Class 6 ICSE Solutions

ICSE Solutions for Class 6 Geography Voyage – Major Landforms of the Earth

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APlusTopper.com provides step by step solutions for ICSE Solutions for Class 6 Geography Voyage. You can download the Voyage Geography ICSE Solutions for Class 6 with Free PDF download option. Geography Voyage for Class 6 ICSE Solutions all questions are solved and explained by expert teachers as per ICSE board guidelines.

ICSE Solutions Class 6 GeographyHistory & CivicsBiologyChemistryPhysicsMaths

POINTS TO REMEMBER

• Nearly 29 per cent of earth’s surface is land.
• Land features on the surface of the earth are different in different places. These features are called landforms. The major landforms include mountains, plateaux, valleys and plains.
• There are three main types of mountains—fold mountains, volcanic mountains and block mountains.
• There are two types of fold mountains—old and young.
• Plateaux are also called plains-in-the air or tablelands.
• Plains are flat lowlands that are mostly built by the alluvium deposited by rivers.

IMPORTANT TERMS

Fold mountains: Mountains that are formed when horizontal layers of the earth’s crust are folded by compression.
Landforms: Features of the land surface.

Discuss

Formation of landforms is a continuous process. Discuss the different ways in which landforms are changing around the world.
Answer:
The earth’s surface is constantly changing. These changes mostly occur in very minute ways which over time accumulates to create the earth’s physical features. Whereas some of these changes take thousands of years but surely they are occuring. We look around us that a mountain, river, plateau, valleys, rqck boulders etc. these all didn’t just disappear suddenly rather most of them had a building process.
There are basically two types of changes that occur on the earth’s surface.

1. Slow change
2. Fast change.

Fast change occur through the actions of earthquakes, volcanoes, landslides etc. While slow change takes time and has a process.

VALUES AND LIFE SKILLS

We constantly impact landforms around us by our actions such has mining, building roads, dams, etc. We should, therefore, try to minimize such activities that have an adverse impact on landforms around us.
How can you help to preserve the landforms around you?
Answer:
We can preserve the landforms around us by adopting following methods, and they are :

1. By Planting More Trees and Not cutting them.
2. By Properly Disposing the Industrial waste.
3. By Preserving greenery surrounding, National Parks and Wildlife Sancturies.
4. Avoid de-vegetating the landforms and its Vicinity, if that’s it’s natural condition.
5. Replicate Natural landscapes, patterns and processes.

EXERCISES

A. Match the columns


Answer:

B. With the help of your atlas identify and mark the following in an outline map of the world.

Question 1.
An old fold mountain range in India.
Answer:
Aravallis

Question 2.
A block mountain in Europe
Answer:
The Black Forest of Europe.

Question 3.
A storehouse of mineral wealth in eastern india.
Answer:
The Chota Nagpur Plateau.

Question 4.
A rift valley in Egypt
Answer:
NileValley in Egypt.

C. Answer the following questions in brief

Question 1.
What are fold mountains? With the help of a neat-sketch, briefly explain their formation.
Answer:
The mountains that are formed when the layers of the earth’s crust are folded by compression caused by the forces generated by movements inside the earth.

There are particularly two types of fold mountains, they are :

1. Old fold mountains
2. Young fold mountains.

Question 2.
State two chief differences between old and young fold mountains. Give examples.
Answer:
The mountains which were formed over 250 million years ago due to compression of earth’s crust are called old fold mountains. They have gentle slopes and low altitude due to weathering overtime eg. Urals in Russia, Aravallis in India and Appalachians in India.
The recently formed mountains i.e. about 25 million years ago are called young fold mountains. They are rugged and lofty. They comprise the world’s highest mountain ranges.
Eg. Rockies of North America, Alps, Andes, Himalayas and The great Dividing Range.

Question 3.
What are plateaux ? Why are they of great economic value?
Answer:
Plateaux (plural of plateau) are the uplifted sections of the earth’s crust that are almost flat or level and usually descend steeply to the surrounding lowlands. Aplateau is also sometimes referred to as a plain-in-the air or tableland. The land of a plateau is very fertile while the latter is a storehouse of mineral wealth. They are rich in minerals like gold, iron, copper, manganese, etc.

