CHAPTER 8- MAJOR LAND FORMS

A. Questions and Answers

Q1. What is a landform?

Ans: A landform is a feature on the Earth's surface that is part of terrain.

Q2. Name some major and minor landforms.

Ans: Major landforms include mountains, hills, deserts, plains, and plateaus. Minor landforms
include canyons, valleys, and basins.

Q3. What is a mountain?

Ans: A mountain is a large landmass that rises above the surrounding land in the form of a peak.

Q4. Name some mountain ranges of the world.

Ans: Himalayan (Asia), Alpine (Europe), Rocky (North America), and Andes (South America).

Q5. Why is farming not done on mountains?

Ans: Farming is not done on mountains because the land is not suitable for agriculture.

Q6. What is the highest mountain peak in the world?

Ans: Mount Everest, which is about 8,850 metres above sea level.

Q7. What is the local name of Mount Everest in Nepal and Tibet?

Ans: In Nepal, it is called Sagarmatha. In Tibet, it is called Chomolungma.

Q8. What are hills? Name some hills in India.

Ans: Hills are high landmasses but not as high as mountains. Examples are Shivalik Hills,
Annamalai Hills, Cardamom Hills, and Nilgiri Hills.

Q9. What is a desert?

Ans: A desert is a barren area of land with very little rainfall.

Q10. What are the two types of deserts? Explain

Ans: Hot deserts and cold deserts.

Hot deserts have a hot,dry and windy climate.Strong winds in these areas break down the
rocks in small pieces.
Cold deserts are frozen.Temperature are low and there is hardly any vegetation.

Q11. What are sand dunes?

Ans: Sand dunes are huge mounds of sand formed by wind in the deserts.

Q12. What is an oasis?

Ans: An oasis is a place in the desert where underground water comes to the surface and forms
pools.These placed have date-palm,Keekar and babul trees.

Q13. Name some hot and cold deserts of the world.

Ans: Hot: Sahara (Africa), Arabian Desert (Asia)

Cold: Antarctica, Gobi Desert (Asia)

Q14. What is a plain?

Ans: A plain is a low-lying and flat piece of land.

Q15. How are plains formed?

Ans: Plains are formed by big rivers and their tributaries depositing soil, sand, and stones.

Q16. Why are plains good for agriculture?

Ans: Plains have fertile soil which is suitable for agriculture.

Q17. Name some famous plains in the world.

Ans: Great Northern Plains (India), Nile Valley Plain (Egypt), Hwang-Ho Plain (China)
Q18. What is a plateau?

Ans: A plateau is a broad, flat highland, also called a tableland.

Q19. Name some plateaus.

Ans: Deccan Plateau (India), Tibet Plateau (highest in the world)

Q.20.Why are plateaus less populated?

Ans: Because the land is hard and not smooth, making it difficult to build roads, railways, and
canals.

Q21. What is a canyon?

Ans: A canyon is a deep valley with steep sides formed by river erosion over time.

Q22. Name some canyons in India.

Ans: Gandikota Grand Canyon (Andhra Pradesh), Laitlum Canyon (Meghalaya), Gangani
Canyon (West Bengal)

Q23. What is a valley?

Ans: A valley is a low-lying area between hills or mountains with a river flowing through it.

Q24. Name some valleys in India.

Ans: Chamba Valley (Himachal Pradesh), Doon Valley (Uttarakhand), Kashmir Valley (Jammu
& Kashmir)

Q25. What is a river basin?

Ans: A river basin is part of land drained by a river and its tributaries.

Q26. Name major river basins in India.

Ans:The major river basins in India are Ganga Basin, Satluj Basin, Brahmaputra Basin.

Q27 .Why are plains thickly populated?

Ans: Plains have fertile soil, so they are good for agricultural purposes. Plains are thickly
populated as the flat land helps in the construction of roads, railways, buildings and industries.

Q.28. Distinguish between mountain and Hills

Mountain Hills
1. A mountain is a large landmass that 1.Hills are also high landmasses. But they are
rises above the surrounding land in the not as high as mountains.
form of a peak

2. Example – Mount Everest, K2 2.Example-Shivalik Hills, Nilgiri

B. One word answer

1. Highest mountain peak – Mount Everest

2. Cold high landmass – Mountain

3. Broad flat highland – Plateau

4. Barren land with little rainfall – Desert

5. Low-lying flat land – Plain

6. Deep valley with steep sides – Canyon

7. Low area between hills or mountains – Valley

8. Land drained by river – Basin

9. Hot desert in Africa – Sahara

10. Cold desert in Asia – Gobi Desert

11. Mountain range in Asia – Himalayas ranges

12. Mountain range in Europe – Alpine mountain ranges

13. Mountain range in North America – Rocky mountains ranges

14. Mountain range in South America – Andes ranges

15. Indian highest mountain peak – Mount Everest

16. Another name for plateau – Tableland

17. Plateau with mineral deposits in India – Deccan Plateau

18. Highest plateau in the world – Tibet Plateau

19. Valley in Uttarakhand – Doon Valley

20. Valley in Jammu & Kashmir – Kashmir Valley

21. Canyon in Andhra Pradesh – Gandikota

22. Canyon in West Bengal – Gangani

23. Oasis landform – Desert

24. Sand formations in desert – Sand dunes

25. Desert with underground water – Oasis

26. Cold desert in Antarctica – Antarctica

27. People don’t farm here – Mountains

28. Flat land suitable for farming – Plains

29. Known as 'Roof of the World' – Tibet Plateau

30.Who was Mount Everest named after?-Sir George Everest

31. Who was the surveyor General of India from 1830-1843?-

Sir George Everest

31. Landform with a peak – Mountain

32. Chain of mountains – Range

33. Mountain range in India – Himalayas

34. Height of Mount Everest- about 8,850 metres above the sea level

35. Name of Everest in Nepal – Sagarmatha

36. Name of Everest in Tibet – Chomolungma

37. Named Everest after – Sir George Everest

38. Cold region with steep land – Mountain

39. Some famous hills of India– Shivalik Hills,Annamalai Hills, Cardamon Hills and Nilgiri
Hills

40. Is not suitable for agricultural -Mountains and Hills

41. Meaning of terrain -land

42. Indian desert – Thar Desert

43. Hot dry windy place – Desert

44. World’s largest hot desert – Sahara

45. Sahara Desert is in – Africa

46. Sandy landform in desert – Sand dune

47. Small water-rich area in desert – Oasis

48. Trees found in oasis – Date palm.babul trees and Keekar trees

49. Flat and low-laying piece of land– Plain

50. Rivers help form – Plains

51 .Famous plain of the world in India– Northern Plain of India

52. Plain in Egypt – Nile Valley

53. Plain in China – Hwang-Ho

54. Rocky highland – Plateau

55. Largest plateau in India – Deccan Plateau

56. Highest plateau – Tibet Plateau

57. Another name for Tibet Plateau – Roof of the World

58. High land good for minerals – Plateau

59. Steep valley in Andhra Pradesh – Gandikota

60. Steep valley in Meghalaya – Laitlum Canyon