’s classification of climate.
Answer:
Koeppen’s classification is strictly empirical as it is neither based on weather process (wind belt, air masses, fronts, and storms) nor does it emphasize causes of formation of climatic type. The classification is based upon annual and monthly means of temperature and precipitation. Natural vegetation is considered the best expression of the totality of climate. On the basis of the climate needs of certain types of vegetation, Koeppen identified five major groups: A to E, to which he added a sixth category of mountain zone (H).

‘A’ is the tropical zone, with a temperature exceeding 20°C all the 12 months.

‘B’ is the sub-tropical zone, where for 4 to 11 months temperature exceeds 20°C, and for 1 to 8 months the temperature ranges between 10° to 20°C.

‘C’ is the temperate zone, where the temperature ranges between 10° to 20°C for 4 to 12 months.

‘D’ is the cold zone, with temperature ranging between 10° to 20°C for 1 to 4 months and below 10°C for 8 to 11 months.

‘E’ is the polar zone, where the temperature remains below 10°C throughout the year.

These major climatic groups were sub-divided on the basis of variation in rainfall and temperature characteristics.

Question 8.
Discuss the global climatic changes in detail.
Answer:
The atmosphere is well structured and fairly dynamic in nature. The dynamism is more complex near the earth’s surface where the changes take place both spatially and temporally. These changes may be induced internally within the earth’s atmospheric system or externally by extra-terrestrial factors. Some of these changes are the results of human intervention and, hence, may be slowed down by human efforts. Global warming is one of the changes caused by man’s continual and growing introduction of carbon dioxide as well as some other so-called greenhouse gases, like carbon and chlorofluorocarbon, into the atmosphere.

The atoms and molecules of atmospheric gases cause absorption and back radiation of sunlight by the greenhouse gases, especially water, carbon dioxide, and methane. The concentration of water in the atmosphere is controlled by evaporation from oceans. Carbon dioxide is introduced into the atmosphere by volcanism. Methane is produced by the metabolization of bacteria in wood/grass-eating animals.

Human activities also add methane and carbon dioxide to the .atmosphere by burning fossil fuels and by various agricultural activities.

The carbon dioxide contents of the atmosphere play a dominant role in causing worldwide climatic changes. The gas is transparent to incoming solar radiation but absorbs outgoing long-wave terrestrial radiation. This absorbed terrestrial radiation is radiated back to the earth’s surface. Thus, it is clear that any appreciable change in carbon dioxide content would bring about a change in temperature in the lower layers of the atmosphere. Methane, which rapidly gets oxidized into carbon dioxide, is 20 times more effective than CO₂

Rapid industrialization and technological changes, a revolution in agriculture and transport sectors have resulted in large supplies of carbon dioxide, methane and chlorofluorocarbon gases into the atmosphere.

Of the many climatic parameters, the temperature is the most affected one due to urbanization and industrialization. The thermal characteristics of urban areas are in marked contrast to those of the surrounding countryside.

Man is considered as an engine of climatic change. In support of this, rice farmers, coal miners, dairy farmers, and shifting agriculturists contribute their rate in global warming.

Question 9.
Describe the advantages of Trewartha’s classification over Koeppan’s classification.
Answer:
On the basis of grouping, climate types are either genetic or empirical. Genetic classification emphasizes the causes or origin of their formation based on weather processes. The empirical classification, on the other hand, is based on observation related to factors for climatic differentiation.

Koeppen’s classification is strictly empirical as it is neither based on weather process nor does it emphasize causes of formation of climatic type. The classification is based upon annual and monthly means of temperature and precipitation. Natural vegetation is considered the best expression of the totality of climate. Koeppen followed the principle that plant is nature’s meteorological instruments capable of integrating climatic elements like precipitation effectiveness and potential evapotranspiration.

The climate classification system devised by G.T. Trewartha represents a compromise between purely empirical and genetic methods. Besides being simple and explanatory, it combines the fundamentals of the empirical as well as genetic classification schemes. Trewartha, while proposing his climatic classification, was conscious of the fact that the classification systems of Koeppen, being based on certain statistical parameters. of a few weather elements, were cumbersome and complex. The empirical quantitative classification system, as devised by the author, produced such a large number of climatic types and sub-types that it was rather too difficult to remember them. Keeping this aspect in view, Trewartha recognized only a limited number of climatic types, i.e., 6 major types and 10 sub-types.