Question 4.
Mention the different types of plateaux.
Answer:
Types of Plateaux — Plateaus may be classified into the following categories on the basis of their formation, appearance and location:
Tectonic Plateau : A tectonic plateau is formed by the movement of the earth’s crustal plates. Tectonic movement causes a huge portion of the earth’s surface to rise. The plateau of South Africa and the Turkish-Iranian Plateau are examples of tectonic plateaus.
Volcanic Plateau : A volcanic plateau is a plateau formed by the spread of successive layers of lava on a particular region. When the lava cools, it solidifies and the successive sheets of lava finally form a raised tabeland or a plateau over a period of time. The extensive Columbia Plateau (in the north-western part of the U SA), the north-western part of the Deccan Plateau and the Malwa Plateau are examples of volcanic plateaus.
Dissected Plateau : These have irregular surface marked by canyons, gorges and steep, narrow valleys formed by the process of erosion. They are mostly common in dry and desert regions. The Colorado Plateau, through which the Grand Canyon passes, and the Brazilian Plateau (Mato Grosso) are examples of dissected plateaus.
Intermontane Plateau : These are surrounded by mountains and are the most common types of plateau. The most common example of an intermontane plateau is the Tibetan Plateau which is enclosed by the Himalayan Mountains to its south and the Kunlun Shan to its north.
Piedmont Plateau : Piedmont plateau is one that lies between a mountain and a plain or an ocean. Examples of piedmont plateaus are the Patagonia Plateau in South America and the piedmont Plateau of North America.

Question 5.
What is a basin ? Give an example.
Answer:
A basin is a depressed section of the earth’s crust surrounded by higher land. Many basins are found alongside plateau edges and form areas of inland drainage, i.e., the rivers flowing in the basin do not reach reach the sea. The Tarim and Tsaidam Basins of Asia and the Chad Basin ofnorth-central Africa are examples ofbasin.

Question 6.
Mention the different types of plains.
Answer:
Types of Plains: On the basis of formation, plains are grouped in three categories:
Structural Plains: Plains that lie near the coast of a sea or an ocean are called structural plains. Due to endogenetic movements, large, broad, flat areas of the sea floor are raised and appear on the surface. These types of plains are very flat and broad. The addition of sediments brought in by the sea waves over a period of time makes them broader and flatter than they originally were. Structural plains border all countries. The coastal plains of south-eastern USA near the Gulf Coast, which are part of the Great Plains, are one of the largest plains in the world. The plains of northern Russia and the central lowlands of Australia are other examples of structural plains.
Erosional Plains: Erosional plains are the result of the erosion of mountains, hills and plateaux. The eroded material is brought down to a low level by wind, rivers, rain, and ice. This kind of erosion caused by various agents gives rise to several types of plains. The plains of northern Canada, northern Europe and Kashmir in India are examples such plains.
Depositional Plains : Depositional plains are formed by sediments brought down on a large scale by natural agents such as moving ice, water and wind from the upper regions of mountains.

Question 7.
What is the importance of plains ?
Answer:
The importance of the plains are discussed below:

1. Plains are important because they are good source of fresh fruits and vegetables.
2. Plains are being ploughed by a farmer or a carabaos.
3. Owing to the flat nature of the land. It is easy to construct roads and railways in plains.
4. Plains have good and rich source of river which is very fertile for crops.

Question 8.
What is a peninsula ? Take the help of your atlas and name four major peninsulas of the world.
Answer:
A Peninsula is a piece of land that is surrounded by water on three sides and joined to a larger land mass. The peninsular plateau of India and the Malay Peninsula are two examples of peninsulas attached to the continent of Asia. Europe is a peninsula of peninsulas. Can you name the three large water bodies that surround it ? Also identify the smaller peninsulas that jut out from it.
Arabian peninsula, Deccan for major peninsula are peninsulas, Indo-China peninsula, Alaska peninsula.

