Physiography class 11 Geography MCQ & SAQ

Physiography class 11 Geography NCERT SOLUTION

1. Choose the right answer from the four alternatives given below

(i) In which part of the Himalayas do we find the Karewa formation?

(a) North-eastern Himalayas

(b) Himachal-Uttarakhand Himalayas

(c) Eastern Himalayas

(d) Kashmir Himalayas

 

Answer: (d) Kashmir Himalayas

 

(ii) In which of the following states is Loktak lake situated?

(a) Kerala

(b) Uttarakhand

(c) Manipur

(d) Rajasthan

 

Answer: (c) Manipur

 

 

(iii) Which one of the water bodies separates the Andaman from the Nicobar?

(a) 11° Channel

(b) Gulf of Mannar

(c) 10° Channel

(d) Andaman Sea

 

Answer: (c) 10° Channel

 

(iv) On which of the following hill ranges is the ‘Doddabetta’ peak situated?

(a) Nilgiri hills

(b) Anaimalai hills

(c) Cardamom hills

(d) Nallamala hills

 

Answer: (b) Anaimalai hills

 

2. Answer the following questions in about 30 words

(i) If a person is to travel to Lakshadweep, from which coastal plain does he prefer and why?

Answer: For a person traveling to Lakshadweep, the Kerala coastal plain would be preferred because this plain is 200 to 440 kilometers off to this group of islands.

 

(ii) Where in India will you find a cold desert? Name some important ranges of this region.

Answer: Cold desert conditions prevail in the Leh-Ladakh area of Jammu and Kashmir. Ladakh is a high altitude desert as the Himalayas create a rain shadow, generally denying entry to monsoon clouds. This area is surrounded by Zaskar, Ladakh and Karakoram ranges. The main source of water is the winter snowfall on the mountains.

 

(iii) Why is the western coastal plain devoid of any delta?

Answer: The western coastal plains are narrow in the middle and get broader towards Gujarat and Kerala. Several swift and small rivers originating from the Western Ghats do not have much sediment to deposit and the plain is devoid of any delta.

 

3. Answer the following questions in not more than 125 words.

(i) Make a comparison of the island groups of the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal.

Answer: The Bay of Bengal island groups consist of about 572 islands/islets. The entire group of islands is divided into two broad categories – the Andaman in the north and the Nicobar in the south. These islands are an elevated portion of submarine mountains. Some smaller islands are volcanic in origin.

The islands of the Arabian Sea include Lakshadweep and Minicoy. These islands are located at a distance of 280 km-480 km off the Kerala coast. The entire island group is built of coral deposits. There are approximately 36 islands. Minicoy is the largest island with an area of 453 sq. km. The Islands of this archipelago have storm beaches consisting of unconsolidated pebbles, shingles, cobbles and boulders on the eastern seaboard.

(ii) What are the important geomorphological features found in the river valley plains?

Answer: The Great plains have a number of geomorphological features. Some of them are following:

- The Bhabar lies along the foot of the Shiwaliks from the river Indus in Jammu and Kashmir to the river Tista in Sikkim. It is a narrow belt of 10 to 20 km wide consisting of pebble-studded rocks in the shape of porus beds. These beds are laid down by streams coming from the hills.

- The Tarai is situated to the south of Bhabar and runs parallel to it. Large stretches are marshy and swampy due to re-emergence of underground streams.

- The Bhangar is composed of old alluvium. Bangar plains are more upland and areas are less prone to flooding, but are usually more sandy and less fertile as well.

- The Khadar consists of new alluvial deposits and is often very fertile. Most of these areas are subjected to periodic floods and shifting river courses forming braided streams.

 

(iii) If you move from Badrinath to Sunderbans delta along the course of the river Ganga, what major geomorphological features will you come across?

Answer: If a person moves from Badrinath (Uttarakhand) to sunderban delta along the course of the river Ganga, he has to cross the following geomorphological features.

