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Gravitation (Science)

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Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q5
Question 1:
How does the force of gravitation between two objects change when the distance
between them is reduced to half?
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The Universal Law Of Gravitation
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According to the universal law of gravitation, gravitational force (F) acting between
two objects is inversely proportional to the square of the distance (r) between them,
i.e.,

If distance r becomes r/2, then the gravitational force will be proportional
to
Hence, if the distance is reduced to half, then the gravitational force becomes four
times larger than the previous value.
Question 2:
Gravitational force acts on all objects in proportion to their masses. Why then, a heavy
object does not fall faster than a light object?
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Acceleration Due To Gravity
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All objects fall on ground with constant acceleration, called acceleration due to
gravity (in the absence of air resistances). It is constant and does not depend upon the
mass of an object. Hence, heavy objects do not fall faster than light objects.
Question 3:
What is the magnitude of the gravitational force between the earth and a 1 kg object
on its surface? (Mass of the earth is 6 10
24
kg and radius of the earth is 6.4 10
6
m).
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The Universal Law Of Gravitation
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According to the universal law of gravitation, gravitational force exerted on an object
of mass m is given by:

Where,
Mass of Earth, M = 6 10
24
kg
Mass of object, m = 1 kg
Universal gravitational constant, G = 6.7 10
11
Nm
2
kg
2

Since the object is on the surface of the Earth, r = radius of the Earth (R)
r = R = 6.4 10
6
m
Gravitational force,

Question 4:
The earth and the moon are attracted to each other by gravitational force. Does the
earth attract the moon with a force that is greater or smaller or the same as the force
with which the moon attracts the earth? Why?
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The Universal Law Of Gravitation
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According to the universal law of gravitation, two objects attract each other with equal
force, but in opposite directions. The Earth attracts the moon with an equal force with
which the moon attracts the earth.
Question 5:
If the moon attracts the earth, why does the earth not move towards the moon?
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The Universal Law Of Gravitation
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The Earth and the moon experience equal gravitational forces from each other.
However, the mass of the Earth is much larger than the mass of the moon. Hence, it
accelerates at a rate lesser than the acceleration rate of the moon towards the Earth.
For this reason, the Earth does not move towards the moon.
Question 6:
What happens to the force between two objects, if
(i) the mass of one object is doubled?
(ii) the distance between the objects is doubled and tripled?
(iii) the masses of both objects are doubled?
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The Universal Law Of Gravitation
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(i) Doubled (ii) One-fourth and one-ninth (iii) four times
According to the universal law of gravitation, the force of gravitation between two
objects is given by:

(i) F is directly proportional to the masses of the objects. If the mass of one object is
doubled, then the gravitational force will also get doubled.
(ii) F is inversely proportional to the square of the distances between the objects. If the
distance is doubled, then the gravitational force becomes one-fourth of its original
value.
Similarly, if the distance is tripled, then the gravitational force becomes one-ninth of
its original value.
(iii) F is directly proportional to the product of masses of the objects. If the masses of
both the objects are doubled, then the gravitational force becomes four times the
original value.
Question 7:
What is the importance of universal law of gravitation?
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The Universal Law Of Gravitation
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The universal law of gravitation proves that every object in the universe attracts every
other object.
Question 8:
What is the acceleration of free fall?
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Acceleration Due To Gravity
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When objects fall towards the Earth under the effect of gravitational force alone, then
they are said to be in free fall. Acceleration of free fall is 9.8 m s
2
, which is constant
for all objects (irrespective of their masses).
Question 9:
What do we call the gravitational force between the Earth and an object?
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Mass And Weight
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Gravitational force between the earth and an object is known as the weight of the
object.
Question 10:
Amit buys few grams of gold at the poles as per the instruction of one of his friends.
He hands over the same when he meets him at the equator. Will the friend agree with
the weight of gold bought? If not, why? [Hint: The value of g is greater at the poles
than at the equator].
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Mass And Weight
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Weight of a body on the Earth is given by:
W = mg
Where,
m = Mass of the body
g = Acceleration due to gravity
The value of g is greater at poles than at the equator. Therefore, gold at the equator
weighs less than at the poles. Hence, Amits friend will not agree with the weight of
the gold bought.
Question 11:
Why will a sheet of paper fall slower than one that is crumpled into a ball?
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Acceleration Due To Gravity
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When a sheet of paper is crumbled into a ball, then its density increases. Hence,
resistance to its motion through the air decreases and it falls faster than the sheet of
paper.
Question 12:
Gravitational force on the surface of the moon is only as strong as gravitational force
on the Earth. What is the weight in newtons of a 10 kg object on the moon and on the
Earth?
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Mass And Weight
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Weight of an object on the moon Weight of an object on the Earth
Also,
Weight = Mass Acceleration
Acceleration due to gravity, g = 9.8 m/s
2