The major climatic groups included: Tropical humid climate
(A) Dry climate
(B) Sub-tropical
(C) Temperate climate
(D) Boreal climate
(E) Polar climate
(F) Each of these, except Boreal
(E) the climate has two sub-types.

Question 10.
Write a note on temperate climates.
Answer:
The temperate climate is found in the vast landmasses of middle latitudes (40° and 65°). This climatic band of severe winters is found between the sub-tropical and boreal type of climates.

The two sub-types of temperate climate are temperate marine and temperate continental. They are primarily demarcated on the basis of summer temperatures.

The temperate marine climate has mild winters and fairly warm i- summers. Throughout the year, the average temperature is above 0°C. Rainfall is experienced throughout the year. This type of climate is found on the western sides of continents in the temperate zone.

The temperate continental climate is found in the interior of the continents in middle latitudes. The impact of land is visible as it is characterized by harsh winters and cool summers. The extreme cooling of the ground is associated with anticyclones. Annual precipitation is low, though it takes place throughout the year. This type of climate is found in north-eastern Asia, eastern Canada, and Eurasia.

In This Post we are  providing  CHAPTER 14 MOVEMENT OF OCEAN WATER NCERT MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION for Class 11 GEOGRAPHY which will be beneficial for students. These solutions are updated according to 2021-22 syllabus. These MCQS  can be really helpful in the preparation of Board exams and will provide you with a brief knowledge of the chapter.

NCERT MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION ON MOVEMENT OF OCEAN WATER

Question 1.
How do ocean currents affect the climate? Explain.
Answer:
Effects of currents influenced by temperature.

• Warm currents makes the place warmer where as the cold currents makes the place colder. Example, Warm currents of Koroshio makes the southern Japan less cold in winter whereas the cold current of Koroshio makes the winter longer and severe in north Japan.
• Winds passing over warm currents absorbs lot of moisture and cause heavy rainfall in coastal areas. On the other hand winds passing over long currents do not get any warm currents as such, they make the climate of coastal areas dry. This is the reason why hot deserts are located near the coastal areas from where the cold current passes.
• The places where cold current and warm current near the coastal areas are found in abundance are rich fishing ground. For example, Newfoundland, the east coast of North America where Labrador current and Gulf stream meet.

Question 2 .
Differentiate between spring tides and neap tides.
Answer:

Question 3.
In how many categories can tides be classified on the basis of their height and frequency?
Answer:

• Semi-diurnal tide: It is the most common tidal pattern, featuring two high tides and two low tides each day. The successive high or low tides are approximately of the same height.
• Diurnal tide: There is only one high tide and one low tide during each day. The successive high and low tides are approximately of the same height.
• Mixed tide: Tides having variations in height are known as mixed tides. These tides generally occur along the west coast of North America and on many islands of the Pacific Ocean.
• Spring tides: The position of both the sun and the moon in relation to the earth has direct bearing on tide height. When the sun, the moon and the earth are in a straight line, the height of the tide will be higher. These are called spring tides.
• Neap tides: Wlien the sun and moon are at right angles to each other and the forces of the sun and moon tend to counteract one another. The moon’s attraction, though more than twice as strong as the sun’s, is diminished by the counteracting force of the sun’s gravitational pull. These are called neap tides.

Question 4.
White the characteristics of waves in the oceanic water.
Answer:
Characteristics of waves in the oceanic water are given below:

• The highest and lowest points of a wave are called the crest and trough.
• Wave height is the vertical distance from the bottom of a trough to the top of a crest of a wave.
• Wave amplitude is one-half of the wave height.
• Wave period is merely the time interval between two successive wave crests.
• Wavelength is the horizontal distance between two successive crests.
• Wave speed is the rate at which the wave moves through the water, and is measured in knots.
• Wave frequency is the number of waves passing a given point during a one- second time interval.

Question 5.
Explain how do heating of solar energy, wind, gravitation and coriolis force affect the ocean currents.
Answer:
Heating by solar energy: Heating by solar energy causes the water to expand, that is why, near the equator the ocean water is about 8 cm higher in level than in the middle latitudes. This causes a very slight gradient and water tends to flow down the slope.

• Wind: Wind blowing on the surface of the ocean pushes the water to move. Friction between the wind and the water surface affects the movement of the water body in its course.
• Gravity: Gravity tends to pull the water down the pile and create gradient variation.
• The Coriolis force: The coriolis intervenes and cause the water to move to the right in the northern hemisphere and to the left in the southern hemisphere.