-He will come across the steep slope, v-shaped valleys, waterfalls, landslides and hills of Himalaya in Uttarakhand.

-In some places, he will observe tributaries joining the main river Ganga.

-At Haridwar in Uttarakhand, he will enter the plains.

-In the plain, at several places the river forms the meanders, ox-bow lakes, and braided streams.

-In the last, he will see swampy and marshy sundarbans delta.

Physiography class 11 Geography MCQ 

1. The general relief is the oldest in the

(a) Himalayan mountain system.

(b) Indus-Ganga plain.

(c) North-eastern hills.

(d) Peninsular plateau.

► (d) Peninsular plateau.

 

2. The oldest landmass of India is

(a) The Himalayan Mountain System.

(b) The Indus-Ganga Plain.

(c) The Peninsular Plateau.

(d) Islands.

► (c) The Peninsular Plateau.

 

3. Which of the mountain systems is the oldest according to geological history?

(a) Nilgiris

(b) Satpuras

(c) Vindhyas

(d) Aravalli

► (d) Aravalli

 

4. The Great plain has been subjected to ________ throughout its period of existence.

(a) The denudation processes

(b) The degradational processes

(c) The aggradational processes

(d) The weathering processes

► (c) The aggradational processes

 

5. The most important geographical advantage of the Himalayas is

(a) Prevention of invasions.

(b) Valuable source of timber.

(c) That they protect India from icy cold winds of the north.

(d) ​That they cause rains by interrupting the monsoon winds to cross the country.

► (c) That they protect India from icy cold winds of north.

6. The Nilgiris are part of the

(a) Eastern Ghats.

(b) Western Ghats.

(c) Vindhyachal.

(d) ​Tamil Nadu Hills.

► (b) Western Ghats.

 

7. The northernmost part of the Himachal is an extension of the

(a) Kashmir valley

(b) Ladakh cold desert.

(c) Siwaliks.

(d) ​Punjab plains.

► (b) Ladakh cold desert.

 

8. The Peninsular Plateau of India extends up to:

(a) Mizo hills

(b) Himachal Himalayas

(c) Assam valley

(d) ​Meghalaya hills

► (d) ​Meghalaya hills

 

9. On which of the following range Doddabetta peak is situated?

(a) Nilgiri Hills

(b) Annamalai Hills

(c) Cardamom Hills

(d) Nallamala Hills

► (a) Nilgiri Hills

 

10. In India the region that is dominated by denuded rocks is

(a) Himalayan region.

(b) Peninsular region.

(c) Valleys.

(d) Plateaus.

► (b) Peninsular region.

 

11. Which is the ancient crustal Block in India?

(a) Himalayan mountains

(b) Deccan Plateau.

(c) Valleys.

(d) Islands.

► (b) Deccan Plateau.

 

12. When was the peninsular plateau of India formed?

(a) Ordovician Period

(b) Pre-Cambrian Period

(c) Post-Permian Period

(d) Devonian Period

► (b) Pre-Cambrian Period

 

13. Name the sea which existed in place of the Himalayas?

(a) Caspian Sea

(b) Aegean Sea

(c) Tethys sea

(d) Ionian Sea

► (c) Tethys sea

 

14. Name the lake deposits found in Kashmir Valley.

(a) Karewas Lake

(b) Satsar Lake

(c) Vishansar Lake

(d) Nigeen Lake

► (a) Karewas Lake

Question : Which of the mountain systems is the oldest according to geological history?

a) Nilgiris

b) Satpuras

c) Vindhyas

d) Aravalli

 

Answer :  D

 

Question: Which of the following statements is/are correct?

a) Rajmahal highlands consist of lava flow deposits.

b) Bundelkhand gneiss belong to the oldest Achaean rocks of India

c) Both ‘a’ and ‘b’

d) None of the above

 

Answer :  C

 

Question :  Kovalam beach lies in

a) Karnataka

b) Tamil Nadu

c) Kerala

d) Chennai

 

Answer :  C

 