Therefore, weight of a 10 kg object on the Earth = 10 9.8 = 98 N
And, weight of the same object on the moon
Question 13:
A ball is thrown vertically upwards with a velocity of 49 m/s. Calculate
(i) the maximum height to which it rises.
(ii)the total time it takes to return to the surface of the earth.
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Acceleration Due To Gravity
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(i) 122.5 m (ii) 10 s
According to the equation of motion under gravity:
v
2
u
2
= 2 gs
Where,
u = Initial velocity of the ball
v = Final velocity of the ball
s = Height achieved by the ball
g = Acceleration due to gravity
At maximum height, final velocity of the ball is zero, i.e., v = 0
u = 49 m/s
During upward motion, g = 9.8 m s
2

Let h be the maximum height attained by the ball.
Hence,

Let t be the time taken by the ball to reach the height 122.5 m, then according to the
equation of motion:
v = u + gt
We get,

But,
Time of ascent = Time of descent
Therefore, total time taken by the ball to return = 5 + 5 = 10 s
Question 14:
A stone is released from the top of a tower of height 19.6 m. Calculate its final
velocity just before touching the ground.
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Acceleration Due To Gravity
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According to the equation of motion under gravity:
v
2
u
2
= 2 gs
Where,
u = Initial velocity of the stone = 0
v = Final velocity of the stone
s = Height of the stone = 19.6 m
g = Acceleration due to gravity = 9.8 m s
2

v
2
0
2
= 2 9.8 19.6
v
2
= 2 9.8 19.6 = (19.6)
2

v = 19.6 m s
1

Hence, the velocity of the stone just before touching the ground is 19.6 m s
1
.

Question 15:
A stone is thrown vertically upward with an initial velocity of 40 m/s. Taking g = 10
m/s
2
, find the maximum height reached by the stone. What is the net displacement and
the total distance covered by the stone?
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Acceleration Due To Gravity
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According to the equation of motion under gravity:
v
2
u
2
= 2 gs
Where,
u = Initial velocity of the stone = 40 m/s
v = Final velocity of the stone = 0
s = Height of the stone
g = Acceleration due to gravity = 10 m s
2

Let h be the maximum height attained by the stone.
Therefore,

Therefore, total distance covered by the stone during its upward and downward
journey = 80 + 80 = 160 m
Net displacement of the stone during its upward and downward journey
= 80 + (80) = 0
Question 16:
Calculate the force of gravitation between the earth and the Sun, given that the mass
of the earth = 6 10
24
kg and of the Sun = 2 10
30
kg. The average distance between
the two is 1.5 10
11
m.
Answer
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The Universal Law Of Gravitation
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According to the universal law of gravitation, the force of attraction between the Earth
and the Sun is given by:

Where,
M
Sun
= Mass of the Sun = 2 10
30
kg
M
Earth
= Mass of the Earth = 6 10
24
kg
R = Average distance between the Earth and the Sun = 1.5 10
11
m
G = Universal gravitational constant = 6.7 10
11
Nm
2
kg
2


Question 17:
A stone is allowed to fall from the top of a tower 100 m high and at the same time
another stone is projected vertically upwards from the ground with a velocity of 25
m/s. Calculate when and where the two stones will meet.
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Acceleration Due To Gravity
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Let the two stones meet after a time t.
(i) For the stone dropped from the tower:
Initial velocity, u = 0
Let the displacement of the stone in time t from the top of the tower be s.
Acceleration due to gravity, g = 9.8 m s
2

From the equation of motion,

(ii) For the stone thrown upwards:
Initial velocity, u = 25 m s
1

Let the displacement of the stone from the ground in time t be s'.
Acceleration due to gravity, g = 9.8 m s
2

Equation of motion,

The combined displacement of both the stones at the meeting point is equal to the
height of the tower 100 m.

