Geography as a Discipline class 11 geography  MCQ & SAQ

Geography as a Discipline class 11 geography  NCERT SOLUTION:

(i) Which one of the following scholars coined the term ‘Geography’?

(a) Herodotus

(b) Erathosthenese

(c) Galileo

(d) Aristotle

► (b) Erathosthenese

(ii) Which one of the following features can be termed as ‘physical feature’?

(a) Port

(b) Road 

(c) Plain

(d) Water park

► (c) Plain

(iii) Make correct pairs from the following two columns and mark the correct option.

Meteorology	Population Geography
Demography	Soil Geography
Sociology	Climatology
Pedology	Social Geography

 

(a) 1B,2C,3A,4D

(b) 1A,2D,3B,4C

(c) 1D,2B,3C,4A

(d) 1C,2A,3D,4B

► (d) 1C,2A,3D,4B

 

(iv) Which one of the following questions is related to cause-effect relationship?

(a) Why

(b) Where

(c) What 

(d) When

► (a) Why

(v) Which one of the following disciplines attempts temporal synthesis?

(a) Sociology

(b) Geography

(c) Anthropology

(d) History

► (d) History

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2. Answer the following questions in about 30 words.

(i) What important cultural features do you observe while going to school? Are they similar or dissimilar? Should they be included in the study of geography or not? If yes, why?

Answer : While going to school, we see some cultural features like shops, schools, clubs, offices, temples, mosques, houses. These features are dissimilar. Yes, they should be included in the study of geography as they are an essential part of human geography. 

(ii) You have seen a tennis ball, a cricket ball, an orange and a pumpkin. Which one amongst these resembles the shape of the earth? Why have you chosen this particular item to describe the shape of the earth?

Answer : An orange resembles the shape of the earth because all others are almost sphere while pumpkin is long in shape. Earth is not a perfect sphere, it rotates on its axis. It is of geoid shape, flatter toward poles like an orange.

(iii) Do you celebrate Van Mahotsava in your school? Why do we plant so many trees? How do the trees maintain ecological balance?

Answer : Yes, we do celebrate Van Mahotsava in our school.

We plant so many trees because trees provide us food, oxygen, clean air, economical products such as rubber and paper. help in making medicine etc.

By taking in carbon dioxide and giving oxygen, trees maintain ecological balance.

(iv) You have seen elephants, deer, earthworms, trees and grasses. Where do they live or grow? What is the name given to this sphere? Can you describe some of the important features of this sphere?

Answer : The sphere where elephants, deer, earthworms, trees and grasses live and grow is known as biosphere.

Important features of this sphere are:

→ The biosphere is the layer of the planet Earth where life exists.

→ Since life exists on the ground, in the air, and in the water, thus, biosphere overlaps all other three spheres.

→ Plants and animals are biotic elements of biosphere while soil, water, air are abiotic elements.

(v) How much time do you take to reach your school from your house? Had the school been located across the road from your house, how much time would you have taken to reach school? What is the effect of the distance between your residence and the school on the time taken in commuting? Can you convert time into space and vice versa?

Answer : It takes me around half an hour to reach my school. Had my school been located across the road from my house, I could reach there within four minutes. Due to the long distance between my residence and school, a lot of time gets wasted in commuting which affects my studies hour as well as playing hours negatively. Time can be converted into space, vice versa is also true, i.e., we can convert space into time.

 

3. Answer the following questions in about 150 words.

 

(i) You observe every day in your surroundings that there is variation in natural as well as cultural phenomena. All the trees are not of the same variety. All the birds and animals you see, are different. All these different elements are found on the earth. Can you now argue that geography is the study of “areal differentiation”?

Answer : There is vast variation in natural as well as cultural phenomena. The study of 'areal differentiation' is part of geography, however, geography is not only limited to 'areal differentiation'. Geography as a discipline is related to space and takes note of spatial characteristics and attributes. It studies the patterns of distribution, location and concentration of phenomena over space and interprets them providing explanations for these patterns. It takes note of the associations and inter-relationships between the phenomena over space and interprets them providing explanations for these patterns. It also takes note of the associations and inter-relationships between the phenomena resulting from the dynamic interaction between human beings and their physical environment.

Geography helps in understanding the reality in totality in its spatial perspective. Geography, thus, not only takes note of the differences in the phenomena from place to place but integrates them holistically which may be different at other places.

(ii) You have already studied geography, history, civics and economics as parts of social studies. Attempt an integration of these disciplines highlighting their interface.

Answer

• Geography and History: Geography influences historical events. Spatial distance itself has been a very potent factor to alter the course of history of the world. Spatial depth provided defence to many countries, particularly in the last century. In traditional warfare, countries with large size in area, gain time at the cost of space. Every geographical phenomenon undergoes change through time and can be explained temporally. The changes in landforms, climate, vegetation, economic activities occupations and cultural developments have followed a definite historical course.