Question : Consider the following statements

1. Along with Northern plain, coastal plains also form one of the physiographic divisions of India

2. Islands of India does not form part of physiographic divisions of India

 

Select the correct answer from the following codes

a) Only 1

b) Only 2

c) Both 1 and 2

d) Neither 1 nor 2

 

Answer : A

 

Question :  Which strait separates India from Sri Lanka?

a) Palk Strait

b) Strait of Hormuz

c) Bering Strait

d) Malacca Strait

 

Answer :  A

 

Question : The Peninsular Plateau of India extends up to:

a) Mizo hills

b) Himachal Himalayas

c) Assam valley

d) Meghalaya hills

 

Answer :  D

 

Question :  When was the peninsular plateau of India formed?

a) Ordovician Period

b) Pre-Cambrian Period

c) Post-Permian Period

d) Devonian Period

 

Answer :   B

 

Question : Which one of the following Indian states shares international boundaries with three nations?

a) Uttarakhand

b) Himachal Pradesh

c) Arunachal Pradesh

d) Assam

 

Answer :   C

 

Question :  The science of the earth’s crust is

a) Geology

b) Geomorphology

c) Geography

d) Zoology

 

Answer :  A

 

Question :  The northernmost part of the Himachal is an extension of the

a) Kashmir valley

b) Ladakh cold desert.

c) Siwaliks.

d) Punjab plains.

 

Answer :  B

 

Question : Veliconda group of low hills is a structural part of

a) Nilgiri hills

b) Western ghats

c) Eastern ghats

d) Cardamom hills

 

Answer :  C

 

Question :  Name the sea which existed in place of the Himalayas?

a) Caspian Sea

b) Aegean Sea

c) Tethys sea

d) Ionian Sea

 

Answer :  C

 

Question .The total area of India is:

a) 3.75 million sq. km

b) 3.90 million sq. km

c) 3.00 million sq. km

d) 3.28 million sq. km

 

Answer :  D

 

Question : Veliconda Hills, is situated in

a) Odisha

b) Tamil Nadu

c) Karnataka

d) Andhra Pradesh

 

Answer :  D

 

Question :  Barren island, the active volcano in India is situated in

a) Andaman island

b) Nicobar islands

c) Lakshadweep

d) None of them

 

Answer :  B

 

Question :  On which of the following ranges Doddabetta peak is situated?

a) Nilgiri Hills

b) Annamalai Hills

c) Cardamom Hills

d) Nallamala Hills

 

Answer :  A

 

Question : The outer Himalayas is known as

a) Himadri

b) Shivalik

(cj Purvanchal

d) Bhangar

 

Answer :  B

 

Question : Which one of the following is not correctly matched?

a) Doddabetta : Tamil Nadu

b) Guru Shikhar : Rajasthan

c) Kalsubai : Maharashtra

d) Dhupgarh : Odisha

 

Answer :  D

 

Question .Kathiawar coast lies in

a) Karnataka

b) Gujarat

c) Kerala

d) Maharashtra

 

Answer :  B

 

Question .The most important geographical advantage of the Himalayas is

a) Prevention of invasions

b) Valuable source of timber

c) That they protect India from icy cold winds of the north

d) That they cause rains by interrupting the monsoon winds to cross the country

 

Answer :  C

 

Question :  Which one of the water bodies separates the Andaman from the Nicobar?

a) 11° Channel

b) Gulf of Mannar

c) 10° Channel

d) Andaman Sea

 

Answer :  A

 

Question .The outer Himalayas is known as

a) Himadri

b) Shivalik

(cj Purvanchal

d) Bhangar

 

Answer :  B

 

Question :  The river that is believed to have disappeared in Rajasthan is

a) Ganga

b) Yamuna

c) Saraswati

d) Ghaggar

 

Answer :  C 

 

Question :  The largest physiographic division of India is

a) Peninsular plateau

b) Coastal plain

c) Desert land

d) Islands

 

Answer :  A

 

Question : Which one of the following is the oldest mountain range in India?