Question 6.
Differentiate between warm currents and cold currents.
Answer:

Question 7.
Make a list of currents which are found in Pacific, Atlantic and Indian Ocean.
Answer:
This is a listing of the seventeen major surface ocean currents.

Question 8.
How is the movement of currents influenced by prevailing winds? Give examples.
Answer:
The prevailing winds, or winds that usually blow in the same direction, influence ocean currents because the wind causes friction on the water surface causing the water to move in the same direction as the wind. Some prevailing winds are called “trade winds” because merchants on sailboats used these regular winds to sail across the Indian Ocean or Atlantic Ocean to trade their goods. The wind made sailing to some places very easy and other places very difficult. Some of these regular winds change direction during certain months. This is called monsoon. Monsoon winds blow one direction from May to October, then change directions from November to April, which allowed the merchants to sail home in Monsoon areas of the world. The monsoon winds mainly effects South Asia (India). Indian traders sailed west to Africa in the summer and east back to India in the winter.

Question 9.
Why some currents are warm or cold?
Answer:
There are several warm ocean currents that move warm water away from the equator. These currents of water have warm air above the water. The warm air raises the temperature of the land it touches. These areas enjoy a much warmer climate than other places at the same latitude. Areas such as England would be much colder without the warm Gulf Stream. Warm ocean currents flow on the eastern side of a continents. They only reach the western side in high latitude areas. Another characteristic is that they flow away from the equator. Warm currents have higher temperatures, so they are less dense than cold water. Usually warm water has a higher salinity, but it remains less dense than cold water, so cold water is heavier and flows under warm water. The water is warmed on the surface, so warm currents flow across the surface of the ocean. As a warm current cools down, it drops down and becomes a cold water currents.

Question 10.
What are under currents?
Answer:
Under currents deep in the ocean flow in the opposite direction from the surface current above them. They replace the surface waters that are moving out. A major under current circles the globe at about 30 mph. The main under current is called the Great Conveyor Belt. It is truly like an underwater river. In fact, under currents are called “submarine rivers”

In This Post we are  providing  CHAPTER 15 LIFE ON EARTH NCERT MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION for Class 11 GEOGRAPHY which will be beneficial for students. These solutions are updated according to 2021-22 syllabus. These MCQS  can be really helpful in the preparation of Board exams and will provide you with a brief knowledge of the chapter.

NCERT MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION ON LIFE ON EARTH

Question 1.
What is a bio in?
Answer:
Natural ecological groups of plants and animals extend over large areas. Each of these major terrestrial ecosystems or distinctive terrestrial areas with their group of plants and associated animals are recognized as biomes. A biome is, therefore, the largest terrestrial community of plants and associated animals in interaction with the environment.

Question 2.
What kind of animals live in tropical rain forests?
Answer:
The animals living in tropical rain forests include monkeys, snakes, ant-eaters, tropical birds, bats, large carnivorous animals, and a variety of fish in the rivers. Of all the species of insects known nearly 70 to S0% occur in the tropical rain forests.

Question 3.
What kind of flora and fauna characterize the deserts?
Answer:
Deserts are characterized by scanty flora and fauna. Desert plants include different kinds of acacias, cacti, euphorbias, and other succulents. Ants, locusts, wasps, scorpions, spiders, lizards, rattlesnakes, a large number of insect-eating birds such as swifts and swallows, seed-eating quails, doves, desert rats, rabbits, foxes, jackals, and various cats are the common desert animals.

Question 4.
What kind of plant and animal life is supported by tropical savanna?
Answer:
Savannas are characterized by coarse grass and scattered trees on the margins of the tropics where rainfall is seasonal. Wet seasons alternate with dry seasons. Plants and animals are drought-tolerant and do not show much diversity. This biome supports the greatest variety of hoofed herbivore species including the zebra, giraffe, elephant, and several kinds of antelopes. Kangaroos are found in the savannas of Australia.

Question 5.
What are the important features of the Mediterranean scrub forest as a biome?
Answer:
This biome is also known as Chapparal. This is marked by very limited winter rain followed by drought in the rest of the year. The temperature is moderate under the influence of the cool, moist air of the oceans. The biome is characterized by broad-leaved evergreen vegetation. It is made up of fire-resistant resinous plants and drought-adapted animals.

