Major Landforms of the Earth- Class 6th -Short Questions and Answers

Major Landforms of the Earth – 29 Short Question Answers

1.Point out some differences in the ways people live on different kinds of landforms?

Ans. Humans have been living on different kinds of landforms in different ways. 

• People live in different landforms and use the land and water in various ways as per the requirement of climatic conditions. 
• People on the plain areas make their houses differently than the houses on mountains and plateaus.

2. In what manner can we protect natural resources?

Ans. We can protect our natural resources in following ways- 

• By creating awareness about the impact of natural resources, we can protect them. 
• The smart and balanced use of natural resources can make them available for future generations as well. 
• We must avoid the overuse of these resources by using them in an appropriate manner.

4. Find out in how many ways we use the land?

Ans. We use the land in many ways-

• We live on the land. 
• The cultivation is done on the land.
•  The settlements, transport network and all other activities are done on the land.

5. Define erosion and deposition.

Ans. Erosion-  The wearing away of the earth’s surface is called erosion.The surface is being

lowered by the process of erosion.

Deposition- The rebuilding of the earth’s surface is called deposition. These two processes are

carried out by running water, ice and wind.

6. How are plateaus useful for us?

Ans. Plateaus are useful for us in many ways 

• Plateaus are very useful because they are rich in mineral deposits .
• The soil found in such areas is fertile and good for cultivation. 
• Many plateaus have scenic spots and are of great attraction to tourists.

7. What are the causes of destruction of natural resources?

Ans. The use of natural resources in a wasteful manner and pollution done by us are the major causes of the destruction of natural resources. The exploitation of such resources also cause

destruction.

8. Write a short note on natural calamities?

Ans. Natural calamities such as earthquakes, volcanic eruption, storms and floods cause widespread destruction and huge loss of life and property.

9. Why do less people live in mountain areas?

Life is difficult in mountainous areas. Plains provide much better conditions. It is tough to grow crops, build a house or a road in a mountain.That’s why people live there in less amount.

10. What is horst and graben? 

Ans. The horsts and graben are related to plateaus. 

The uplifted blocks of plateau are termed as horsts while the lower blocks of plateau on the steep are called graben.

11. “It is our duty to leave a better earth for future generations”. Explain.

Ans. We throw garbage on land or in water making them dirty or polluting air through different

means. We should avoid using such important gifts of nature in a careless manner. The available land is not only for our use. It is our duty to leave the earth as a better place for future generations as well.

Q. 12. How are volcanic mountains formed? Give examples.

Ans. Volcanic mountains are formed as a result of volcanic activities on the surface of the Earth. Example: Mt. Kilimanjaro and Mt. Fujiyama.

Q.13. Define a Range. Give examples.

Ans. Mountains may be arranged in a line known as Range. Many mountain systems consist of a series of parallel ranges extending over hundreds of kilometers. For e.g. The Himalayas, the Alps and the Andes are the mountain ranges of Asia, Europe and South America respectively.

Q. 14. How is a hill different from a mountain?

Ans. A hill is a land surface higher than the local area, whereas a steep hill with an elevation of more than 600 meters is termed as a mountain.

Q.15. Give some examples of Fold Mountains.

Ans. Fold Mountains can be old and young. Fold mountains, for e.g., the Appalachians in North

America, the Ural Mountains in Russia and the Aravali range in India are the oldest fold mountain fiber systems in the world. The Himalayan Mountains and the Alps are young fold mountains with rugged relief and high conical peaks.

Q. 16. What is a Plateau? Name some of the plateaus of the world.

Ans. A plateau is an elevated flat land. It is a flat-topped tableland standing above the surrounding area. A plateau may have one or more sides with steep lopes. Plateaus, like mountains, may be young or old. For e.g., the Deccan plateau in India is one of the

oldest plateaus. The East African Plateau, The Tibet Plateau and the Western Plateau of Australia are  other examples.

Q.17. Giving examples, explain how land as a resource is being wasted by man.

Ans. Land as a resource of being wasted by man due to the following reasons:

1. If we construct houses on a fertile land,
2. Throwing garbage on land,
3. Making water dirty, which leads to wastage of these precious resources, and
4. We should avoid using such important gifts of nature in a careless manner. The available land  is not only for our use. It is our duty to protect the Earth as a better place for future generations as well.