In 4 s, the falling stone has covered a distance given by equation (1) as

Therefore, the stones will meet after 4 s at a height (100 80) = 20 m from the ground
Question 18:
A ball thrown up vertically returns to the thrower after 6 s. Find
(a) the velocity with which it was thrown up,
(b) the maximum height it reaches, and
(c) its position after 4 s.
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Acceleration Due To Gravity
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(a) 29.4 m/s (b) 44.1 m (c) 39.2 m above the ground
(a) Time of ascent is equal to the time of descent. The ball takes a total of 6 s for its
upward and downward journey.
Hence, it has taken 3 s to attain the maximum height.
Final velocity of the ball at the maximum height, v = 0
Acceleration due to gravity, g = 9.8 m s
2

Equation of motion, v = u + gt will give,
0 = u + (9.8 3)
u = 9.8 3 = 29.4 ms
1

Hence, the ball was thrown upwards with a velocity of 29.4 m s
1
.
(b) Let the maximum height attained by the ball be h.
Initial velocity during the upward journey, u = 29.4 m s
1

Final velocity, v = 0
Acceleration due to gravity, g = 9.8 m s
2

From the equation of motion,

(c) Ball attains the maximum height after 3 s. After attaining this height, it will start
falling downwards.
In this case,
Initial velocity, u = 0
Position of the ball after 4 s of the throw is given by the distance travelled by it during
its downward journey in 4 s 3 s = 1 s.
Equation of motion, will give,

Total height = 44.1 m
This means that the ball is 39.2 m (44.1 m 4.9 m) above the ground after 4 seconds.
Question 19:
In what direction does the buoyant force on an object immersed in a liquid act?
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Thrust And Pressure
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An object immersed in a liquid experiences buoyant force in the upward direction.
Question 20:
Why does a block of plastic released under water come up to the surface of water?
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Thrust And Pressure
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Two forces act on an object immersed in water. One is the gravitational force, which
pulls the object downwards, and the other is the buoyant force, which pushes the
object upwards. If the upward buoyant force is greater than the downward
gravitational force, then the object comes up to the surface of the water as soon as it is
released within water. Due to this reason, a block of plastic released under water
comes up to the surface of the water.
Question 21:
The volume of 50 g of a substance is 20 cm
3
. If the density of water is 1 g cm
3
, will
the substance float or sink?
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Archimedes Principle
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If the density of an object is more than the density of a liquid, then it sinks in the
liquid. On the other hand, if the density of an object is less than the density of a liquid,
then it floats on the surface of the liquid.
Here, density of the substance =
The density of the substance is more than the density of water (1 g cm
3
). Hence, the
substance will sink in water.
Question 22:
The volume of a 500 g sealed packet is 350 cm
3
. Will the packet float or sink in water
if the density of water is 1 g cm
3
? What will be the mass of the water displaced by
this packet?
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Archimedes Principle
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Density of the 500 g sealed packet
The density of the substance is more than the density of water ( ). Hence, it
will sink in water.
The mass of water displaced by the packet is equal to the volume of the packet, i.e.,
350 g.
Question 1:
You find your mass to be 42 kg on a weighing machine. Is your mass more or less
than 42 kg?
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Mass And Weight
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When you weigh your body, an upward force acts on it. This upward force is the
buoyant force. As a result, the body gets pushed slightly upwards, causing the
weighing machine to show a reading less than the actual value.
Question 2:
You have a bag of cotton and an iron bar, each indicating a mass of 100 kg when
measured on a weighing machine. In reality, one is heavier than other. Can you say
which one is heavier and why?
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Mass And Weight
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The iron bar is heavier than the bag of cotton. This is because the surface area of the
cotton bag is larger than the iron bar. Hence, more buoyant force acts on the bag than
that on an iron bar. This makes the cotton bag lighter than its actual value. For this
reason, the iron bar and the bag of cotton show the same mass on the weighing
machine, but actually the mass of the iron bar is more that that of the cotton bag.
Question 1:
Why is it difficult to hold a school bag having a strap made of a thin and strong string?
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Thrust And Pressure
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It is difficult to hold a school bag having a thin strap because the pressure on the
shoulders is quite large. This is because the pressure is inversely proportional to the
surface area on which the force acts. The smaller is the surface area; the larger will be
the pressure on the surface. In the case of a thin strap, the contact surface area is very
small. Hence, the pressure exerted on the shoulder is very large.
Question 2:
What do you mean by buoyancy?
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Archimedes Principle
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The upward force exerted by a liquid on an object immersed in it is known as
buoyancy. When you try to immerse an object in water, then you can feel an upward
force exerted on the object, which increases as you push the object deeper into water.
Question 3:
Why does an object float or sink when placed on the surface of water?
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Archimedes Principle
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If the density of an object is more than the density of the liquid, then it sinks in the
liquid. This is because the buoyant force acting on the object is less than the force of
gravity. On the other hand, if the density of the object is less than the density of the
liquid, then it floats on the surface of the liquid. This is because the buoyant force
acting on the object is greater than the force of gravity.
Question 1:
What are the differences between the mass of an object and its weight?
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Mass And Weight
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S.
No.
Mass Weight
I.
Mass is the quantity of matter
contained in the body.
Weight is the force of gravity acting on
the body.
II.
It is the measure of inertia of the
body.
It is the measure of gravity.
III. Mass is a constant quantity.
Weight is not a constant quantity. It is
different at different places.
IV. It only has magnitude. It has magnitude as well as direction.
V. Its SI unit is kilogram (kg).
Its SI unit is the same as the SI unit of
force, i.e., Newton (N).
Question 2:
Why is the weight of an object on the moon
th
its weight on the earth?
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Mass And Weight
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Let M
E
be the mass of the Earth and m be an object on the surface of the Earth.
Let R
E
be the radius of the Earth. According to the universal law of gravitation,
weight W
E
of the object on the surface of the Earth is given by,