Question 6.
Write a note on deciduous forests.
Answer:
The deciduous forests are found in the temperate regions of north-central Europe, eastern Asia, and the eastern United States. The annual precipitation ranges between 75-150 cm. With the onset of autumn, most of the trees and shrubs become leafless. The vegetation comprises broad-leaved, hardwood trees such as oak, elm, beech, maple, and hickory. The fauna includes frogs, salamanders, turtles, snakes, lizards, squirrels, rabbits, deer, bears, raccoons, foxes, and songbirds.

Question 7.
“Food chains are not isolated linear chains of trophic levels.” Comment.
Answer:
In nature, the food relationship cannot be explained only in terms of a single food chain. A herbivore consumes many types of plants or plant products. Many kinds of animals, other than tiger, derive food from herbivorous animals. Ticks and mites, leeches, and blood-sucking insects are dependent on herbivores and even on carnivores. Thus, food chains are not isolated linear chains of trophic levels.

Depending upon the availability and choice of food, different organisms at each level have a food relationship with more than one organism at the lower levels. A rat, for example, feeds on various kinds of stem, roots, fruits, and grains. In turn, it is consumed by a snake which is eaten by a falcon. The snakes feed on both, frogs and rats. Then, a network of food chains exist, which is called a food web. The food web becomes more complicated when taste and preference, availability, and compulsion are involved.

Question 8.
Describe the functions of various biotic components.
Answer:
Various biotic components include producers, herbivores, carnivores, and decomposers. All organisms require energy for their life processes. Food supplies both energy and materials for the sustenance of life. Green plants produce carbohydrates by photosynthesis and also synthesize proteins and fats. The green plants, therefore, are called producers. The animals that consume this energy are called consumers.

The herbivores like cattle, deer, and goats derive their food or energy directly from plants and are called the first-order consumers. The carnivores like tiger and lion depend on herbivores for their food and energy and are therefore called the secondary or second-order consumers. The non-green organisms like fungi and some bacteria, which do not produce their own food, live on the dead and decaying plants or animals and are consumers of a special type called decomposers.

Question 9.
Describe the energy flow in the biosphere.
Answer:
Energy from the sun enters the living world through photosynthetic organisms and passes on from one organism to another in the form of food.

The organisms which trap solar energy and act as producers also use some energy for their own life processes. Only a portion of the energy trapped is taken by the primary consumers. Animals being more active than plants use much of the energy acquired before they are consumed by the next trophic level. At each stage of energy transfer, some amount of energy is lost from the food chain. The amount of energy transferred to the next higher level thus gradually decreases. The decomposition of dead organisms also releases chemical energy. Eventually, all this solar energy that entered the living system through the producers goes back into the non-living world, not as light but as heat.

Question 10.
Describe the carbon cycle in brief.
Answer:
Carbon is one of the basic elements of all living organisms. It forms the basic constituent of all organic compounds. The biosphere contains over half a million carbon compounds. The carbon cycle is mainly the conversion of carbon dioxide. This conversion is initiated by the fixation of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere through photosynthesis. Such conversion results in the production of carbohydrates, glucose that may be converted to other organic compounds such as starch, cellulose, etc. Here, some of the carbohydrates are utilized directly by the plant itself. During this process, more carbon dioxide is generated and is released through its leaves or roots during the day. The remaining unutilized carbohydrates become part of the plant tissue.

The plant tissues are either eaten by the herbivorous animals or get decomposed by micro-organisms. The herbivores convert some of the consumed carbohydrates into carbon dioxide for release into the air through respiration. The micro-organisms decompose the remaining carbohydrates after the animal dies. The carbohydrates that are decomposed get oxidized into carbon dioxide and are returned back to the atmosphere.

In This Post we are  providing  CHAPTER 16 BIODIVERSITY AND CONSERVATION NCERT MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION for Class 11 GEOGRAPHY which will be beneficial for students. These solutions are updated according to 2021-22 syllabus. These MCQS  can be really helpful in the preparation of Board exams and will provide you with a brief knowledge of the chapter.

NCERT MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION ON BIODIVERSITY AND CONSERVATION

Question 1.
What is meant by “Homosapien”?
Answer:
‘Homo’ means ‘man’ and ‘sapient’ means ‘wise’. Homosapien is one of the species of the animal kingdom to which human beings belong. Because of their unique characteristic of wisdom’, human beings are separated from other animal species.

