Class 9 Geography Chapter 2 Extra Questions and Answers Physical Features of India

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Class 9 Geography Chapter 2 Extra Questions and Answers Physical Features of India

Physical Features of India Class 9 Extra Questions and Answer Geography Chapter 2 Very Short Answers Type

Question 1.
What is the ‘Theory of Plate Tectonics’?
Answer:
According to the ‘Theory of Plate Tectonics’, the earth’s upper part i.e., crust has been formed out of seven major and some minor plates.

Question 2.
Name three types of plate movements.
Answer:

• Convergent
• Divergent
• Transform

Question 3.
How is convergent boundary formed?
Answer:
Convergent boundary is formed when some plates come towards each other.

Question 4.
How is divergent boundary formed?
Answer:
Divergent boundary is formed when some plates move away from each other.

Question 5.
Name the seven major tectonic plates.
Answer:

• Eurasian plate
• North American plate
• South American plate
• African plate
• Indo-Australian plate
• Pacific plate

Question 6.
What is the peninsular plateau composed of?
Answer:
The peninsular plateau is composed of igneous and metamorphic rocks.

Question 7.
Mention the direction of the Himalayan mountain ranges.
Answer:
The Himalayan mountain ranges run in a west-east direction from the Indus to the Brahmaputra.

Question 8.
Mention one features of the Himalayas.
Answer:
The Himalayas represents the loftiest and one of the most rugged mountain barriers of the world.

Question 9.
The Himalaya consists of three parallel ranges in its longitudinal extent. Name them.
Answer:

• The northern most range known as the Great or Inner Himalayas or the Himadri.
• The range lying to the south of the Himadri known as Himachal or lesser Himalayas.
• The outer most range of the Himalayas known as the Shivaliks.

Question 10.
Which is the highest peak of India? Where is it located?
Answer:
The highest peak of the Himalayas located in India is Kanchenjunga with 8598 m height. It is located in Sikkim region.

Question 11.
Which is the youngest and lowest range of Himalaya?
Answer:
The Shivalik is the youngest and lowest range of Himalayas.

Question 12.
Which is the longest and the most important range of Himachal or lesser Himalaya?
Answer:
The Pir Panjal range is the longest and the most important range of Himanchal or lesser Himalaya.

Question 13.
From west to east, middle Himalaya is divided into three ranges. Name them.
Answer:

• Pir Panjal range (Jammu and Kashmir).
• Dhaula Dhar range (Himachal Pradesh)
• Mahabharat range (Nepal)

Question 14.
Where are most of the world’s highest peaks located?
Answer:
Most of the world’s highest peaks are located in the Inner Himalayan region

Question 15.
What are known as Duns?
Answer:
The longitudinal valley lying between lesser Himalaya and the Shivaliks are known as Duns.

Question 16.
Name any two well-known Duns.
Answer:

• Dehra Dun
• Kotli Dun.

Question 17.
Which two rivers demarcate the Nepal Himalayas?
Answer:
The Kali and Tista rivers demarcate the Nepal Himalayas.

Question 18.
What is known as Kumaon Himalayas?
Answer:
The part of the Himalayas lying between Satluj and Kali rivers is known as Kumaon Himalayas.

Question 19.
What is known as Punjab Himalayas?
Answer:
The part of the Himalayas lying between Indus and Satluj rivers is known as Punjab Himalayas.

Question 20.
Name the part of Himalayas lying between Tista and Dihang rivers.
Answer:
Assam Himalayas.

Question 21.
What are known as the Purvachal or the Eastern hills and mountains?
Answer:
Beyond the Dihang gorge, the Himalayas bend sharply to the south and spread along the eastern boundary of India. They are known as the Purvachal or the Eastern Hills and mountains.

Question 22.
Which Himalayan range lies between Himadri and Shivaliks?
Answer:
Himachal or lesser Himalaya lies between Himadri and Shivaliks.

Question 23.
What is known as bhangerl
Answer:
The largest part of the northern plain is formed of older alluvium. They lie above the flood plains of the rivers and present a terrace like feature. This part is known as bhangar.