Question 9.
Which two land masses does the Isthmus of Panama connect ?
Answer:
The Isthmus of Panama joins North America and South America with the Pacific Ocean on one side and the Atlantic Ocean on the other. The Isthmus of Suez joins Africa to Asia and separates the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea.

D. Answer the following questions in one or two paragraphs :

Question 1.
Name the major landforms on earth.
Answer:
The major landforms on earth are :

• Mountains — Most of the rivers originate from mountains. They are rich in minerals and metals deposits and support variety of flora and fauna.
• Plateau — They are storehouses of minerals such as gold, silver, iron, copper, manganese, etc.
• Valley — They are low-lying lands between hills formed by river flowing down the mountains or due to movement of earth plates.
• Plains — They are the most fertile landforms which support easy habitation.

Question 2.
List the continents according to size. Describe the two largest continents in detail.
Answer:
Continents are very large land masses that are surrounded by vast water bodies called oceans on all sides. They are the primary divisions of land. There are seven continents in the world.
Asia is the largest continent. It occupies about one-third of the land area of our planet. It is joined to the land mass of Europe and, thus, we use the term Eurasia for this combined land mass. The Ural Mountains, the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea separate the two continents. We find oceans on three sides of this land mass. To its north lies the Arctic Ocean, to its east is the Pacific Ocean and to its south is the Indian Ocean.
Africa is the second largest continent after Asia. It is surrounded by water bodies on all sides. In the north, the Mediterranean Sea separates it from Europe, and on its east is the Indian Ocean. The Atlantic Ocean in the west separates it from the two Americas. In Africa lies the largest desert of the world, the Sahara Desert.

Question 3.
Write short notes on

1. Europe
2. Australia.

Answer:

1. Europe is smaller in size in comparison to the other continents mentioned above but has some of the most developed nations in the world. To its north is the Arctic Ocean. The Atlantic Ocean separates it from North America. It has the most indented coastline among the continents, which is why it has numerous ports and some of the finest harbours in the world.
2. Australia is sometimes called ‘the Land Down Under’ as it lies to the south of the main land masses. It is also the smallest continent in size. As there is water on all sides—the Indian Ocean in the west, the South Pacific Ocean in the east, the Southern Ocean in the south, and the Arafura Sea in the north— it is an island and is, therefore, also called the ‘island continent’.

Question 4.
How is Mount Fuji of Japan different from the Vosges of Europe ?
Answer:
Mount Fuj i is a volcanic mountain formed when molten lava, ash, dust, etc. come out through cracks in earth’s crust and is accumulated in shape of high cone. Where as Vosges in Europe are formed by rupturing or fracturing of rock strata due to strain and is an example of block mountain.

Question 5.
Briefly describe the importance of mountains.
Answer:
Importance of Mountains:

1. Mountains are a storehouse of water. Many rivers originate in the glaciers in the mountains.
2. Reservoirs are made and the water from the mountains is used for irrigation and generation of hydro-electricity.
3. The river valleys and terraces are most suitable for farming and cultivation of crops as the land is very fertile.
4. Mountains support a rich variety of flora and fauna.
5. Mountains also affect the climate of an area.
   For example, the Himalayas cause rainfall in India by blocking the south-west monsoon winds. They also protect us from the cold winds of Central Asia in winter.
6. Mountains are also rich in mineral and metal deposits which are essential for industries.
7. According to the United Nations Development Programme, mountains provide home for around 720 million people.
8. The forests in the mountainous regions provide fuel, fodder, shelter and other products like gum, wild fruits, mushrooms, resins, etc. mountains provide an ideal holiday for tourists. They visit the for their natural scenic beauty and relaxation.
9. Many recreation, sporting and tourism activities takes place in the mountains. Paragliding, hang gliding, river rafting and skiing are popular sports in the mountains.

Question 6.
How is a volcanic mountain formed ?
Answer:
Volcanic mountains are formed when molten lava, ash, cinder and dust from deep inside the earth come out on the surface through cracks in the earth’s crust and accumulate in the shape of high cones.
The opening through which lava and other materials come to the surface is called a vent. The funnel-shaped depression at the top of a vent is called a crater.
Examples – Mountain Fujiyama in Japan, Mountain Mayon in the Philippines.

