Subject: Social Studies
Topic: Major landforms of the Earth
Reference Notes
Grade: 6 Sec: ….. Date:
Landforms – Mountains
I. Answer in short:
1. What are landforms?
Ans. The earth’s surface that stands out like mountains, valleys, plateaus
and other physical features are called landforms.
2. Give two examples of young fold mountains.
Ans. The Himalayan Mountains and the Alps.
II. Differentiate between:
a) Internal and External Processes.
INTERNAL PROCESSES EXTERNAL PROCESSES
1. The forces generated [Link] forces generated outside
inside the earth are called the earth are called external
internal processes (endogenic) processes. (Exogenic).
2. Internal processes lead to sudden 2. External processes bring about
and abrupt changes like slow changes over millions of
earthquakes and volcanic years like actions of river, sea
eruptions. waves, ice and wind.
b) Block and Fold Mountains
FOLD MOUNTAINS BLOCK MOUNTAINS
1. They have upstanding or conical 1. These mountains are large
peaks. areas, which are displaced and
broken vertically.
2. They are formed when tectonic 2. They are formed when tectonic
plates move towards each other plates move away from each
E.g. : Urals in Europe other. E.g. : Western Ghats,
and the Vosges.
III. What are some of the benefits of Mountains?
a) Flora and Fauna – Various plant and animal species are found on
the mountains like conifers, maple, snow leopard, giant panda etc
b) Various perennial rivers originate from mountains. For example
Indus, Ganges and Brahmaputra.
c) Hydroelectricity can be generated by making dams.
d) Mountains are a storehouse of various minerals like coal, gold, silver
and gems.
e) They also help in promoting health and tourism.
f) The climate over mountains is very cool.
g) They also provide a base for agriculture on their slopes.
IV. How are volcanic mountains formed? Label and colour the diagram
of a volcano.
A. Volcanic Mountains are formed due to volcanic activity that is due to
solidification of lava. [Link] in Africa and Mt. Fujiyama in Japan
are examples of such mountains.
Landforms – Plateaus
V. What is a Plateau? Name any 4 plateaus and state where they are
located.
A plateau is a broad and rather level stretch of land rising sharply from the
neighbouring lowland. Plateaus are also called tablelands.
• Colorado plateau - North America
• Tibetan plateau - China
• Deccan plateau - India
• Patagonia plateau - Argentina
Qb. Give examples of the following types of plateaus.
a) Intermontane Plateaus – Plateaus of Tibet, Bolivia and Mexico
b) Piedmont Plateau – Plateau of Patagonia in Argentina
c) Continental Plateau – Arabian Peninsula
Qc. Write four benefits of Plateaus.
1. Plateaus are the storehouse of minerals. Minerals like gold, silver,
copper, coal, iron etc can be easily extracted by mining from the
plateaus.
2. Plateaus have a cool climate, thereby enhancing the scenic beauty.
3. People use plateaus for agriculture and grazing their animals with
the help of which they sustain their lives.
4. Hydroelectricity can be generated with the help of the rivers coming
out from the plateaus.
VI. Label the important mountains and mountain ranges on the world
map.
Landforms – Plains
VII. What are plains? Write any three benefits of plains.
Ans. A relatively flat and a low-lying land surface with least difference
between its highest and lowest points is called a plain. These are usually
low-lying flat areas with least unevenness.
Benefits of plains are:
• Useful for agriculture
• Fertile land promotes living housing of population.
• Main centres of civilizations.
VIII. What are some of the important features of plains?
• They are vast stretches of flat land.
• Some plains are extremely level. Others may be slightly rolling and
undulating.
• They are usually fertile regions and suitable for cultivation. They are
thickly populated regions.