Question 24.
What are called Khadar ?
Answer:
The newer, younger deposits of the floodplains are called khadar. They are fertile and ideal for intensive agriculture.

Question 25.
Give the shape and location of the Deccan Plateau.
Answer:
The Deccan plateau is a triangular landmass that lies to the south of the river Narmada.

Question 26.
Name the highest peak in the Eastern Ghats.
Answer:
Mahendragiri.

Question 27.
Give the location of Shevroy Hills and the Javadi Hills.
Answer:
They are located to the southeast of the Eastern Ghats.

Question 28.
Mention one feature of the peninsular plateau.
Answer:
The peninsular plateau has the black soil area known as Deccan Trap.

Question 29.
Name three prominent hill ranges located in Meghalaya.
Answer:
The Garo, the Khasi and the Jaintia Hills.

Question 30.
Give the location of the Aravali Hills.
Answer:
The Aravali Hills lie on the western and northwestern margins of the peninsular plateau.

Question 31.
Give the location of the Great Indian Desert.
Answer:
The Great India Desert lies towards the western margins of the Aravali Hills.

Question 32.
What do you know about the Northern drear and the Coromandel Coast?
Answer:
The coastal plain in the northern part is referred to as the Northern Circar and in the southern part is known as the Coromandel Coast.

Question 33.
What are coral polyps?
Answer:
Coral polyps are short-lived microscopic organisms which live in colonies.

Question 34.
Which is the highest peak in the Deccan plateau?
Answer:
Anai Mudi is the highest peak in the Deccan plateau.

Question 35.
What are barchans?
Answer:
Barchans are crescent shaped sand dunes found in the desert regions.

Question 36.
What are the eastward extensions of the peninsular plateau locally known as?
Answer:
They are locally known as the Bundelkhand and Baghelkhand.

Question 37.
Where is India’s only active volcano found?
Answer:
India’s only active volcano is found on Barren island in Andaman and Nicobar group of islands.

Question 38.
Which lake is the largest salt water lake in India? Where does it lie?
Answer:
The Chilika lake is the largest salt water lake in India. It lies in the state of Odisha, to the south of the Mahanadi delta.

Question 39.
Which are the two famous valleys in the state of Himachal Pradesh?
Answer:
The two famous valleys in the state of Himachal Pradesh are Kulu and Kangra.

Question 40.
How can you say that India has practically all major physical features of the earth?
Answer:
All major physical features of the earth i.e., mountains, plains, deserts, plateaus and islands can be seen in different parts of our country.

Physical Features of India Class 9 Extra Questions and Answer Geography Chapter 2 Short Answers Type

Question 1.
Explain the theory of Plate Tectonics.
Or
Give a brief description of the plate movements.
Or
Classify plate movements into three types.
Answer:
According to the theory of Plate Tectonics, the upper part of the earth has been formed out of seven major and some minor plates. The movements of these plates can be classified into three types:

• Some plates come towards each other and form convergent boundary.
• Some plates move away from each other and from divergent boundary.
• At times, some plates may also move horizontally past each other and form transform boundary.

Question2.
Describe how the northern plains of India were formed.
Answer:

• The Himalayan uplift out of the Tethys sea and subsidence of the northern flank of the peninsular plateau resulted in the formation of a large basin.
• In due course of time this depression, gradually got filled with deposition of sediments by the rivers flowing from the mountains in the north and the peninsular plateau in the south.
• A flat land of extensive alluvial deposits led to the formation of the northern plains of India.

Question 3.
Describe physical variations that the land of India displays.
Answer:
Our country has practically all major physical features of the earth. i.e mountains, plains, plateaus, deserts and islands. The Himalayas and the Northern Plains are the most recent landforms. The whole mountain system of Himalayas represents a very youthful topography with high peaks, deep valleys and fast flowing rivers.