Q.18. What are Plains ? How are they formed?

Ans. Plains are large stretches of flat land. They are, generally, not more than 200 meters above the mean sea level. Most of the plains are formed by rivers and their tributaries.

1. The rivers flow down the slopes of mountains and erode them. They carry forward the eroded materials.
2. Then they deposit their loads consisting of stones, sand and silt along their courses and in their valleys.
3. From these deposits plains are formed.

Q. 19. Name some of the recreational activities common in the coastal areas.

Ans. Some of the recreational activities of the coastal areas include boating, water skiing, swimming, fishing, surfing, sun bathing and canoeing. In Kerala, snake boat races are held in connection with Onam, the harvest festival in August/September.

Q.20. Name some of the depositional features.

Ans. Some of the depositional features are: moraines,levees, flood-plains and sand dunes.

Q.21. Name three natural resources for which plateaus are well-known.

Ans. Three natural resources found in plateaus are: gold, diamond and iron.

Q. 22. Why do Himalayan rivers have abundant water?

Ans. Himalayan rivers have abundant sources of water because rivers rising in this area are perennial in nature. They are snow-fed or heavily rain fed. Therefore, they contain water throughout the year in abundance.

Q.23. What is the difference between weathering and erosion ?

Ans. Weathering and erosion are geological processes that act together to shape the surface of the Earth. In simple terms, weathering is a set of processes that break solid rocks into fragments. Erosion is a group  of processes that involve running water, blowing wind or moving ice, which pick up and move these fragments to different locations.

Q.24 . What kind of settlement pattern is seen on mountains ?

Ans. Due to harsh climatic conditions, the number of people living in mountain areas is less. Generally two types of housing patterns can be seen on the mountains. One in which the houses are generally of sub scattered these are mud houses with low roofs and have a lot of distance between them. Second is the clustered type, where all the houses are situated on a particular slope. The houses are generally wooden houses and may be joined wall to wall with each other.

Q.25. Define the following terms:

(i) Divergent boundary

(ii) Convergent boundary

(iii) Transform boundary

(iv) Folds

(v) Faults

(vi) Earthquake 

Ans. (i) Divergent boundary : Boundary where plates move apart or spread.

(ii) Convergent boundary: Boundary where plates collide with each other, causing one plate to

either dive under or ride up over the other plate.

(iii) Transform boundary: Boundary where plates slide past each other.

(iv) Folds : Places where rocks have been compressed into bends by colliding plates.

(v) Faults: Places where rock masses have been broken.

(vi) Earthquake: Sudden shaking of the Earth’s crust that takes place when tectonic forces cause masses of rock inside the crust to break.

Q.26. The plains are known as food baskets. Why?

Ans. The plains generally have deep and fertile soil. Since the plains have a flat surface, means of irrigation are easily developed. Both these factors have made the plains agriculturally important that they are often called ‘food baskets of the world’.

Q.27. Why are plateaus called ‘storehouse of minerals’?

Ans. Most of the minerals in the world are found in the peninsular plateaus. Besides, the extraction of minerals is relatively easier on the plateaus. These minerals are indispensable as raw material for our industries. We get gold from the Plateau of Western Australia; copper, diamonds and gold from the Plateaus of Africa; and coal, iron, manganese and mica from the Chhota Nagpur Plateau in India.

Q.28. How do mountains modify the climate of a place ?

Ans. Mountainous areas have lower temperatures. They serve as a climatic divide between two adjoining regions. The Himalayas for example, forms a barrier to the movement of cold winds from Central Asia towards the Indian subcontinent. They also force the South West Monsoons to ascend and cause rainfall on their southern slopes.

Q.29. Write the type of mountain of which following are the examples of :

(i) The Black Forest

(ii) The Nilgiris

(iii) The Fuji Yama

(iv) The Andes

Ans. (i) The Black Forest: Block mountains

(ii) The Nilgiris : Residual mountains

(iii) The Fuji Yama: Volcanic mountains

(iv) The Andes: Fold mountains

Also Check – Major Landforms of the Earth- Class 6th Very Short Questions and Answers

Also Check – Major Landforms of The Earth Class 6th – Notes