• Geography and Civics: The core concern of political science is territory, people and sovereignty while political geography is also interested in the study of the state as a spatial unit as well as people and their political behaviour.

• Geography and Economics: Economics deals with basic attributes of the economy such as production, distribution, exchange and consumption. Each of these attributes also has spatial aspects and here comes the role of economic geography to study the spatial aspects of production, distribution, exchange and consumption.

Geography as a Discipline class 11 geography  MCQ: 

1. Which one of the following features can be termed as physical features?

(a) Port

(b) Road

(c) Plain

(d) Waterpark

► (c) Plain

 

2. The major issue for environmental geography is

(a) scientific study of the habitats.

(b) pollution, land degradation and conservation of environment.

(c) geographic characteristics of animals and their habitats.

(d) population explosion.

► (b) pollution, land degradation and conservation of environment.

 

3. The regional approach was developed by

(a) Alexander Von Humboldt.

(b) Karl Ritter

(c) Ptolemy

(d) Ibn-e-Batuta

► (b) Karl Ritter

 

4. What does we study under physical geography?

(a) Weather

(b) Soil

(c) Atmosphere

(d) All of the above

► (d) All of the above

 

5. Physical geography deals with the

(a) study of settlements.

(b) study of culture.

(c) study of soils.

(d) study of humans.

► (c) study of soils.

 

6. Which one of the following is the concern of geography?

(a) To find relationship between two country

(b) To find relationship between two parties

(c) To find relationship between any two phenomena

(d) None of these

► (c) To find relationship between any two phenomena

 

7. Which of the following is not a sub-branch of biogeography?

(a) Zoo geography

(b) Plant geography

(c) Environmental geography

(d) Climate geography

► (d) Climate geography

8. Which of the following is not studied under population geography?

(a) Sex ratio

(b) Migration

(c) Pollution

(d) Population

► (c) Pollution

 

9. To sustain our life, we use

(a) technology.

(b) shelter.

(c) resources.

(d) environment.

► (c) resources.

 

10. Who among the following said that ‘geography is concern with the description and explanation of the areal differentiation of the earth’s surface’?

(a) Herodotus

(b) Eratosthenes

(c) Richard Hartshorne

(d) Galileo

► (c) Richard Hartshorne

 

11. Which one of the following is associated with biogeography?

(a) Geology

(b) Sociology

(c) Zoology

(d) Climatology

► (c) Zoology

 

12. Plant geography deals with

(a) spatial pattern of natural vegetation in their habitats.

(b) geographic characteristics of animals and their habitats.

(c) scientific study of the habitats and characteristic of species.

(d) economic activities including agriculture, industry, trade, etc.

► (a) spatial pattern of natural vegetation in their habitats.

 

13. Which one of the following is not studied under economic geography?

(a) Agriculture

(b) Industry

(c) Transport

(d) Population

► (d) Population

 

14. Soils are formed by the process of

(a) Soil synthesis.

(b) Pedogenesis.

(c) Photosynthesis.

(d) Radio genesis.

► (b) Pedogenesis.

 

15. Which one of the following disciplines attempts temporal synthesis?

(a) Sociology

(b) Geography

(c) Anthropology

(d) History

► (a) Sociology

 

16. Geo-informatics comprising techniques such as

(a) remote sensing, GIS, GPS.

(b) computer cartography.

(c) qualitative techniques.

(d) quantitative techniques.

► (a) remote sensing, GIS, GPS.

 

17. Regional geography helps in identifying the

(a) realms.

(b) regions.

(c) distributions.

(d) problems.

► (b) regions.

 

18. Who developed systematic geography?

(a) Hambolt

(b) Karl Ritter

(c) Kumari Sample

(d) Alfred Hartner

► (a) Hambolt

Question : Who frame the phenomenon of cause and effect relationship?

(a) geographer

(b) photographer

(c) both of them

(d) none of them

Answer :  A

Question : Geography as a discipline is concerned with

(a) what

(b) where

(c) why

(d) all of them

Answer :  D

Question :  To which cropping pattern is related

(a) soils

(b) climates

(c) market

(d) all of them

Answer :  D

Question :  The regional approach was developed by

(a) Alexander Von Humboldt.

(b) Karl Ritter

(c) Ptolemy

(d) Ibn-e-Batuta

Answer :  B

Question :  Which of the following is not a sub-branch of biogeography

(a) Zoogeography

(b) Plant geography

(c) Environmental geography

(d) Climate geography

Answer :  D

Question :  Who developed systematic geography?

(a) Hambolt

(b) Karl Ritter

(c) Kumari Sample

(d) Alfred Hartner

Answer :  A

Question :  To sustain our life, we use

(a) technology.

