Short Answer Type Questions
- Mountains play an important role in our life. How?
Mountains are vital because they are a storehouse of water (glaciers feed many rivers) and influence local climate. They also host diverse flora and fauna and provide resources like timber, herbs, and grazing lands. - Mention the importance of plateaus.
Plateaus are extremely valuable because they are rich in mineral deposits. Many mining areas in the world are located in plateaus, such as the African plateau (gold/diamonds) and the Chota Nagpur plateau (iron/coal/manganese) in India. - Write a short note on life in the plains.
Life in the plains is generally easier than in mountains. The flat land is ideal for agriculture, building houses, and transportation. Consequently, plains are the most densely populated regions in the world. - Discuss the different types of mountains.
There are three main types of mountains:- Fold Mountains: Formed by the folding of the earth's crust (e.g., Himalayas).
- Block Mountains: Created when large areas are broken and displaced vertically (e.g., Rhine valley).
- Volcanic Mountains: Formed due to volcanic activity (e.g., Mt. Kilimanjaro).
Long Answer Type Questions
- Explain why plains are densely populated as compared to the mountains.
Plains offer fertile soil for farming and flat land for infrastructure like roads and factories. In contrast, mountains have steep slopes, harsh climates, and thin soil, making agriculture and construction difficult. - Describe the importance of plateaus and mountains for human beings.
- Mountains serve as a source of perennial water and a hub for tourism and adventure sports.
- Plateaus provide the raw materials (minerals) essential for industrial development and often feature scenic waterfalls that are used for generating hydroelectric power.
Distinguish between the following:
1. Mountains and Plains
- Mountains: Naturally elevated areas of the earth's surface with steep sides and high peaks (summits). They have a small summit and a broad base.
- Plains: Large, flat areas of low-lying land with very gentle slopes. They are usually more fertile and densely populated than mountains.
2. Young Fold Mountains and Old Fold Mountains
Feature
Young Fold Mountains
Old Fold Mountains
Age
Formed recently (e.g., last 10-70 million years).
Formed millions of years ago.
Appearance
High peaks and deep valleys; rugged relief.
Rounded peaks and lower height due to erosion.
Examples
Himalayas, Alps, Rockies.
Urals, Appalachians, Aravalis.
3. Block Mountains and Volcanic Mountains
- Block Mountains: Created when large areas of the earth's crust are broken and displaced vertically. The uplifted blocks are called horsts and the lowered blocks are graben (e.g., Rhine Valley).
- Volcanic Mountains: Formed due to volcanic activity. Magma erupts from the earth, cools, and piles up to form a cone-shaped mountain (e.g., Mt. Kilimanjaro, Mt. Fuji).
4. Plains and Plateaus
- Plains: Flat lands, generally not more than 200 meters above sea level. They are often formed by river deposits.
- Plateaus: Elevated flat lands (tablelands) that rise sharply above the surrounding area on at least one side. They are often rich in mineral deposits (e.g., Deccan Plateau).