Question 7.
What is a V-shaped valley ?
Answer:
The valley which is formed by an exogenous process i.e. from the outside like a river flowing down the mountain eroding the soil and minerals form a V-shaped valley, eg. Rhine valley in Europe and Damodar valley in India.

Question 8.
Briefly explain

1. peninsula
2. island
3. isthumus.

Answer:

1. Peninsula: is a piece of land that is surrounded by water on three sides and joined to a larger land mass. The peninsular plateau of India and the Malay Peninsula are two examples of peninsulas attached to the continent of Asia. Europe is a peninsula of peninsulas. Can you name the three large water bodies that surround it ? Also identify the smaller peninsulas that jut out from it.
   Arabian peninsula, Deccan for major peninsula are peninsulas, Indo-China peninsula, Alaska peninsula and Labrador peninsula.
2. Island : An island is a piece of land which is surrounded on all sides by water. India has two groups of islands – the Lakshadweep Islands in the Arabian Sea and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in the Bay of Bengal.
3. Isthumus : An isthmus is an elongated narrow piece of land, with water on each side, that joins two large land masses. For example, the Isthmus of Panama joins North America and South America with the Pacific Ocean on one side and the Atlantic Ocean on the other. The Isthmus of Suez joins Africa to Asia and separates the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea.

E. Draw neat, labelled, coloured sketches to show the characteristics of each of the following geographical features. Write a brief description alongside, explaining each of them

Question 1.
Block mountain
Answer:
Block mountain—They are formed by rupturing or fracturing of rock strata due to strain. The land between the cracks inside the earth sink leaving upstanding blocks on either side making mountains.

Question 2.
Volcanic mountain
Answer:
Volcanic mountain — They are built when molten lava, ash, cinder and dust from deep inside the earth comes out on the surface through cracks in the earth’s crust and accumulate in the shape of high cones.
The opening through which lava and other materials come to the surface is called a vent. The funnel-shaped depression at the top of a vent is called a crater.

Question 3.
Plateau
Answer:
Plateau — It is the uplifted section of the earth’s crust that are almost flat or level and usually descend steeply to the surrounding lowlands, eg. Deccan Plateau and the Chota Nagpur plateau etc.

Question 4.
Rift valley
Answer:
Rift Valley—The rift valley is the type of valley that is formed when the land between the two faults sink i.e. the land between 2 block mountains is called rift valley.

F. Picture study

Look at the photographs of a plain and a plateau given here and answer the questions.

Question 1.
How does a plain look different from a plateau ?
Answer:
A plain is a flat piece of land where it is very easy to build houses, roads and carry agricultural practices whereas a plateau is a flat raised piece of land with steep slopes and high cliffs from the surrounding land which makes the soil rich in minerals like iron, copper, manganese.

Question 2.
Why are river plains thickly populated ?
Answer:
The river plains are thickly populated as it is easier to make buildings, construct roads and have all kinds of transportation facilities. The land is also very fertile, rich in minerals. Thus, making it easier for people to grow crops for their living.

Question 3.
How is life in the plains different from life in the mountains?
Answer:
Landforms also influence weather. The higher one goes the colder it gets, while down in the plains and valleys it is warmer. Since landforms affect climate they also affect farming. It is more difficult to grow crops and rear cattle on hillsides than it is in the plains. In the plains, it is easier for people to make roads and houses and to dig wells, unlike in the mountains where it is difficult and expensive to make them and water has to be brought from distant streams. In other words, life in the mountains is more difficult than life in the plains.

ICSE Solutions for Class 6 Geography Voyage – North America : Location, Area, Political and Physical Features

ICSE SolutionsSelina ICSE SolutionsML Aggarwal Solutions

APlusTopper.com provides step by step solutions for ICSE Solutions for Class 6 Geography Voyage. You can download the Voyage Geography ICSE Solutions for Class 6 with Free PDF download option. Geography Voyage for Class 6 ICSE Solutions all questions are solved and explained by expert teachers as per ICSE board guidelines.