(b) shelter.

(c) resources.

(d) environment.

Answer :  C

Question : Which one of the following scholars coined the term ‘Geography’?

(a) Herodotus

(b) Erathosthenese

(c) Galileo

(d) Aristotle

Answer :  B

Question :  Who among the following said that ‘geography is a concern with the description and explanation of the areal differentiation of the earth’s surface

(a) Herodotus

(b) Eratosthenes

(c) Richard Hartshorne

(d) Galileo

Answer :  C

Question : Which one of the following disciplines attempts temporal synthesis?

(a) Sociology

(b) Geography

(c) Anthropology

(d) History

Answer :  A

Question :  The major issue for environmental geography is

(a) scientific study of the habitats

(b) pollution, land degradation, and conservation of the environment

(c) geographic characteristics of animals and their habitats

(d) population explosion 

Answer :  B

Question :  The major approaches to study geography have been

(a) systematic

(b) regional

(c) both

(d) none of these

Answer :  C

Question : Which one of the following disciplines attempts temporal synthesis?

(a) Sociology

(b) Geography

(c) Anthropology

(d) History

Answer :  D

Question : Soils are formed by the process of

(a) Soil synthesis.

(b) Pedogenesis.

(c) Photosynthesis.

(d) Radio genesis.

Answer :  B

Question :  Who developed systematic geography?

(a) Hambolt

(b) Karl Ritter

(c) Kumari Sample

(d) Alfred Hartner

Answer :  A

Geography as a Discipline class 11 geography  SAQ:

What is geography?

Answer:

The word geography is a combination of two Greek words. ‘Geo’ means the earth and'Graphy'means description. Thus, the meaning of geography could be to write about the earth including all that is upon it. Geography is the science dealing with the spatial distribution of various phenomena (physical & human & biotic) on the surface of the earth.

What is the relation of geography with other sciences?

Answer:

Geography draws its contents from both natural science and social science (sociology, economics, political science). It has also. contributed to them. Hence there are several interdisciplinary’ areas in; geography. For example. Geomorphology is closely linked with. Geology, Economic Geography with Economics, and Bio-geography with life sciences (Botany and Zoology).

 

What are the three features of systematic geography?

1. It studies geographical facts in an individual manner.

2. It implies the detailed study of a single specific geographical factor.

3. It is explanatory and is largely interpretative.

4. A detailed study of agriculture is done by marking the agricultural regions of India.

 

Why did geography become a popular subject in school by the end of the eighteenth century?

It was because it gave knowledge about the land to prospective migrants, administrators and traders. Gradually, along with the description of places and peoples, explanation for varying responses of people to the natural environment was also presented. Thus, geography emerged as the study of the dynamics of the man-environment relationship and its imprints on the earth’s surface.

What are the two ways of studying geographic problems?

The two ways of studying geographic problems are systematic and regional. A study of a specific natural or social phenomenon that gives rise to certain spatial patterns and structures on the earth’s surface is called systematic geography. Unlike systematic geography, regional geography starts with the spatial imprints of one or all the systematic geographic processes discernible as regions of different sizes.

 

Distinguish between physical geography and biogeography.

Geography is a spatial science dealing with the distribution of various elements and phenomena over the earth’s surface. When these elements are natural and no one is living they are called physical, e.g. land-form, climate, water, and soil. Accordingly, physical geography has branches like geomorphology, climatology, hydrology, soil geography. On the other hand, the life-form or living elements constitute the part of bio-geography. Therefore, the main branches of bio-geography are plant geography, zoo-geography, and human ecology.

 

Write in brief on the geographic methods and techniques.

Geographers use various types of methods and techniques in order to collect and analyze information related to the surface of the earth. They include the following :

1. Field studies (physical as well as socio-economic surveys).

2. Cartography (the science of drawing maps and diagrams).

3. Quantitative geography (covers a number of mathematical and statistical techniques).

4. Spatial information system, e.g., GIS, LIS, GPS.

What are the natural and cultural features on the surface of the earth?

The physical elements which are the outcome of natural processes in action are natural features, such as continents, mountains, rivers, plains, oceans, atmosphere, etc., whereas the elements which are products of human activities are cultural features, e.g., countries, villages, towns, cities, agriculture, industry, means of transport and communication, etc.

 

Name the branches of geography on the basis of the regional approach.

1. Regional studies/Area studies comprising Macro, Meso, and Micro regional studies.

2. Regional planning comprising country/rural planning and town and urban planning.

3. Regional development.

4. Regional Analysis.

 

What is Political geography?

Political geography looks at the space from the angle of political events and studies boundaries, space relations between neighboring political units, delimitations of constituents, and election scenario, and develops a theoretical frame to understand the political behavior of the population.