The northern plains are formed of alluvial deposits. The peninsular plateau is composed of igneous and metamorphic rocks with gently rising hills and wide valleys. The Great Indian Desert is an undulating sandy plain covered with sand dunes. The coastal plains run along the Arabian Sea on the west and the Bay of Bengal on the east. The country has also two groups of islands—the Lakshsdweep Islands group and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

Question 4.
Give some prominent features of the Himalayan mountains.
Answer:
The Himalayas are geologically young and structurally fold mountains stretching over the northern borders of India. Some of their prominent features are given below:

• They extend about 2500 km between Indus and Brahmaputra gorges from west to east in an arc shaped manner.
• Their width varies from 400 km in Kashmir to 150 km in Arunachal Pradesh. The altitudinal variations are greater in the eastern half than those in the western half.
• The Himalaya consists of three parallel ranges in its longitudinal extent. A number of valley lie between these ranges.

Question 5.
What are the features of the Great or Inner Himalayas or the Himadri?
Answer:
The northern most range of the Himalayas is known as the Great or Inner Himalayas or the Himadri. Some of the features of this range are:

• It is the most continuous range consisting of the loftiest peaks with an average height of 6,000 metres. It contains all the prominent Himalayan peaks.
• The folds of Great Himalayas are asymmetrical in nature. The core of this part of Himalayas is composed of granite.
• It is perennially snow bound, and a great number of glaciers descend from the range.

Question 6.
What is known as Himachal or lesser Himalaya? Mention some of the features of this mountain system.
Answer:
The mountain range lying to the south of the Himadri is known as Himachal or lesser Himalaya. Some of the features of this mountain system are:

• The ranges of this mountain system are mainly composed of highly compressed and altered rocks. The altitude varies between 3,700 and 4,500 metres and the average width is of 50 km.
• The Pir Panjal range forms the longest and the most important range. The Dhula Dhar and the Mahabharat ranges are other prominent ranges.
• This range consists of the famous valley of Kashmir, the Kangra and Kullu valley in Himachal Pradesh. This region is famous for its hill stations.

Question 7.
What is called the outer most range of the Himalayas? Describe them briefly.
Or
Mention some of the features of the Shivalik Hills.
Answer:
The Shivalik Hills is a mountain range of the outer Himalayas. Some of the features of this range are:
(i) This range is about 2,400 km long enclosing an area that starts almost from the Indus and ends close to the Brahmaputra, with a gap of about 90 km between the Teesta and Raidak rivers in Assam. The width of the Shivalik Hills varies from 10 to 50 km and their average elevation is 1,500 to 2,000 m.

(ii) These ranges are composed of unconsolidated sediments brought down by rivers from the main Himalayan ranges located farther north. These valleys are covered with thick gravel and alluvium.

(iii) The longitudinal valley lying between lesser Himalaya and the Shivalik are known as Duns. Dehra Dun, Kotli Dun and Patli Dun are some of the well-known Duns.

Question 8.
Describe briefly the three sections of the northern plain.
Or
Into which three sections is the northern plain divided? Describe them briefly.
Answer:
The northern plain is divided into three sections:

• The Punjab plains
• The Ganga plains
• The Brahmaputra plains

The Punjab Plains: the western part of the northern plain is called the Punjab Plains. This plain is formed by the Indus and its tributaries such as the Jhelum, the Chenab, the Beas, the Ravi and the Satluj. The larger part of this plain lies in Pakistan. The section of the plain is dominated by the doabs.

The Ganga Plains: extends between Ghaggar and Teesta rivers. It is spread over the states of North India—Haryana, Delhi, UP, Bihar, partly Jharkhand and West Bengal.

The Brahmaputra Plains: forms the eastern part of the northern plain and lies in Assam.

Question 9.
Which group of islands is located in the Arabian Sea? Give features of these islands.
Answer:
The Lakshadweep Islands group is located in the Arabian Sea. Some features of these islands are:

• The Lakshadweep islands are a group of 36 islands. They ware formerly known as Laccadive, Minicoy and Amindivie islands. In 1973, these were named as Lakshadweep.
• These islands group lies close to the Malabar coast of Kerala. It is composed of small coral islands.
• It covers small area of 32 sq km. Kavaratti island is the administrative headquarters of Lakshadweep.
• This islands group has great diversity of flora and fauna. The Pitti island, which is uninhabited, has a bird sanctuary.