a) Himalayas

b) Aravalli

c) Satpura

d) Nilgiri

 

Answer :  B

 

Question : The thick deposits of glacial clay and other materials embedded with moraines are

a) Balson

b) Karewas

c) Playas

d) Duars

 

Answer :  B

 

Question :  The Great plain has been subjected to __________ throughout its period of existence.

a) The denudation processes

b) The degradational processes

c) The aggradational processes

d) The weathering processes

 

Answer :  C

 

Question :  Consider the following statements

1. Entire peninsular block has been very rigid since the Cambrian period.

2. Peninsular part of India is majorly composed of granite and gneisses.

 

Select the correct answer from the following codes

a) Only 1

b) Only 2

c) Both 1 and 2

d) Neither 1 nor 2

 

Answer : B

 

Question :  Which of the following indicate the youthful stage of Himalayan Rivers?

1. V-shaped valleys

2. Rapids

3. Faults and folds

 

Select the correct answer from the following codes

a) Only 1

b) Only 1 and 2

c) Only 2 and 3

d) 1,2 and 3

 

Answer : B

Physiography class 11 Geography SAQ

The peninsular plateaus and the Himalayas mountains are quite different from each other in respect of stratigraphy, geological structure, and physiography.” Comment.

The northern mountains are young, weak, and flexible and have suffered from folding and deformation. The peninsula contains mostly residual mountains. Here, the river valley is shallow, having low gradients. On the other hand, the Himalayan mountains are tectonic and rivers are torrential. The formation and development of the surface of the land like mountains, plateaus, and plains are called physiography.

 

What is Bhangar?

The south of Terai is a belt consisting of old and new alluvial deposits known as Bhangar. These areas stand above the level of floodwater and the flood plains. This land is made up of clay pebbles and gravel. In Gangetic plains, these alluvial lands have been formed by the deposition of sandbars by the river.

 

What is Doab? Give a few examples from India.

The plain formed between two rivers is known as Doab. It separates two rivers but maintains its uniform character over the whole area. In Punjab, Doabs maintain the physical characteristics of the Punjab plain.

1. Best Jalandhar Doab

2. Bari Doab

3. Chaz Doab

4. Sind Sagar Doab

 

What are Karewas?. Where do they find it?

In the valley of Kashmir, the lake deposits comprise thick deposits of glacial clay and other materials embedded with maintaining, These deposits occur in the valleys within the Himalayan mountain where there was once glacial action and deposition of Morain.

 

State two important characteristics of the topographic complexity of the Himalayas.

The young mountains of the Himalayas are formed by the internal horizontal earth movements. They have characteristic topography. complexity.

1. The Greater Himalayas, the Lesser Himalayas, and Shivalik are three main parallel ranges.

2. These ranges have striking contrasts in their altitudes with snow-capped peaks, deep valleys, gorges, hanging valleys, ridges, etc.

 

Give three characteristics of the Himalayas, which indicate their youthful stage.

There are many pieces of evidence collected by various geologists and archeologists to prove the youthfulness of the Himalayas. The following evidence is given here :

1. The presence of Karewas.

2. In the sub-Himalayan region, fossils of post-tertiary mammals have been found which point to the upliftment during the Pleistocene times.

3. The archeologists have collected curious stone tools that represent the paleolithic times, an early man in the terraces of Himalayan rivers.

 

Give the main points of difference in Himalaya mountains with Indian plateau.

Himalayan Mountains	Indian Plateau
(i) These are young new fold mountains.	(i) Indian plateau is an ancient crystalline land
(ii) These mountains have been formed by the folding of earth.	(ii) It has been formed as a horst.
(iii) The relief features of the young age of the Himalayas.	(iii) Plateau is old and well dissected.
(iv) There are parallel mountain ranges formed.	(iv) Rift valleys are formed.

Question 8. What is the difference between Eastern Himalaya and Western Himalaya?