Let and be the mass and radius of the moon. Then, according to the universal
law of gravitation, weight W
M
of the object on the surface of the moon is given by:




Therefore, weight of an object on the moon is of its weight on the Earth.
Question 1:
What do you mean by free fall?
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Acceleration Due To Gravity
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Gravity of the Earth attracts every object towards its centre. When an object is
released from a height, it falls towards the surface of the Earth under the influence of
gravitational force. The motion of the object is said to have free fall.
Question 2:
What do you mean by acceleration due to gravity?
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Acceleration Due To Gravity
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When an object falls towards the ground from a height, then its velocity changes
during the fall. This changing velocity produces acceleration in the object. This
acceleration is known as acceleration due to gravity (g). Its value is given by 9.8 m/s
2
.
Question 1:
State the universal law of gravitation
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The Universal Law Of Gravitation
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The universal law of gravitation states that every object in the universe attracts every
other object with a force called the gravitational force. The force acting between two
objects is directly proportional to the product of their masses and inversely
proportional to the square of the distance between their centers.
For two objects of masses m
1
and m
2
and the distance between them r, the force (F) of
attraction acting between them is given by the universal law of gravitation as:

Where, G is the universal gravitation constant given by:

Question 2:
Write the formula to find the magnitude of the gravitational force between the earth
and an object on the surface of the earth.
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The Universal Law Of Gravitation
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Let M
E
be the mass of the Earth and m be the mass of an object on its surface. If R is
the radius of the Earth, then according to the universal law of gravitation, the
gravitational force (F) acting between the Earth and the object is given by the relation:
























Physical Features of India (Social Science)
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Exercise Page 15 Next