ICSE Solutions Class 6 GeographyHistory & CivicsBiologyChemistryPhysicsMaths

POINTS TO REMEMBER

• North America has been named after Amerigo Vespucci, an Italian explorer. However, Christopher Columbus is credited with the discovery of this continent.
• The continent lies in the northern and the western hemispheres surrounded by the Arctic, the Atlantic and the Pacific oceans. The Isthmus of Panama joins North America to South America.
• The United States of America and Canada occupy three fourths of North america.
• NorthAmerica can be divided into four major physical divisions— the Canadian or Laurentian Shield, the Western Mountain System or Western Cordilleras, the Eastern Highlands or Appalachian Mountains and the Central Lowlands or Great Central Plains.
• The Canadian Shield is composed of some of the oldest known hard rocks of the world. The surface of the Shield consists of many deep depressions formed by scraping and scouring out by moving ice. These depressions have been filled up with meltwater to form many freshwater lakes such as the five Great Lakes.
• The Western Cordilleras are a series of young fold mountain ranges which have many active and extinct volcanoes, earthquake-prone regions and hot springs. The Cordilleras consist of several parallel ranges such as the Alaska Range and the Brooks Range. The highest point in North America, Mt McKinley, lies here. .
• The Appalachians are lower than the Western Cordilleras. The eastern slopes of these highlands are very steep.
• The edge of the Piedmont Plateau (located at the foot of the Appalachians or the Eastern Highlands) has many waterfalls along its length. It is referred to as the Fall Line.
• The Great Central Plains have the largest river system in North America—the Mississippi-Missouri river system.
• North America has several large rivers such as the Mississippi, Missouri, Mackenzie, Nelson, St Lawrence, Hudson, Yukon, Columbia and Rio Grande.
• Lumbering is an important activity in the coniferous or taiga forests of Canada, carried out by lumbermen or lumberjacks.
• Lumbering involves several stages of work such as cutting, skidding and hauling.

IMPORTANT TERMS

Gorge : A deep narrow valley with near vertical sides. Intermontane plateau: a plateau surrounded by mountains on all sides.
Lumbering : The cutting down of trees and the processes leading to the manufacture of products like paper, newsprint, synthetic fibres, etc.
Lumberjacks : Workers engaged in lumbering.
Meltwater : Water derived from the melting of glacier ice and/or snow.

VALUES AND LIFE SKILLS

All occupations are important. Every job has dignity and deserves our respect.
How do you treat the people who work in your home and help you in your daily life ?
Answer:
We treat them with respect and dignity.

EXERCISES

A. Fill in the blanks

1. A narrow stretch of land that joins North America to South America and separates the Atlantic Ocean from the Pacific Ocean : The Isthmus of Panama.
2. The tropical islands, called the West Indies, are located in this sea : Caribbean Sea.
3. Aphysical division of North America around the Hudson Bay which has the oldest known hard rocks of the world : The Canadian Shield.
4. A river that flows northwards and drains into the Hudson Bay : River Meckenzie and River Nelson.

B. Identify who I am.

1. I am a city in North America which is a symbol of unity, history, and democracy : Washington DG.
2. I am an island at the entrance of river Hudson where the famous Statue of Liberty is situated : Liberty Island.
3. I am the city which is world famous for its film industry : Los Angeles.
4. I am the city which has the Ridean Canal : Ottawa
5. I am the city of Canada which was once the world’s leading grain port : Montreal

C. Give geographical reasons why 

Question 1.
The 49° N latitude and the 100°W longitude are important for North America.
Answer:
The 49° N latitude marks the boundary between Canada and United States whereas 100°W longitude passes through the centre of North America. So both are important.

Question 2.
The Western Cordilleras form part of the ‘Pacific Ring of Fire’.
Answer:
The Western Cordilleras i.e. the western part of North America from Alaska to the Isthmus of Panama consists of young fold mountain ranges which contain very active volcanoes and lie close to the pacific ocean thus forming a part of the ‘ Pacific Ring of Fire’.