Eastern Himalaya	Western Himalaya
(i) Eastern Himalayas are extended from Sikkim to Assam between Tista and Brahmaputra river.	(i) Western Himalayas are extended between Indus and Kali.
(ii) Strong monsoon brings heavy rainfall.	(ii) Summers are warm and winter is vigorous cold.
(iii) Tropical wet evergreen forests grow.	(iii) Area is snow-covered.
(iv) Relief features are relatively less complex.	(iv) Alpine and temperate vegetation are found.

Question 9. Differentiate the Western Ghats and Vindhya Mountains.

Western Ghats	Vindhya Mountains
(i) These are the extension of the south of the Malwa plateau.	(i) They flank the Deccan lava plateau on the west.
(ii) It runs to the Narmada river.	(ii) They have altitude ranges from 900 to 1100 meters.
(iii) These are composed of sandstones, limestones, and shales.	(iii) They are generally forested with a variety of vegetation.

 

What are the characteristics of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands?

The main characteristics are :

1. The Great Andaman is a collection of three islands, north, middle, and south.

2. These are a group of islands.

3. The south coast is very indented and has the highest hill ranges,

4. There are 19 Nicobar islands.

 

In which part of India, faulty evidence is found?

The faulting has taken place on the Deccan plateau. The trough faulting is found in the valleys of Godavari, Mahanadi, Damodar, Tapi, and Narmada valleys are rift valleys. Faulting evidence is found on the Malabar coast and the Markan coast.

 

What is horst?

A horst is the uplift of land between two parallel faults. The central mass of the land keeps standing while the adjoining areas are thrown down. It forms the shape of a block mountain or a horst. For example Vindhyan and Vosges.

Physiography class 11 Geography long question

Describe in short the major physical division of India.

India can be divided into the following physical divisions :

1. The Great Mountains

2. The Great Northern Plain

3. The Great Peninsular

4. The Great Indian Desert Plateau

1. The Great Mountains – These are formed by the continuous stretch of the mountain from Kashmir to Assam. It acts as a wall. They arc the Karakoram and the Himalayas. The Karakoram mountains lie between the Pamir plateau and the Indus River in the west. Baltoro is the famous glacier of the Karakoram range. They are very high mountains. The second Himalayas mountain chain stretches from the Indus river in the west to the Brahmaputra river in the east. Indus and Brahmaputra divide them into the main Himalayas, the western Himalayas, and the eastern Himalayas. The Garo hills, the Khasi hills, the Jaintia hills, and the Mikir hills form the Eastern Himalayas. They fall in the states of Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Assam, Mizoram, Tripura, and Meghalaya.

2. The Great Northern Plain – The great plains are composed of sediments deposited by rivers. They are quite extensive. The central and eastern parts of the plains have been formed by the tributaries of the Ganga and Brahmaputra rivers. Half of the Great plain lies in Uttar Pradesh and half in the state of Bihar.

3. The Great Peninsular Plateau – The peninsular plateau forms the largest physiographic division facing towards the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea. It stretches from the Satpura range (north) to Kanyakumari (south) and from the Sahyadri (Western Ghats) to Rajmahal hills in the east. It is triangular in shape having four physiographic divisions: the Western Ghats, the Deccan Plateau, the Eastern Ghats, and Eastern Plateau.

4. The Greatest Indian Desert – It lies to the west of the Aravalli ranges in Rajasthan. This is the region of moving sand and low rainfall, known as Marusthali. It was drained by the Saraswati, Drishadvati, and Sutlej rivers. But today Llini is the only river. There are numerous salt lakes of which Sambhar is the largest.

5. Coastal Plains: The peninsular plateaus are bordered on the east and the west by the coastal plains. There are two well-known peninsulas, Kathiawar and Kachchh, on the west coast and an extensive plain of Gujarat. The east coast has a number of deltas. The west coast has no delta.

6. Island Groups – Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal have a number of islands. They are called Lakshadweep, Andaman, and Nicobar islands. Andaman and Nicobar islands are the elevated portions of submarine mountains while the Lakshadweep Islands are built of coral deposits.