Question 10.
Write a short note on corals.
Or
How are coral reefs formed? Give examples.
Answer:
Coral are marine invertebrates which typically live in compact colonies of many identical individual polyps. They flourish in shallow, mud free and warm waters. They secrete hard rock like substance called calcium carbonate. The coral secretion and their skeletons form coral deposits in the form of reefs. These are mainly of three kinds:

• barrier reef
• fringing reef
• atolls

The Great Barrier Reef of Australia is a good example of the first kind of coral reefs. It is the largest living thing on earth, and even visible from outer space. Atolls are circular or horse shoe shaped coral reefs.

Question 11.
Write a brief note on the Deccan Trap.
Answer:

• The black soil area of the peninsular plateau is known as Deccan Trap.
• The Deccan Traps are a large igneous province located on the Deccan Plateau of west central India and one of the largest volcanic features on earth.
• They consists of multiple layers of solidified flood basalt that together are more than 2,000 m thick, cover an area of 500,000 km² and have a volume of 512,000 km³.

Physical Features of India Class 9 Extra Questions and Answer Geography Chapter 2 Long Answers Type

Question 1.
Give a detailed description of the peninsular plateau.
Or
What is the peninsular plateau? Describe it highlighting its features.
Answer:
The peninsular plateau is a tableland. It is composed of the old crystalline, igneous and metamorphic rocks. It is considered the oldest landmass as it was formed due to the drifting of the Gondwana land. The plateau consists of broad and shallow valleys and rounded hills.
The peninsular plateau can be divided into two regions:
(i) The Central Highlands
(ii) The Deccan Plateau

(i) The Central Highlands:

• The part of the peninsular plateau lying to the north of the Narmada river covering a major area of the Malwa plateau is called the Central Highlands.
• The Vindhya range is bounded by the Central Highlands on the south and the Aravalis on the northwest. The further westward extension gradually merges with the sandy and rocky desert of Rajasthan.
• The rivers draining this region are the Chambal, the Sind, the Betwa and the Ken. The flow of these rivers is from southwest to northeast which indicates the slopes.
• The Central Highlands are wider in the west but narrower in the east.
• The eastern end of the Central Highlands is called the Chotanagpur plateau. The river Damodar flows through this plateau.

(ii) The Deccan Plateau:

• The Deccan plateau is a triangular landmass that lies to the south of the river Narmada. The Godavari river and its tributaries drain most of the northern portion of this plateau, rising in the Western Ghats and flowing east towards the Bay of Bengal.
• The Satpura range flanks its broad base in the north while the Mahadev, the Kaimur hills and the Maikal range form its eastern extensions.
• The Deccan Plateau is higher in the west and slopes gently eastwards.
• The Western Ghats and the Eastern Ghats form the western and the eastern edges of the Deccan Plateau. The Western Ghats lie parallel to the western coast. They are continuous and can be crossed through passes only.
• The most distinct feature of the peninsular plateau is the black soil area known as Deccan Trap. The soil is of volcanic origin.

Question 2.
Explain the main features of the Deccan plateau.
Answer:
The Deccan Plateau:

• The Deccan plateau is a triangular landmass that lies to the south of the river Narmada. The Godavari river and its tributaries drain most of the northern portion of this plateau, rising in the Western Ghats and flowing east towards the Bay of Bengal.
• The Satpura range flanks its broad base in the north while the Mahadev, the Kaimur hills and the Maikal range form its eastern extensions.
• The Deccan Plateau is higher in the west and slopes gently eastwards.
• The Western Ghats and the Eastern Ghats form the western and the eastern edges of the Deccan Plateau. The Western Ghats lie parallel to the western coast. They are continuous and can be crossed through passes only.
• The most distinct feature of the peninsular plateau is the black soil area known as Deccan Trap. The soil is of volcanic origin.

Question 3.
Distinguish between Western Himalayas and Eastern Himalayas.
Or
Compare Western and Eastern Himalayas.
Answer:
(i) The Western Himalayas are higher than the Eastern Himalayas.

