Geography – Chp.

4 Major landforms

A. Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)-

1. The place where the river originates is called its- source

2. A U-shaped valley is created by- glaciers

3. It is the largest delta in the world- Ganga-Brahmaputra Delta

4. Mushroom rocks are found in- deserts

B. Fill in the blanks.

1. The landforms are continuously worn away by two processes, weathering and
erosion.

2. A river mouth is the place where river joins another water body.

3. The river of snow and ice, which moves very slowly is called a glacier.

4. Sand dunes are the coarse particles deposited in the form of hillocks.

C. Write (T) for true and (F) for false statements.

1. All rocks are equally prone to weathering and erosion. TRUE

2. Sea cliffs are formed when waves crash against a high rocky coast. TRUE

3. Seawater contains sediments like, sand, pebbles etc. TRUE

4. Chilika Lake in Odisha is the largest lagoon in India. TRUE

D. Match the following.

1.river basin (a) area drained by a river and its tributaries

2. stacks (b) pillars of rocks standing in open water
3. cirque (c) an armchair-like depression
4. sand dunes (d) coarse particles deposited in the form of hillocks

Answer the following

A. Short answer Questions
1. What is a river basin? Write down the two ways in which running water
carries out its work.
Ans: (a) River basin is an area which is drained by the river and its tributaries.
(b) Running water erodes the rock over which it flows and transports the
eroded material.
(c)The transported material is also deposited by running water.
2. Write a short note on flood plains.
Ans: (a) Most of the floods are caused in the rainy season as the water spills over
the banks.
(b) On receding, this water leaves behind alluvial deposits over a large area
on both sides of the river.
(c)This deposited alluvium forms a relatively flat region called as flood
plains.
3. Define a U-Shaped valley. How is it formed?
Ans: (a) When a glacier passes through a valley, the floor and sides of the valley
are eroded by the rock pieces present in the glacier.
(b)Thus, the floor becomes flat and sides become steep. This type of valley is
called a U-shaped valley.
4. Discuss in brief about loess.
Ans: (a) Sometimes, fine dust particles are carried by the wind and deposited in
distant regions.
(b) These deposits develop into a thick layer of soil which is known as loess.

B. Long answer questions.

1. Write a note on the work of a river.
Ans: (a) River or the running water is perhaps the most powerful agent of erosion.
River basin is an area which is drained by the river and its tributaries, the three
ways in which a river carries out its work are;
(i) eroded material is transported by running water
(ii) a river erodes the rock over which it flows
(iii) transported material is also deposited by it
(b)In hilly areas or in the mountains, the river forms V-shaped valleys, gorges,
waterfall due to swift flow down a steep valley side. As the speed of the river
slows down on entering the plains, meanders and ox-bow lakes are formed.
(c) When flood water of the overflowing river recedes it leaves behind
alluvium along its bank known as flood plains.
(d)The river ends at the river mouth. It carries large volume of alluvium and
water. In the wide river channel, the excess load is deposited as sand bars. The
main channel is divided into several channels known as distributaries. The most
distinctive feature formed is delta at this stage.

2. What do you understand by a glacier? What shapes does it forms?

Ans: (a) Glacier is a river of snow and ice that moves out very slowly from the
snow fields. When a glacier passes through a valley, the floor and the sides of the
valley are eroded by the rock pieces present in the glacier.
(b)Thus, the floor becomes flat and sides become steep and this is called a U-
shaped valley.
(c)Along the slope of a mountain, the glacier carves out deep hollows. It
develops an armchair like depression known as cirque.
 (d)The depression filled with water forms a lake when glacial ice melts which
is known as tarn. Glacier deposits the rock material on the floor and side of the
valley known as glacial moraines.

3. Explain the formation of sand dunes.

Ans: (a)Sand dunes are the coarse particles which deposited in the form of
hillocks.
(b)They develop when there is some obstruction in the path of the wind.
They vary in height ranging from a few metres to 300 metres.
(c)The leeward slope is steep and the windward slope is gentle. Sand dunes
are mostly formed in groups.

4. Discuss how a V-Shaped valley is formed.

Ans: (a) V-shaped valley is formed in the hilly regions or in the mountains. Due to
the steep slope of land, the river carries a small volume of water.
(b) Due to its narrow stream it flows swiftly with enormous erosive power,
forming a number of landforms. The most common landform which is formed is a
V-shaped valley.

C. Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) Questions.

1. Do you think glaciers play an important role in maintaining the
temperature of our planet?
Ans: (a) Glaciers are formed in the higher and cooler elevations in the
mountainous areas such as Greenland and Antarctica.
(b)The entire landmass is kept cool by the presence of glaciers, which help to
maintain the temperature of our planet.
(c) However, global warming leads to melting and disappearance of large
parts of the glacier.
(d) Hence, the presence of glaciers is an indication of the temperature of our
planet. The larger the total volume of glaciers, the cooler will be the temperature of
our planet and lessening of glaciers means that the temperature of our planet is
raising.

2. River Kosi is located in Bihar. Why this river is is termed as ‘Sorrow of

Bihar’?
Ans: (a) River Kosi is termed as ‘Sorrow of Bihar’ because of frequent devastating
floods which causes great loss to property and lives.
(b) Most of the floods are caused in rainy season as the water spills over bank
due to low elevated land.