Chapter 5

Landforms of the
Earth
Class 9 - Total
Geography
Morning Star
Short Answer
Questions
Question 1
What is meant by a
landform? Give two
examples.

Answer

A landform is a natural
feature on the surface of
the earth. For example-
mountains, plateaus.

Question 2
Why are the fold
mountains called so?
Answer

Fold mountains are the

result of large scale earth
movements caused by
stresses in the earth’s
crust. Such stresses may
be caused by weight of
the overlying rocks,
movements in the mantle,
the expansion or
contraction of some part of
the earth, etc. These
stresses subject the rocks
to compressive forces,
producing wrinkling or
folding along the lines of
weakness. Hence, these
 mountains are called fold
mountains.

Question 3
Give two chief
characteristics of the fold
mountains.

Answer

Two chief characteristics

of the fold mountains are-

Ÿ The fold mountain system

has parallel ranges.
Ÿ A fold mountain region is
also a region of sudden
forces such as of
volcanoes and
earthquakes.

Question 4
Give one example of
each:

(a) Young fold mountain.

(b) Old fold mountain.
Answer
(a) Young fold mountain -
The Himalayas
(b) Old fold mountain -
The Aravallis

Question 5
Give one example of
residual mountain and an
example of depositional
plain.

Answer

An example of residual
mountain - Nilgiri
mountains
An example of
depositional plain -
Northern plains of India

Question 6
Draw a well labelled
diagram to show the
formation of a residual
mountain.

Answer
Question 7
How is a rift valley
formed? Give one
example of a rift valley.

Answer

If there are two parallel

faults, the valley floor may
sink and a rift valley is
formed. For example-
African Rift Valley.

Question 8
Give a brief definition of a
plateau.

Answer

Plateau is defined as an
area of high ground, 500
feet above the ground
level. Plateaus have steep
slope on one side. The
upper part is generally flat
and is called tableland.

Question 9
What is an intermontane
plateau? Give one
example.
Answer

The plateaus surrounded

by hills and mountains on
all sides are called
intermontane plateaus.
For example- Tibetan
plateau.

Question 10
Give two points of
importance of landforms.
Answer
 The importance of
landforms are-

Ÿ The mountain ranges of

the world are the abode of
snow and glaciers. They
are thus the source of
perennial rivers.

Ÿ Mountains, plateaus,
plains and valleys are
beautiful sculptures of
nature on the surface of
the earth. They add to the
beauty of the earth.
Give a technical
term for each of
the following
Question 1
A very steep hill rising to
great heights above the
land surrounding it.

Answer

Mountains
Question 2
Mountains lowered down
as a result of being
subjected to weathering.

Answer

Residual mountains

Question 3
Block mountains with
flattened summits.
Answer

Horst mountains

Question 4
Plateaus surrounded by
hills and mountains on all
sides.

Answer

Intermontane plateaus

Question 5
Plateaus formed by lava.

Answer

Volcanic plateaus

Question 6
An extensive area of
lowland with a level or
gently undulating surface.

Answer

Plains
Question 7
Plains formed at foothills
of mountains as a result of
river deposition.

Answer

Depositional Plains

Distinguish
between each of
the following
Question 1
Fold Mountains and Block
Mountains.

Answer

(Fold Mountains) :
They are formed due to
folding of the rocks.
Block Mountains:
Block mountains are
formed due to faulting.
Fold mountains:-
Fold Mountains are
formed when
two tectonic plates move
towards each other
leading to the folding of
the layers of the Earth.
Bold mountains :-
Block Mountains are
formed when the two
tectonic plates move away
from each other causing
cracks on the surface of
the Earth.
Fold mountains :-
They are characterized by
large scale complex folds
that have greater height
but are comparatively
narrow in width.
Bold mountains :
They are characterized by
steep slopes and flat
slopes.
Fold mountains :-
For example- the
Himalayas in India.
Bold mountains :-
For example- Black forest
mountains in Europe.

Question 2
Intermontane plateaus
and Volcanic plateaus.
Answer

1.Intermontane plateaus:
These are surrounded by
hills and mountains on all
the sides. They are
formed along with fold
mountains.
1.Volcanic plateaus:-
They are formed by
numerous volcanic
eruptions that slowly build
up over time.
2.Intermontane plautes:-
For example- the Tibetan
plateau.
2.Volcanic plateaus:
For example- the
Peninsular plateau of
India.

Question 3
Structural plains and
Depositional plains.

Answer

1.Structural plains:-
These plains are formed
due to uplift or subsidence
of land.
1.Depositional plains:-
These plains are formed
by the deposition of
materials which have been
brought by various agents
of transportation.
2.Structural plains:-
For example- the Great
Plains of USA.
2.Depositional plains:-
For example- Northern
Plains of India.

Structured
Questions
Question 1(a)
How are various
landforms formed on the
surface of the earth?

Answer

Landforms are formed on

the surface of the earth
due to the following
natural processes-

1. Plate Tectonics — The

tectonic plates push,
collide and slide past each
other due to which
sedimentary rocks are
compressed. This causes
folding of the rocks and
forms fold mountains.