Q1 Q2
Question 1:
Choose the right answer from the four alternatives given below.
(i) A landmass bound by sea on three sides is referred to as
(a) Coast (c) Peninsula
(b) Island (d) None of the above
(ii) Mountain ranges in the eastern part of India forming its boundary with Myanmar
are collectively called as
(a) Himachal (c) Purvachal
(b) Uttarakhand (d) None of the above
(iii) The western coastal strip, south of Goa is referred to as
(a) Coromandel (c) Kannad
(b) Konkan (d) Northern Circar
(iv) The highest peak in the Eastern Ghats is
(a) Anai Mudi (c) Mahendragiri
(b) Kanchenjunga (d) Khasi
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(i) A landmass bound by sea on three sides is referred to as
(a) Coast (c) Peninsula
(b) Island (d) None of the above
(ii) Mountain ranges in the eastern part of India forming its boundary with Myanmar
are collectively called as
(a) Himachal (c) Purvachal
(b) Uttarakhand (d) None of the above
(iii) The western coastal strip, south of Goa is referred to as
(a) Coromandel (c) Kannad
(b) Konkan (d) Northern Circar
(iv) The highest peak in the Eastern Ghats is
(a) Anai Mudi (c) Mahendragiri
(b) Kanchenjunga (d) Khasi
Question 2:
Answer the following questions briefly.
(i) What are tectonic plates?
(ii) Which continents of today were part of the Gondwana land?
(iii) What is the bhabar?
(iv) Name the three major divisions of the Himalayas from north to south.
(v) Which plateau lies between the Aravali and the Vindhyan ranges?
(vi) Name the island group of India having coral origin.
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(i) The convectional currents present below the solid layer of Earths crust split the
crust or the lithosphere into a number of large fragments. These fragments are called
tectonic or lithospheric plates.
(ii) The continents that were part of Gondwana land are Australia, Antarctica and
South America.
(iii) The bhabhar is that part of the Northern Plains where the rivers, after descending
from the mountains, deposit pebbles. It is a narrow belt, having a width of about 8 to
16 km and lying parallel to the slopes of the Shiwaliks.
(iv) The three major divisions of the Himalayas from north to south are the Great
Himalayas/Inner Himalayas/Himadri (Northernmost division), the Lesser
Himalayas/Himachal and the Shiwaliks (Southernmost division).
(v) Malwa plateau lies between the Aravali and the Vindhyan ranges.
(vi) Lakshadweep Islands are composed of small coral islands.
Question 3:
Distinguish between
(i) Converging and diverging tectonic plates
(ii) Bhangar and Khadar
(iii) Western Ghats and Eastern Ghats
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(i)The Earths crust is broken up into several lithospheric or tectonic plates. These
plates are constantly moving atop the Earths mantle (semi-solid layer of molten
rocks). Based upon their motion, tectonic plates are referred to as converging or
diverging. Converging tectonic plates move towards each other and form convergent
boundary. Diverging tectonic plates move away from each other and form divergent
boundary.
(ii)Bhangar is the terrace-like feature present above the flood plains of the rivers. It is
composed of older alluvium. It is the largest part of the Northern Plain. The soil of this
region contains calcerous deposits locally known as kankar.
The newer, younger deposits of the flood plains are called khadar. This region is very
fertile as it gets renewed almost every year. Hence, it is ideal for intensive agriculture.
(iii)
Western Ghats Eastern Ghats
Mark the western edge of the Deccan
Plateau
Mark the eastern edge of the Deccan
Plateau
Continuous Discontinuous and irregular
Higher; average elevation is 9001600
metres
Lower; average elevation is 600 metres
Lie parallel to the western coast along
the Arabian Sea
Lie parallel to the eastern coast along the
Bay of Bengal
Question 4:
Describe how the Himalayas were formed.
Answer
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According to the Theory of Plate Tectonics, the Earths crust was initially a single,
giant super-continent called Pangea. Its northern part was the Angara land and the
southern part was the Gondwana land. The movement of the molten material below
the Earths crust caused the crust or the lithosphere to break up into a number of large
fragments called lithospheric or tectonic plates. Another important feature of the
Earths crust at the time was the geosynclinea narrow, shallow, elongated basin
with a sinking bottom in which a considerable thickness of sediments were deposited
by the rivers coming from Angara land and Gondwana landcalled the Tethys. After
separating from the Gondwana land, the Indo-Australian Plate drifted towards the
north in the direction of the Eurasian Plate. This resulted in the collision of the two
plates, and due to this collision, the sedimentary rocks in the Tethys got folded to form
the mountain system of western Asia and the Himalayas.
Question 5:
Which are the major physiographic divisions of India? Contrast the relief of the
Himalayan region with that of the Peninsular plateau.
Answer
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The major physiographic divisions of India are:
(i) The Himalayan Mountains
(ii) The Northern Plains
(iii) The Peninsular Plateau
(iv) The Indian Desert
(v) The Coastal Plains
(vi) The Islands
The Himalayan Region The Peninsular Plateau
Having a comparatively recent origin, it
is made up of young fold mountains
It is the oldest landmass of the Indian
subcontinent; was part of the Gondwana
land
Consists of the loftiest mountains and
deep valleys
Consists of broad and shallow valleys, and
rounded hills
Formed due to the collision of the Indo-
Australian and Eurasian plates
Formed due to the breaking and drifting of
the Gondwana land
Composed of sedimentary rocks
Composed of igneous and metamorphic
rocks
From the point of view of geology, this
region forms an unstable zone
This region forms a stable zone
Question 6:
Give an account of the Northern Plains of India.
Answer
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The Himalayan upliftment out of the Tethys Sea and the subsidence of the northern
flank of the Peninsular Plateau resulted in the formation of a large basin. Gradually,
the rivers flowing from the mountains in the north and the peninsular plateau in the
south filled up this depression with deposits of sediments. This led to the formation of
the Northern Plains of India.
The formation of the Northern Plains owes largely to the interplay of three major river
systems, namely the Indus, the Ganga and the Brahmaputra along with their
tributaries. This physiographic division spreads over an area of 7 lakh square
kilometres, and is 2,400 kilometres long and 320 kilometres broad. It is a densely
populated region. The rich soil cover, adequate water supply and favourable climate
make the region agriculturally very productive.
The Northern Plains are broadly divided into three sections.
The Punjab Plains Western part of the Northern Plains; formed by the Indus and its
tributaries
The Ganga Plains Largest part of the Northern Plains; extends between Ghaggar and
Teesta rivers
The Brahmaputra Plains Eastern part of the Northern Plains; formed by the
Brahmaputra and its tributaries
According to the variations in relief features, the Northern Plains are divided into four
regions.
Bhabar Narrow belt of pebbles lying parallel to the slopes of Shiwaliks
Terai Wet, swampy, marshy region south of the bhabar belt
Bhangar Terrace-like feature composed of older alluvium, lying above the flood
plains
Khadar Newer, younger deposits of the flood plains
Question 7:
Write short notes on the following.
(i) The Indian Desert
(ii) The Central Highlands
(iii) The Island groups of India
Answer
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(i) Lying towards the west of the Aravali Hills, the Indian Desert is an undulating
sandy plain covered with crescent-shaped and longitudinal sand dunes. This region is
characterised by very little rainfall, an arid climate and low vegetation cover. Streams
appear only during the rainy season. Luni is the only large river in this region.
(ii) The part of the Peninsular Plateau lying to the north of the Narmada River,
covering a major area of the Malwa Plateau, is known as the Central Highlands. They
are bound by the Vindhya Range from the south and by the Aravali Hills from the
northwest. The further westward extension merges with the Indian Desert while the
eastward extension is marked by the Chotanagpur Plateau. The rivers draining this
region flow from southwest to northeast. The Central Highlands are wider in the west
but narrower in the east.
(iii) India has two groups of islands. The Lakshadweep Islands lie in the Arabian Sea,
to the southwest of the mainland. The Andaman and Nicobar Islands lie in the Bay of
Bengal, to the southeast of the mainland.
Lakshadweep is composed of small coral islands, covering a small area of 32 square
kilometres. Kavaratti Island is its administrative headquarters. The Andaman and
Nicobar Islands are bigger in size and are more numerous and scattered. The entire
group of islands is divided into Andaman (in the north) and Nicobar (in the south).
Both these island groups are rich in flora and fauna, and are of great strategic
importance to the country.
MAP