Question 2.
Define ‘ecosystem’ with examples.
Answer:
The biotic community, along with the physical environment forms an interacting system called the ecosystem. An ecosystem can be natural or artificial, temporary or permanent. A large grassland or a forest, a small 1 tract in a forest or a single log, an edge of a pond, a village, an aquarium, or a manned spaceship can all be regarded as an ecosystem.

Question 3.
Describe various structural components of an ecosystem.
Answer:
Various structural components of an ecosystem are classified into two main groups:

1. biotic or living, and
2. abiotic or non-living.

The biotic component of an ecosystem comprises the kinds, numbers, and distribution of living organisms. The abiotic component consists of the kinds, quantity, and distribution of living organisms. The abiotic component consists of the kinds, quantity, and distribution of physical and chemical factors such as light, temperature, water, oxygen, carbon, nitrogen, and minerals.

Question 4.
How does the background of the habitat determine the distribution of animals?
Answer:
The background of the habitat determines the distribution of animals by enabling them to camouflage against the color, general texture, and pattern. Desert animals like the lion and the camel are sand-colored. Most of the jellyfish, sea cucumbers are lassy. The chameleon changes its color according to its background.

Question 5.
How are plants important to human beings?
Answer:
Plants produce substantial volumes of food for human beings. Besides producing varieties of food crops for man, plants also provide food to their domesticated animals. They also supply timber to serve various requirements of human beings.

Question 6.
Discuss the human developments that led to a negative impact on the biotic resources of the earth in the modern period.
Answer:
The modem period is the age of industry and urbanization. The population is growing enabled with more lands being cleared of their forests, more soils being filled to grow crops, and more areas being used to erect homes, construct roads, build parking lots, and all the activities that channel resources toward urban locations. The loss of soil, movement of nutrients, and contamination of the environment with tonic materials are syrup to make of the excessive use of energy and unchecked outputs. Virtually every urban and industrial activity has a negative impact on water quality. Industrial and urban sewerage contain hazardous substances and cause eutrophication, diminishing the quality of the freshwater system. Human manipulation of nature has resulted in fragmented and incomplete systems. All these developments have a negative impact on the biotic resources of the earth.

Question 7.
Distinguish between exploitation and conservation of forest.
Answer:
Both the acts are related to human usage of forests as a resource and are contradictory to each other. Exploitation means the usage of forests by human beings in an unfair and selfish manner for one’s own advantage or profit. On the contrary, conservation means the protection of forests. Here also man exploits the forest resources, but with a cautious
effort, i.e. in such a manner that the evolution of species continues, preventing rare ones from extinction.

There are two levels of biodiversity. Genetic diversity comprises the genetic and related variations within the plant or animal species. It is concerned with their origin and evolution. On the other hand, species diversity is reflected by morphological and physiological features of the plant and animal species. It is related to the form and structure.

Question 8.
Distinguish between a National Park and a Sanctuary.
Answer:
National Parks: A national park is an area that is strictly reserved for the betterment of the wildlife and where activities like presenting, grazing, or cultivation are not permitted. In these parks, ‘ even the private ownership rights are not allowed. There are 66 national parks in India. Some important national parks are Kaziranga National Park (Assam), Sunderbans (West Bengal), Hazaribagh National Park (Jharkhand), Corbett National Park (Uttaranchal).

Sanctuary: Some important sanctuaries of the countries are:

• Annalia Sanctuary (Tamil Nadu)
• Jaldapara Sanctuary (West Bengal)
• Keoladeo Ghana Bird Sanctuary (Rajasthan)
• Sultanpur Lake Bird Sanctuary (Haryana)
• Nagarjun Sagar Sanctuary (Andhra Pradesh)
• Chilka Lake Bird Sanctuary (Orissa).

Question 9.
Write a short note on the man-made ecosystems.
Answer:
Humans have changed the environment to a far greater .p extent than any other species. In some instances, the modification is so profound that we call them man-made or artificial ecosystems. These are of variable stability and duration. Villages and cities, orchards and plantations, gardens and parks with their plants and animals are familiar; examples of the man-made terrestrial ecosystem. Large dams and reservoirs, lakes, canals, small fishery, tanks, and aquarium are examples of the man-made aquatic ecosystem.

The most important man-made modifications in the biotic community came with the use of fire, cultivation of plants, and domestication of animals.

All man-made ecosystems including agroecosystems are simpler and highly efficient. They lack the diversity of natural ecosystems. The consequence of diversity is stability. A simple system, on the other hand, is more vulnerable to sudden changes. A single crop agrosystem, for example, may be totally destroyed by drought, floods, diseases, pests, etc. A diversified system, on the other hand, has scope for many adjustments and substitutions.