(ii) The Eastern Himalayas receive much more precipitation than the Western Himalayas. More precipitation means more greenery in the eastern Himalayas.

(iii) The Western Himalayas are over the states like Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh. The Eastern Himalayas on the other hand are spread over the states such as West Bengal, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh.

(iv) The famous hill stations lying in the Western Himalayas are Shimla, Kullu Manali, Srinagar, etc. The famous hill stations in the Eastern Himalayas are Darjeeeling and Shillong.

(v) Earthquakes and landslides are more common in the Eastern Himalayas than in the Western Himalayas.

(vi) The Indus and the Satluj are the two main rivers that pass through the Western Himalayas and drain into the Arabian Sea. The Brahmaputra is the only main river that passes through the Eastern Himalayas and falls into the Bay of Bengal.

Question 4.
Describe the division of the Himalayas on the basis of regions from west to east.
Answer:
The Himalayas have been divided on the basis of regions from west to east. These divisions have been demarcated by river valleys:

• Punjab Himalaya: The part of Himalayas lying between Indus and Satluj has been traditionally known as Punjab Himalaya but it is also known regionally as Kashmir and Himachal Himalaya from west to east respectively.
• Kumaon Himalayas: The part of the Himalayas lying between Satluj and Kali rivers is known as Kumaon Himalayas.
• Nepal Himalayas: This part is demarcated by rivers such as the Kali and Tista.
• Assam Himalayas: The part lying between Tista and Dihang rivers is known as Assam Himalayas,
• Purvachal: The Brahmaputra marks the eastern most boundary of the Himalayas. Beyond the Dihang gorge, the Himalayas bend sharply to the south and spread along the eastern boundary of India. They are known as the Purvachal or the Eastern hills and mountains.

Question 5.
Describe the longitudinal divisions of the Himalayas.
Answer:
The northern most range of the Himalayas is known as the Great or Inner Himalayas or the Himadri. Some of the features of this range are:

• It is the most continuous range consisting of the loftiest peaks with an average height of 6,000 metres. It contains all the prominent Himalayan peaks.
• The folds of Great Himalayas are asymmetrical in nature. The core of this part of Himalayas is composed of granite.
• It is perennially snow bound, and a great number of glaciers descend from the range.

The mountain range lying to the south of the Himadri is known as Himachal or lesser Himalaya. Some of the features of this mountain system are:

• The ranges of this mountain system are mainly composed of highly compressed and altered rocks. The altitude varies between 3,700 and 4,500 metres and the average width is of 50 km.
• The Pir Panjal range forms the longest and the most important range. The Dhula Dhar and the Mahabharat ranges are other prominent ranges.
• This range consists of the famous valley of Kashmir, the Kangra and Kullu valley in Himachal Pradesh. This region is famous for its hill stations.

The Shivalik Hills is a mountain range of the outer Himalayas. Some of the features of this range are:

• This range is about 2,400 km long enclosing an area that starts almost from the Indus and ends close to the Brahmaputra, with a gap of about 90 km between the Teesta and Raidak rivers in Assam. The width of the Shivalik Hills varies from 10 to 50 km and their average elevation is 1,500 to 2,000 m.
• These ranges are composed of unconsolidated sediments brought down by rivers from the main Himalayan ranges located farther north. These valleys are covered with thick gravel and alluvium.
• The longitudinal valley lying between lesser Himalaya and the Shivalik are known as Duns. Dehra Dun, Kotli Dun and Patli Dun are some of the well-known Duns.

Physical Features of India Class 9 Extra Questions and Answer Geography Chapter 2 Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) Questions

Question 1.
Based on the relief features, the northern plain can be divided into four regions. Name them. Also describe each of them.
Or
Divide the northern plain on the basis of its relief. Describe each of them.
Answer:
The name of the four regions are:

• Bhabar
• Terai
• Bhangar
• Khadar

Bhabar:
After descending from the mountains the rivers deposit pebbles in a narrow belt. The width of this belt is about 8 to 16 km. It lies parallel to the Shivaliks. It is known as bhabar. It is the gently-sloping coarse alluvial zone below the Shivaliks where streams disappear into permeable sediments. The underground water level is deep in this region.