2. Uplift and
Submergence — A set of
forces operates inside the
earth's centre to the
surface and is
characterized by large
scale uplift and
subsidence of land area.
These forces result in the
formation of block
mountains, basins, rift
valleys, plateaus, plains,
lakes and big faults.
3. Exogenic Forces —
These forces cause
widespread destruction
through weathering and
erosion of existing
landforms and form new
landforms through both
erosion and deposition.

Question 1(b)
Describe the formation of
mountains and their types.

Answer
A mountain is a very steep
land or hill rising to great
heights above the land
surrounding it. Mountains
are classified into three
types based on the forces
that have formed them.

1. Fold mountains —
Fold mountains are the
result of large-scale earth
movements caused by
stresses in the earth’s
crust. Such stresses may
be caused by weight of
the overlying rocks,
movements in the mantle,
the expansion or
contraction of some part of
the earth, etc. These
stresses subject the rocks
to compressive forces,
producing wrinkling or
folding along the lines of
weakness. For example-
the Himalayas in India.

2. Residual Mountains —
Mountains which are
subjected to weathering
and erosion for a longtime,
are lowered down and
called residual or relict
mountains. Denudation
and erosion by natural
agents like
winds, water, snow etc.,
cause the mountains to be
lowered but some
resistant areas may
remain and form residual
mountains. They may also
be formed on plateaus
that are dissected by
rivers. For example- Nilgiri
in India.

3. Block Mountains — It
is an uplifted land mass
situated between two
adjacent faults. The
central block is upthrown
or land on the outer-sides
of the faults is downthrown
so that the
central mass appears like
a highland. Its surface is
like a plateau, but it has
steep edges. For
example- Vosges in
Europe.

Question 1(c)
Give a reason for each of
the following:

(i) Asthenosphere though

underneath the crust is in
a semi-molten state.
(ii) Exogenic forces are
also called destructive
forces.
(iii) Residual mountains
are also called mountains
of denudation.

Answer

(i) The internal heat of the

earth doesn't travel to the
surface because rocks are
bad conductors of heat.
The internal heat of the
earth melts the rocks and
keeps the asthenosphere
in a semi-molten state.
(ii) Exogenic forces are
also
called destructive forces
because they cause
widespread destruction
through weathering and
erosion of existing
landforms.

(iii) Residual mountains

are also called mountains
of denudation as they are
formed due to denudation
and erosion by natural
agents such as winds,
water, snow etc.
Question 1(d)
Draw a well labelled
diagram to show the
formation of block
mountain.
Answer
Ÿ

Question 2(a)
Describe the
characteristics of two
different types of plateaus.

Ÿ Answer

The characteristics of
Intermontane plateau are-

Ÿ These plateaus are

surrounded by hills and
mountains on all sides.
Ÿ

Ÿ They are formed along

with fold mountains.
For example- the Tibetan
plateau.

Ÿ The characteristics of
Volcanic plateaus are-

Ÿ They are formed by

numerous volcanic
eruptions that slowly build
up over time, forming a
plateau.
For example- the
Peninsular Plateau of
India.
 Question 2(b)
Describe the
characteristics of
structural plains.

Answer

The characteristics of
structural plains are-

Ÿ These plains are formed

due to uplift or subsidence
of land.
Ÿ Diastrophic forces may
cause
 uplift of a portion of land
beneath the ocean water
or may cause
submergence of coastal
land under ocean water.

Ÿ For example- The Great

Plains of USA were
formed due to the uplift of
land submerged under
water while the
Coromandal plains in India
are a result of mild
submergence followed by
sedimentation.
Question 2(c)
Give a reason for each of
the following:

(i) There are different

types of plains.
(ii) Alluvial plains are
regarded as the granaries
of the world.
(iii) The landforms on the
surface of the earth are
symbols of the energy of
the earth.

Answer
(i) There are different
types of plain based on
the way they are formed.
While some have been
formed due to depositional
activities of rivers and
winds, some are formed
due to the upliftment and
submergence of lands.

(ii) Alluvial plains are

regarded as the granaries
of the world because they
are formed by the
deposition of rivers. So,
the soil in these plains is
very fertile and supports
agriculture.
(iii) The landforms on the
surface of the earth are
symbols of the energy of
the earth as they are
basically a result of
enormous heat generated
inside the earth and
climate factors operating
on the surface of the
earth.

Question 2(d)
Explain the chief
characteristics of
depositional plains and
their types.
Answer

Depositional plains are

formed by the deposition
of materials which have
been brought by various
agents of transportation.
Depositional plains are of
three types-

1. River Deposition —
The most widespread of
these are alluvial plains
like the Northern Plains of
India; the flood plains like
the Mississippi Plains in
the USA,
deltaic plains in Egypt and
India.

2. Wind Deposition —
Most such plains are
sandy deserts like the
Sahara in Africa and the
Thar desert in India. They
have irregular and
undulating surface made
by existence of sand
dimes and hallows. Loess
plains in China are formed
from deserts.
3. Marine Deposition —
These plains are found in
coastal regions. Examples
are the east coast of India,
the estuarine
banks in the Netherlands,
coast of Germany and
Denmark.

PrevExercisesChaptersNe
xt