Chapter 2
Physical Features of India
The Himalayan Mountains
Indus to the river Brahmaputra.


or Himadri. It has all the famous Himalayan peaks such as the Mt. Everest,
Kanchenjunga, Makalu, Dhaulagiri, Nanga Parbat, etc.
Himadri is called the Himachal or the Lesser
Himalaya and has important ranges like the Pir Panjal, Dhaula Dhar and
Mahabharat range. It is well known for hill stations.
layas is called the Shiwaliks. It has a width
of 10-15 Km and an altitude between 900-1000 metres.
Himadri and the Shiwaliks are called Duns.
Famous duns are Dehra Dun, Kotli Dun and Patli Dun.
s
Between the Indus and Satluj rivers: the Punjab Himalaya or the Himachal
Himalyas and the Kashmir Himalayas.
Between the Satluj and Kali rivers: the Kumaon Himalayas.
Between the Tista and Dihang rivers: the Assam Himalayas.
ends past the Dihang gorge and bends towards South
along the eastern boundary is called the Purvachal or Eastern hills and
mountains. It has famous hills like the Patkai Hills, the Naga Hills, the Manipur
Hills, and the Mizo Hills, etc.
The Northern Plain
- the Indus, the Ganga and the
Brahmaputra led to the formation of the Northern Plain. It is the most fetile
region of India as it is made-up of alluvial soil.
2400 Km.