Terai:
The terai region lies towards south of the bhabar belt. Streams and rivers re-emerge in this region and create a wet, swampy and marshy land called terai. This was a thickly forested region full of wildlife. However, the forests have been cleared to create agricultural land and to settle migrants from Pakistan after partition.

Bhangar:
It is the largest par of the northern plain formed of older alluvium. They lie above the flood plains of the rivers and appear like terrace. The soil in this region is not very fertile and is known as Kankar as it contains calcareous deposits.

Khadar:
The floodplains formed of newer and younger alluvium is called khadar. The soil in this region is very fertile as it is renewed every year. It is ideal for intensive agriculture.

Question 2.
Compare the two coastal plains of India.
Or
Compare the main features of the eastern coastal plain and the western coastal plain.
Answer:
The coastal plains of India are located along the Arabian Sea coast in the west and along the Bay of Bengal in the east. Thus, there are two coastal plains of India:
(i) The Eastern coastal plain
(ii) The Western coastal plain

(i) The Eastern Coastal Plain is wide and level. It is extending from the mouth of the river Subamarekha to Kanyakumari. The western coastal plain is narrow and is sandwiched between the Western Ghats and the Arabian Sea. It is stretching from Kutch peninsula in the north to Kanyakumari in the south.

(ii) The Eastern Coastal Plain has two broad divisions. In the northern part, it is referred to as the Northern Circar while the southern part is known as the Coromandel Coast. The Western Coastal Plain, on the other hand has four divisions—Kutch and Kathiwar Coast (Gujarat), Konkan Coast, Kannad Coast and Malabar Coast.

(iii) The Eastern Coastal plain is fertile as it is made by the deltas of a number of rivers such as the Mahanadi, the Godavari, the Krishna and the Kaveri. But the Western Coastal Plain is not so fertile as it has almost no deltas.

(iv) The availability of fertile land in the Eastern Coastal Plain attracts a huge population to settle there. But the Western Coastal Plain is not as densely populated as the Western Coastal Plain.

(v) Lakes, lagoons are common in the Eastern Coastal Plain. For example, Lake Chilika is an important feature along this coast. But the Western Coastal Plain lacks this feature.

Question 3.
Write a short note on eastern hills and mountains.
Or
What are known as the Purvachal! Give their main features.
Answer:
Hills and mountains spread along the eastern boundary of India are known as the Purvachal. They are also called the eastern hills and mountains. These hills are of medium height. Some of their features are:

• They run through the north-eastern states and are mostly composed of strong sandstones which are sedimentary rocks.
• These hills are covered with dense forests. They mostly run as parallel ranges and valleys.
• This Purvachal comprises the Patkai hills, the Naga hills, Manipur hills and the Mizo hills.

Physical Features of India Class 9 Extra Questions and Answer Geography Chapter 2 Value-based Questions (VBQs)

Question 1.
Enlist the features that make the northern plains suitable for agriculture.
Answer:
The features that make the northern plains suitable for agriculture are:

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

Question 2.
Different physiographic units highlight the unique features of each region. How can you say that each region complements the other and makes India richer in its natural resources?
Answer:
(i) The mountains are the major sources of water and forest wealth. They provide human beings with medicinal products, food, biodiversity, energy and fresh water.

(ii) The northern plains are the granaries of the country. They provide the base for early civilisations. They provide vast fertile lands and abundant water supply for agriculture.

(iii) The plateau region is the storehouse of minerals, which has played a crucial role in the industrialisation of the country. The coastal regions and island groups provide’ sites for fishing and port activities. Thus, the diverse physical features of the land have immense future possibilities of development. Each region complements the other and makes the country richer in its natural resources.

Physical Features of India Class 9 Extra Questions and Answer Geography Chapter 2 Map-based Questions

On an outline map of India, show the following:

• Plateau—Deccan Plateau
• Coastal Plains—Konkan, Malabar, Coromandel and Northern Circars
• Mountain Ranges—The Shivalik, the Satpura, Eastern Ghats.