Question 10.
What do you know about the boundaries of the ecosystem?
Answer:
An ecosystem is an area in which the inputs and outputs can be studied across its boundaries. It is only for convenience that it is considered as a separate entity. Otherwise, ecosystems are not strictly isolated. Their boundaries are indistinct and overlapping. Some movement always occurs in their materials. This movement may be from an adjacent or distinct ecosystem. For instance, a pond may be separated from an adjoining grassland, but some birds may break the barrier and feed on the fish and crabs of the pond. The movement of energy and material can be achieved by biological climate or geological processes.

In This Post we are  providing  CHAPTER 9 SOLAR RADIATION , HEAT BALANCE AND TEMPERATURE NCERT MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION for Class 11 GEOGRAPHY which will be beneficial for students. These solutions are updated according to 2021-22 syllabus. These MCQS  can be really helpful in the preparation of Board exams and will provide you with a brief knowledge of the chapter.

NCERT MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION ON SOLAR RADIATION , HEAT BALANCE AND TEMPERATURE

Question 1.
What is inversion of temperature? When | and in what regions does it take place?
Answer:
At times, the situations are reversed and the normal lapse rate is inverted. It is called Inversion of temperature. Inversion is usually of short duration but quite common nonetheless. A long winter night with clear skies and still air is ideal situation for inversion. The heat of the day is radiated off during the night, and by early morning hours, the earth is’ cooler than the air above. Over polar areas, temperature inversion is normal throughout the year. Surface inversion promotes stability in the lower layers of the atmosphere.

Smoke and dust particles get collected beneath the inversion layer and spread horizontally to fill the lower strata of the atmosphere. Dense fogs in mornings are common occurrences especially during winter season. This inversion commonly lasts for few7 hours until the sun comes up and beings to warm the earth. The inversion takes place in hills and mountains due to air drainage.

Question 2.
How does the energy received in upper layer of the atmosphere keep changing at different times of the year?
Answer:
The solar output received at the top of the atmosphere varies slightly in a year due to the variations in the distance between the earth and the sun. During its revolution around the sun, the earth is farthest from the sun (152 million km) on 4th July. This position of the earth is called aphelion.On 3rd January, the earth is the nearest to the sun (147 million km). This position is called perihelion. Therefore, the annual insolation received by the earth on 3rd January is slightly more than the amount received on 4th July.

However, the effect of this variation in the solar output is masked by other factors like the distribution of land and sea, and the atmospheric circulation. Hence, this variation in the solar output does not have great effect on daily weather changes on the surface of the earth.

Question 3.
How does the amount of insolation received depends on the angle of inclination of the rays?
Answer:
The amount of insolation received depends on the angle of inclination of the rays. It depends on the latitude of a place. The higher the latitude the less is the angle they make with the surface of the earth resulting in slant sunrays. The area covered by vertical rays is always less than the slant rays. If more area is covered, the energy gets distributed and the net energy received per unit area decreases. Moreover, the slant rays are required to pass through greater depth of the atmosphere resulting in more absorption, scattering and diffusion.

Question 4.
Explain about spatial distribution of insolation on the earth’s surface.
Answer:
The insolation received at the surface varies from about 320 Watt/m2 in the tropics to about 70 Watt/m2 in the poles. Maximum latitude insolation is received over the subtropical deserts, where the cloudiness is the least. Equator receives comparatively less insolation than the tropics. Generally, at the same latitude the insolation is more over the continent than over the oceans. In winter, the middle and higher latitudes receive less radiation than in summer.

Question 5.
Explain the distribution of temperature in July.
Answer:
Distribution of temperature in July

• During this period the sun shines vertically over head near the tropic of cancer. It is summer for the northern hemisphere and winters for the southern hemisphere.
• In the northern hemisphere the isotherm bends equator wards while crossing the oceans and pole wards ‘while crossing the landmass. In the southern hemisphere it is vice-versa.
• The isotherms are most irregular and zig-zig in northern hemisphere on the other hand the isotherms are relatively more regular and straight in southern hemisphere.
• Maximum temperature of about 30 degree centigrade occurs entirely in the northern hemisphere between 10° and 40° north latitude however the lowest temperature below 0° C is recorded over northern hemisphere in the central parts of green land.