Question 3.
The Appalachians appear as low hills today.
Answer:
The Appalachians are old fold mountains and the glaciers and rivers have eroded them over millions of years. So they appear as low hills today.

Question 4.
Lumbering is traditionally done in the winter season.
Answer:
In winters the sap in trees is frozen,making it easier to cut and drag the logs on frozen river grounds. The winter air is clean, refreshing and free from perts.

D. Answer the following questions in brief
Question 1.
Name the Italian explorer who reached North America in 1507 CE.
Answer:
Amerigo Vespucci.

Question 2.
Name some of the islands that are collectively called the West Indies.
Answer:
The tropical islands of the Caribbean sea are collectively called the West Indies. They include Cuba, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Haiti, etc. form West Indies.

Question 3.
Why is New York an important city in the USA ?
Answer:
Hudson River is the famous Statue of Liberty on Liberty Island.

Question 4.
Where are the Great Lakes situated ? Which river drains these lakes into the Atlantic Ocean ?
Answer:
The Great Rivers are located in the Canadian or Laurentian shield. The St. Lawrence River connects and drains the Great Lakes.

Question 5.
Write about the largest river system of North America.
Answer:
The largest river system of America includes River Mackenzie falling into the Arctic Ocean. St. Lawrence, Hudson connecting all the Great Lakes draining into the North Atlantic Ocean, Yukon, Columbia falling into Pacific Ocean and Mississippi and Missouri rivers falling into Gulf of Mexico.

Question 6.
Where is the Grand Canyon situated ? Why is it so famous?
Answer:
The Grand Canyon of the Colorado River is 2000 m deep and 400 km long and so it is famous for its majesty and beauty.

D. Answer the following questions in one or two paragraphs

Question 1.
List the four major physical divisions of North America. Describe any one of them briefly.
Answer:
The four major physical divisions of North America are the Canadian or Laurentian shield, the Western Mountain System or Western Cordilleras, the eastern highlands or Appalachians Mountains and the central lowlands or Great Central Plains. The Central lowlands extend from Hindsom Bay in the north to
the Gulf of Mexico in the South covering distance of more than 6000 km and about 2000 km in width. They are also called the Great Central Plains. The plains are higher in West and slope northward in Canada. The main rivers which flow in these plains include Mackenzie, Mississippi—Missouri.

Question 2.
Why is the Canadian Shield region full of lakes ? Name any three lakes other than the five Great Lakes.
Answer:
The Canadian Shield is composed of oldest known hard rocks and the surface of land consists of many deep hollows of depression. When Ice Age ended, these depressions were filled by meltwater from glaciers and ice-sheets. Apart from the Great Lakes, Lake Winnipeg, Great Bear Lake, Great Slave Lake and Lake Athabasca are important lakes present in this region.

Question 3.
What are the various categories of lumberjacks ? What kind of work do they do ?
Answer:
The various categories of Lumberjacks include the high riggers, sawers or buckers. Skidders and haulers or transporters. The high riggers are people who climb the tall coniferous trees to cut off its branches first and then trunk.
The sawers use saw and axes to cut the trunk into lengths measuring 1 to 5 m.
The skidders mainly collect the logs and stack them along a frozen river bank, road or railway line.
The haulers ensure the transfer of logs down a river till they reach, a sawnill or factory. This include clearing ‘ log-jams’ with long poles or use sticks of dynamites to move logs which cause jams.

Question 4.
Describe how the lives and work of lumberjacks have changed in modern times.
Answer:
Lumberjacks used to have a very hard life in earlier days as their work of falling trees begins early followed by cutting off branches of fallen trees, skidding and hauling. They had to live in camps and start their days quiet early. But now settled communities of forest workers have developed. The forests are more accessible and they use power driven saws, powered cranes and automobiles.

E. Read books and encyclopaedias to find more information about Christopher Columbus, Amerigo Vespucci and other great explorers. Record your findings and stick some pictures alongside, if possible. Then share this information with other classmates and have a classroom discussion.
Answer:
Do it yourself.