 

Name the various branches of bio-geography. What led to the development of bio-geography?

The interface between Physical geography and Human geography has led to the development of Bio-geography. It includes:

1. Plant geography – Study of the spatial. the pattern of natural vegetation in their habitats.

2. Zoo-geography – Study of spatial patterns and geographic characteristics of animals and their habitats.

3. Ecology/Ecosystem – Study of the habitats characteristic of species.

4. Environmental geography – The environmental concern world over leading to the realization of environmental problems, such as land degradation, pollution, and concerns for conservation, led to the introduction of this new branch of geography.

What do you mean by Systematic geography?

Answer:

A study of a specific natural or cultural phenomenon that gives rise to certain spatial patterns on the earth’s surface is called Systematic geography. There are four branches of systematic geography :

1. Physiography

2. Biogeography

3. Human ecology

4. Geographic methods and techniques.

Geography as a Discipline class 11 geography  LONG QUESTION:

Write a short note on Spatial Information Technology (SIT).

The last quarter of the 20th century has put geography on a new trajectory of development with SIT as the main source of information and information processing. SIT is concerned with data collection and analysis related to physical space or the surface of the earth with the help of advanced means of information technology, such as remote sensing, aerial photographs, and satellite imageries.

They have enabled geographers to develop geographic information systems (GIS), land information systems (LIS), and global positioning systems (GPS) as location decision administration and managerial tools. Geography in the 21 st century has entered a new era of spatial information technology (SIT). They are going to be used not only in answering the question of what is where and why but also in what should be where and why. They will not only be generating information for decision-making but also will be actively participating in decision-making.

 

Describe the various branches of geography.

Today geography is the only discipline that brings all-natural and human sciences on a common platform. It is an interdisciplinary and integrative science having numerous branches :

A. Systematic geography :

1. Physiography: Studies the physical aspects of the earth’s surface, as landforms, climate, water, and soil.

2. Plant Geography: Studies the distribution of various kinds r- of forests and grasslands. Zoo-geography studies the
   distribution of animals and micro-organisms. Human ecology studies the changing human-nature relationship and its consequences on human life and living. Environmental y geography studies the quality of the living environment and
   its implications for human welfare.

3. Human Geography: Human beings interact with nature and create a great variety of cultural phenomena like villages, Ji towns, cities, countries, factories, roads, houses, etc. The study of location and distribution of all such phenomena falls under the purview of human geography.

4. Geographic methods and techniques: Field studies, cartography, quantitation geography, and spatial information system (GIS, LIS, GPS).

B. Regional Geography :

1. Regional Studies

2. Regional Planning

3. Regional Development

4. Regional Approach

Discuss two perspectives of study that characterized geography in the twentieth century.

Geography in the twentieth century became a discipline that studied the earth’s surface from two perspectives systematic and regional. The former produced sub-disciplines like physiography, climate, biography, political geography, economic geography, health geography, etc., while the latter gave rise to regional geography, regional science, regional development, regional planning, area planning, etc.

The first started with systematic knowledge to arrive at regional patterns, while the second started with a region to arrive at systematic details. In both cases, humans remained a central theme i.e., the emphasis of the study being on the impact of systematic processes and regional patterns on humans and their activities.

 

How did the Indian scholars contribute to geography in the ancient period?

Indian scholars were among those who laid the foundation of geography in the ancient period. Atharva Veda, written around the 10th century B.C., gives the details of the then known earth, its physical features, bio-geography, and human settlements. Indians went to different parts of the world to carry the message of Indian culture, particularly of Hinduism and Buddhism. The contribution of Indian astronomers and geographers was highly advanced for their times. Aryabhatta propounded the theory of heliocentric universe a century before Copernicus, and Bhaskaracharya mentioned the gravity of the earth 1200 years before Newton. Kalidas’s description of the geography of Central India in ‘Meghaduta’ is highly professional,

What is the importance of Physical geography?

Physical geography includes the study of the lithosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere.

• Soils are formed through the process of pedogenesis and depend. upon the parent rocks, climate, biological activity, and time. Time provides maturity to soils and helps in the development of soil profiles. Each element is important for human beings.

• Landforms provide the base on which human activities are located.

• The plains are utilized for agriculture. Plateaus provide forests and minerals. Mountains provide pastures, forests, tourist spots and are sources of rivers providing water to lowlands.

• Climate influences our house types, clothing, and food habits.

• Climate has a profound effect on vegetation, cropping pattern, livestock farming, and some industries, etc.

• Temperature and precipitation ensure the density of forests and the quality of grassland.

• Oceans are the storehouse of resources and are rich in mineral resources, fish, and other seafood.

Soils are renewable resources, which influence a number of economic activities such as agriculture.

Physical geography is fast emerging as a discipline for evaluating and managing natural resources.