240-320 Km.
e plain is agriculturally a high productive region of India owing to the
excellent supply of water and extremely fertile soil.

The western part of this plain is called the Punjab Plains and was created
by the river Indus and its tributaries. Its maximum part lies in Pakistan.
The second segment is called the Ganga Plain. It is the largest segment
of the Northern Plain and expands between the Ghagar and the Teesta rivers.
It stretches over the states of Northern India, Haryana, Delhi, U.P, Bihar, etc.
The third segment is the Eastern part of the Northern Plain called the
Brahmaputra Plain. It is a flood prone region.

Bhabar: (A thin belt of 8-16 Km in width where the rivers from the
Himalayas leave the pebbles.
Terai: Wet and soggy region created by rivers and streams.
Bhangar: The largest section of the Northern Plain made up of old
alluvium.
Khadar: Contains the younger deposits of the flood plains that are
renewed every year, thus making the plain fertile and suitable for agriculture.
The Peninsular Plateau
- the Central Highlands and the Deccan Plateau.
The Central Highlands
Portion of the Peninsular Plateau that lies to the North of the river
Narmada and covers a major part of the Malwa Plateau.It binds the Vindhyan
Range towards the South.
The Western extension of the Central Highlands merges with the desert of
Rajasthan.
The Eastern expansions of this plateau are called the Bundelkhand and
the Baghelkhand plateaus.
The Deccan Plateau
The triangular landmass to the South of river Narmada.
It is higher in the West and slopes towards the East.
The Northeast expansions of the Deccan Plateau are locally called the
Meghalaya, North Cachar Hills and Karbi-Anglong Plateau.
The Eastern and Western corners of the Deccan Plateau are called the
Eastern Ghats and the Western Ghats, respectively.


The Western Ghats
They run parallel to the Western coast of India and are higher than the
Eastern Ghats. They can be crossed through passes only.
The highest peaks in the Western Ghats are Anai Mudi (2,695 metres)
and the Doda Betta (2,637 metres).
The Eastern Ghats
They extend from the Mahanadi valley to the Nilgiris.
They are not continuous and are irregular.
At the southeast of the Eastern Ghats are the Shevroy hills and the Javadi
Hills, and the highest peak in the Eastern Ghats is Mahendragiri (1501
metres).
The Indian Desert
Thar desert.


as the quantity of water is not enough.
e river is the Luni.

Semi circular sand dunes called Barchans can be seen near the Indo-Pakistan
border.
The Coastal Plains
country.

y are a thin stretch of fertile land.
Coastal Plains.
The Western Coastal Plains
Sandwiched between the Western Ghats and the Arabian Sea.
It is a thin stretch of land divided into three sections.
The Northern section of the plain is called the Konkan Plain. It runs from
Mumbai to Goa.
The Central section is called the Kannad Plain.
The Southern section is the Malabar Coast.
The Eastern Coastal Plains
The plains between the Eastern Ghats and the Bay of Bengal.
They are broad fertile plains.
The Northern part it is called the Northern Circar and the Southern part is
called the Coromandel Coast.


Extensive deltas have been formed by rivers like the Godavari, the
Mahanadi, the Krishna and the Kaveri.
Lake Chilika is an important lake on this coast.
The Islands

Lakshadweep Islands. They are located near
the Malabar Coast of Kerala in the Arabian Sea.
area of 32 sq. km only.
Lakshadweep is a Union Territory of India.
uninhabited is home to a bird sanctuary.
the Andaman and Nicobar islands.
Compared to the Lakshadweep islands, these groups of islands are bigger
and have more islands.
- the
Andaman in the North and the Nicobar in the South.
na, this island group is located near the
equator and has dense forests.

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