 

Write a short note on the saline lakes of Rajasthan.

Rajasthan lies in the desert area to the west of the Aravali hills. This region has very low rainfall. The groundwater in this region is impregnated with salt, therefore various saline lakes are found. Out of these, there are two well-known saline lakes on the eastern edge of the Thar Desert. They are known as Sambhar and the Didwana. Both of these are the sources of common salts. The Sambhar is an example of a boson. Bolson is an extensive flat depression surrounded by hills in which the drainage is centripetal. The smaller lakes with flat floors are undrained basins in which water collects after rains and evaporates quickly are called Playas. The Didwana lake is a playa.

There are four theories about the origin of these salt lakes :

1. The salt comes from the underlying beds.

2. The lakes are the relics of the receding sea.

3. The salt is transported from Kachchh by the wind.

4. The salt is obtained from the surrounding rocks.

 

Describe in short, how the Himalayas were formed?

The Himalayas have been formed due to folding by different mountain building movements. The major areas of the Himalayas have been formed by folding while minor ones have been formed as a result of weathering and other agents of changes. It had been uplifted from the Great Geosyncline known as Tethys sea in the folded form. These uplifted ranges had been denuded by the weathering and the other agents such as rivers and glaciers. These agents of changes carved the physical features i.e. gorges, U-shaped valleys, hanging valleys, and ridges. The Indus gorge is formed as a result of erosion and weathering.

There are many U-shaped and hanging valleys which are the result of the erosion of glaciers and ice. The complexity of the Himalayas is achieved by the various processes of weathering and the cycle of erosion. The fertile valley of Kashmir represents the depositional work of the agents of change. Ganga, Indus, and their tributaries rise from the Himalayas. They are busy carving the minor physical features. The Himalayas peaks are snow-covered. They represent the work done by earth movements.

 

What is ‘KARE WAS’? Where are they found? Describe in short

Kare was the thick deposits of glacial clay and other materials embedded with moraine. The Kashmir Himalayas are famous for Karewas formations which are useful for the cultivation of Zafran, which is a local variety of saffron. Kashmir or the north-western Himalayas comprise a series of ranges such as the Karakoram, the Ladakh, the Zaskar, and the Pir-Punjab. The north-eastern part of the Kashmir Himalayas is a cold desert that lies between the Greater Himalayas and the Karakoram ranges. Between the Great Himalayas and the Pir- Punjab lies the famous valley of Kashmir and Dal Lake, important glaciers Baltoro and Siachen are also found here. Kare was formed in the valleys within the Himalayan mountain where there was once glacial action and deposition of Morain.

 

Describe the two island groups of India.

There are two major island groups in India. One in the Bay of Bengal and the other in the Arabian Sea. The Bay of Bengal group of islands consists of 572 islands approximately. These are situated between 6°N to 14°N and 92°E to 94°E. Richie’s archipelago and Labyrinth are the two principal groups of islands.

The entire group of islands is divided into two categories:

Andaman (north) and Nicobar (south). They are separated by a water body called the 10° Channel. Some smaller islands are volcanic in origin. A barren island, the only active volcano in India is situated in the Nicobar Islands. Some important peaks of this island are saddle peak, Mount Diavolo, Mount Koyob, and Mount Thuiller. The coastal line has beautiful beaches. These islands receive conventional rainfall and have an equatorial type of vegetation.

Lakshadweep islands lie in the Arabian Sea. They are scattered between 8°N to 12°N and 71 °E to 74°E longitude. These are located at a distance of 280 km to 480 km from the Kerala coast. The entire island group is built of coral deposits. There are approximately 36, out of which 11 are inhabited. Minicoy is the largest island. The entire group of islands is broadly divided by 11° Channel, north of which is Amini Island and south is Cannanore Island. The Islands of this archipelago have storm beaches having pebbles, shingles, cobbles, and boulders on the eastern seaboard.