Question 6.
Explain the factors affecting insolation at the surface of earth.
Answer:
The factors affecting insolation at the surface of earth are:-

1. The rotation of earth on its axis: The fact that the earth on its axis makes an angle of 6614 with the plane of it’s orbit round the sun has a greater influence on the amount of insolation received at different latitudes.

2. The angle of inclination of the sunrays: The higher the latitude the greater is the angle they make with the surface of the’earth resulting in slant sunrays. The areas covered by vertical rays is always less than the slant rays. If more areas is covered the energy gets distributed and the net energy received per unit area decreases. Thus, the slant rays are required to pass through greater depth of the atmosphere resulting in more absorption, scattering and diffusion.

3. The transparency of the atmosphere:
The atmosphere is largely transparent to the short wave solar radiation. The incoming solar radiation passes through the atmosphere before striking the earth’s surface. Within the troposphere water vapour, ozone and other gases absorb much of the near infrared radiation.

4. The configuration of land in terms of its aspect: The insolation received at the surface varies from about 320 watt/ m2 in the poles. Maximum insolation is received over the subtropical deserts, when the cfoudness is the least. Equator receives less rainfall as compared to tropics

Question 7.
Distribution of temperature in the month of July.
Answer:

• During this period the sun shines vertically over head near tropic of cancer it is the summer for northern hemisphere and winter for southern hemisphere.
• The isotherms are relatively more regular and straight in southern hemisphere.
• Maximum temperature of over 30°C occurs entirely in northern hemisphere between 10° and 40° temperature below 0° C is recorded over northern hemisphere in the central parts of Greenland.

Question 8.
Explain the distribution of temperature in January.
Answer:

1. In January the isotherms deviate to north over the ocean and to the south over the continent. This can be seen on the North Atlantic Ocean.

2. The pressure of warm ocean currents, Gulf Stream and north Atlantic drift, make the northern Atlantic Ocean warmer and the isotherms bend towards the north.

3. Over the land the temperature decreases sharply and the isotherms bend towards south in Europe.

4.  It is much pronounced in the Siberian plan. The mean January temperature along 60° E longitude is minus 20° both at 80° N and 50° N latitude. The mean monthly temperature for January is over 27° C in equatorial oceans over 24°C in the tropics and 2° C- 0° C in middle latitudes and -18° C to -48° C in Eurasian continental interior.

5. The effect of the ocean in well pronounced in southern hemisphere. Here, the isotherms are more or less parallel to latitudes and the variations in temperature is more gradual than in the northern hemisphere. The isotherm of 20°C, 10°C, and 0°C run parallel to 35°S, 45° and 60°S latitudes respectively.

Question 9.
Explain about inversion of temperature.
Answer:
At times, the situations are reversed and the normal lapse rate is inverted. It is called inversion of temperature. Inversion is usually of short duration but quite common nonetheless. A long winter night with clear skies and still air is ideal situation for inversion. The heat of the day is radiated off during the night, and by early morning hours, the earth is cooler than the air above.

Over polar areas, temperature inversion is normal throughout the year. Surface inversion promotes stability in the lower layers of the atmosphere. Smoke and dust particles get collected beneath the inversion layer and spread horizontally to fill the lower strata of the atmosphere. Dense fogs in mornings are common occurrences especially during winter season. This inversion commonly lasts for few hours until the sun comes up and beings to warm the earth. The inversion takes place in hills and mountains due to air drainage.

Question 10.
Explain the heating and the cooling mechanism of atmosphere.
Or
Discuss the process through which earth and the atmosphere system maintain heat balance.
Answer:
(a) Conduction:

• The earth after being heated by insolation transmits the heat to the atmospheric layers near to the earth in long wave form. The air in contact with the land gets heated slowly and the upper layers in contact with the lower layers also get heated.
• Conduction takes place when two bodies of unequal temperature are in contact with one another, there is a flow of energy from the warmer to cooler body. The transfer of heat continues until both the bodies attain the same temperature or the contact is broken. Conduction is important in heating the lower layers of the atmosphere.

(b) Convection:

• The air in contact with the earth rises vertically on heating in the form of currents and further transmits the heat of the atmosphere. This vertical heating of atmosphere is known as convection.
• The convection transfer of energy is confined only to the troposphere.

(c) Advection:

• The transfer of heat through horizontal movement of air is called advection. Horizontal movement of the air is relatively more important than the vertical movement.
• In tropical regions particularly in northern India during summer season local winds called ‘loo’ is the outcome of advection process.