F. Picture study


This is a photograph of the Grand Canyon in Arizona.

Question 1.
Why do you think this canyon is called ‘Grand’ ?
Answer:
This Canyon is about 2000 m deep and 400 km long because it is world famous for its majesty and beauty, so it is called the Grand Canyon.

Question 2.
Name the river that has carved out the Grand Canyon.
Answer:
Its carved out of Colorado River.

ICSE Solutions for Class 6 Geography Voyage – Maps and Diagrams

ICSE SolutionsSelina ICSE SolutionsML Aggarwal Solutions

APlusTopper.com provides step by step solutions for ICSE Solutions for Class 6 Geography Voyage. You can download the Voyage Geography ICSE Solutions for Class 6 with Free PDF download option. Geography Voyage for Class 6 ICSE Solutions all questions are solved and explained by expert teachers as per ICSE board guidelines.

ICSE Solutions Class 6 GeographyHistory & CivicsBiologyChemistryPhysicsMaths

POINTS TO REMEMBER

• The various ways of representing the earth are globes, maps, pictures, sketches, plans and diagrams.
• A globe is the most accurate three-dimensional, spherical representation of the earth. However, not many details of the earth can be shown on a globe.
• Selected features are shown on a map using different signs, symbols and colours.
• A sketch is a rough drawing showing the relative locations of a few chosen features in an area. They are not drawn to scale.
• Plans are drawn to scale and are very similar to maps. While a map shows a large area, a plan is normally drawn for a small area or a building.
• A scale is the ratio of the distance between two places on a map to the actual distance between the same two places on the ground.
• Map scales are given in three different ways: verbal or statement scale, graphical or linear scale and representative fraction.
• Colourful signs and symbols used in a map to show natural and man-made features are called conventional signs and symbols.

IMPORTANT TERMS

Atlas : Acollection of different types of maps in the form of a book.
Cardinal directions : the four principal directions—north, south, east and west.
Conventional signs and symbols : Internationally recognized signs and symbols used to show natural and man-made features on maps.
Fold : A bending of the earth’s crust due to large scale earth movements.
Globe : An object representing the spherical shape of the earth with a map of the world on its surface, usually on a stand so that it can be rotated.
Map : A drawing of the whole earth or a part of it on a flat surface.
Plan : A drawing that shows the horizontal section of a small area or building accurately.
Scale : The ratio of the distance between two places on a map to the actual distance between the same two places on the ground.
Sketch : A rough drawing showing the relative locations of a few chosen features in an area Trough : The dip of a fold.

THINK AND ANSWER

Do you think it will be easy to understand a map which does not use conventional signs and symbols ? Give reasons for your answer.
Answer:
No, It will be very difficult to understand a map which doesnot use conventional signs and symbols. Maps make use of different signs, symbols and colours to provide distinct information. And it ensures that the information is presented in a clear and concise manner with minimal scope of misinterpretation.

VALUES AND LIFE SKILLS

Maps and sketches are great tools. They help us to navigate our way to our destination. Prepare a sketch of the route you take from your house to your school for the new school bus driver. Do not forget to mark the important places in the route.
Answer:

Exercises

A. Choose the correct answer

1. Which of these is shown by a thematic map ?

1. mountains
2. rivers
3. climate
4. state capitals

2. These maps are useful to surveyors and civil engineers engaged in building roads, bridges, canals, and other structures.

1. physical
2. political
3. topographic
4. thematic

3. This is a true model of the earth.

1. sketch
2. map
3. globe
4. plan

4. This is a rough drawing showing the relative locations of a few features of an area.

1. globe
2. map
3. sketch
4. plan

5. This is a drawing that shows the horizontal section of a small area drawn to scale.

1. sketch
2. plan
3. map
4. globe

6. These are taken from space and show that the earth is spherical in shape.

1. graphs
2. plans
3. aerial photographs
4. sketches

B. Explain the differences between each of the following pairs.

1. An aerial photograph and a plan
2. A globe and an atlas
3. A sketch and a map

Answer:

1. An aerial photograph and a plan — A plan is a drawing that shows the horizontal section of a small area or a building. It is drawn to scale. It is useful because it tells us where exactly things are on the ground.
   Aerial photographs is a tool for representing the earth or a part of it is aerial photography. Photographs of the earth are taken from a camera mounted on an aircraft, an unmanned drone or an artificial satellite. In fact, such photographs have been used widely in the preparation of accurate maps.
2. A globe and an atlas — Map : a drawing of the whole earth or a part of it on a flat surface.
3. Asketch and a map — Arough drawing showing the relative locations of a few chosen features in an area.
   A map — A drawing of the who le earth or a part of it on a flat surface.

C. Answer the following questions in brief.

Question 1.
Define an atlas.
Answer:
A collection of different types of maps bound together in the form of a book is called an atlas.

Question 2.
What do you understand by topographic maps ?
Answer:
Topographic maps which give detailed information about local features of small areas on the surface of the earth.

Question 3.
Which map would be most useful to army personnel when constructing a bridge during a war ?
Answer:
In addition to these maps, there are topographic maps (topos = place; graphy = to describe) as these give detailed information about local and forms, streams, rivers, canals and other features of areas. These maps are based on an accurate survey of land.

Question 4.
How will you show the location of your house to a friend who is visiting you for the first time ?
Answer:
We can show the location of our house to a friend who is visiting us for the first time with the help of a sketch.

Question 5.
Differentiate between a plan and a sketch.
Answer:

Plan :

1. A plan is a drawing that shows the horizontal section of a small area or building.
2. It is drawn to the scale.
3. It tells us exactly things are on the ground.
4. It is accurate representation of an area.

Sketch :

1. A sketch is a rough drawing showing the relative locations of a few chosen features of an area.
2. It is not drawn to the scale.
3. It does not show the true shape or size of the features.
4. It is rough representation of an area.

D. Answer the following questions in one or two paragraphs

Question 1.
What is a map ? What are the different types of maps ?
Answer:
A map is a drawing of the whole earth or a part of it on a flat surface.
Maps can be divided into following categories based on the scale used to draw them are :

• Small scale maps — They show a large land area in a small space Eg. 1 cm on small scale map could represent 200 kms on ground. The features of the area are not clearly visible.
• Large – scale maps — They show smaller area of land in bigger space Eg. 1 cm = 1 km on land. They give detailed information of the area.

Question 2.
Describe a political and a physical map.
Answer:
Political maps: show the boundaries of countries, states, etc. and also the location of capital cities and important towns.
Physical maps: show mountains, valleys, plains, rivers, and other surface features. These maps generally use different colours to represent land of different heights.

Question 3.
Take the help of your atlas to make a list of thematic maps. Describe any two maps from your list.
Answer:
Thematic maps shows the distribution of forests, crops, minerals and industries.

The types of Thematic maps are :

1. Ranged maps.
2. Point density maps
3. Proportional symbol maps
4. Maps with pie or bar charts.
5. Grided maps.

The other two maps are :

1. Political maps shows the boundaries of administrative units such as countries, states and districts. Different types of boundaries are shown with different symbols. They also show the locations of cities, towns and villages.
2. Physical maps show the landforms and water bodies on the Earth’s surface, such as mountains, plateaus, plains, rivers, lakes and seas. The different features are shown with different colours.

Question 4.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of using a globe ?
Answer:

Advantages :

• It is the most accurate three dimensional representation of the earth.
• It shows the distribution of continents and oceans accurately.
• Lines of latitude and longitude are marked on a globe.

Disadvantages :

• Only a part of the earth can be seen on a globe, at one glance.
• All details cannot be marked on a globe.
• A globe is difficult to carry around.

E. Draw a plan of your house showing clearly the position of each room in relation to the others. On the plan, mark clearly the positions of doors, windows and furniture.
Answer:

F. Picture study.

Question 1.
Do you know how this type of picture is taken ?
Answer:
An aerial photograph of Australia.

Question 2.
What is it used for ?
Answer:
These maps are used widely in the preparation of accurate maps.