1. Why is the atmosphere essential for the survival of organisms? (Pg. 2) Page 64
2. Describe the role of water vapour in the atmosphere. (Pg. 2) Page 64
3. What are the sources of dust particles found in the atmosphere? (Pg. 3) Page 65
4. Why is the thickness of the troposphere greatest at the equator? (Pg. 3) Page 65
5. What is the key feature of the stratosphere and why is it important for life on Earth? (Pg. 3) Page 65
6. List the main elements of weather and climate. (Pg. 4) Page 66

Which gas is meteorologically important because it is transparent to incoming solar radiation but opaque to outgoing terrestrial radiation? (Pg. 2)

Where is the concentration of water vapour in the air typically the highest? (Pg. 2)

In which regions is the concentration of dust particles generally higher? (Pg. 3)

What is the rate of temperature decrease (lapse rate) within the troposphere? (Pg. 3)

Which layer of the atmosphere contains electrically charged particles (ions) that reflect radio waves? (Pg. 3)

(Exercise) Which one of the following gases constitutes the major portion of the atmosphere? (Pg. 4)

(Exercise) Atmospheric layer important for human beings is: (Pg. 4)

(Exercise) Sea salt, pollen, ash, smoke soot, fine soil are associated with: (Pg. 4)

(Exercise) Oxygen gas is in negligible quantity at the height of: (Pg. 4)

(Exercise) Which gas is transparent to incoming solar radiation and opaque to outgoing terrestrial radiation? (Pg. 4)

The ozone layer, found between 10 and 50 km, absorbs ______ rays from the sun. (Pg. 2) Page 64

Dust and salt particles act as ______ nuclei for water vapour condensation. (Pg. 3) Page 65

The lowermost layer of the atmosphere, where all weather phenomena occur, is the ______. (Pg. 3) Page 65

The zone separating the troposphere from the stratosphere is called the ______. (Pg. 3) Page 65

The layer above the thermosphere that gradually merges with outer space is the ______. (Pg. 4) Page 66

1. What is a landform? How is it different from a landscape? (Pg. 1) Page 47
2. Describe the three stages of landscape development (Youth, Mature, Old) in a running water regime. (Pg. 2) Page 48
3. How are potholes formed by stream erosion? (Pg. 2-3) Page 48-49
4. What are river terraces and how are they formed? (Pg. 3) Page 49
5. Explain the difference between an active floodplain and an inactive floodplain. (Pg. 4) Page 50
6. Explain why meanders develop over flood and delta plains. (Pg. 5) Page 51
7. What is the difference between a solution sink and a collapse sink (doline)? (Pg. 6-7) Page 52-53
8. Name and describe the two main depositional features found within limestone caves. (Pg. 7) Page 53
9. What is a horn and how is it formed? Give an example. (Pg. 8) Page 54
10. What are moraines? Name and describe three types. (Pg. 9-10) Page 55-56
11. What is the primary difference between high rocky coasts and low sedimentary coasts? (Pg. 11-12) Page 57-58
12. How does a spit form? (Pg. 12-13) Page 58-59
13. Explain the formation of a pediplain through the parallel retreat of slopes. (Pg. 13-14) Page 59-60
14. How does wind act as a sorting agent in forming depositional landforms? (Pg. 14) Page 60

What is considered the most important geomorphic agent in degrading land surfaces in humid regions? (Pg. 1)

What is the plain formed as a result of stream erosion called? (Pg. 2)

What are the large, deep holes at the base of waterfalls called? (Pg. 3)

What are the broad, cone-shaped deposits formed when streams break into foot slope plains called? (Pg. 3-4)

What are the low, linear ridges of coarse deposits along the banks of large rivers called? (Pg. 5)

A limestone region showing typical landforms produced by groundwater action is called ______ topography. (Pg. 6)

What are long, narrow to wide trenches formed when sinkholes join together called? (Pg. 7)

What are masses of ice moving as sheets over land or down mountain valleys called? (Pg. 8)

Glaciated valleys are typically: (Pg. 9)

What are sinuous ridges of sand and gravel deposited by streams flowing beneath a glacier called? (Pg. 10)

What are remnant masses of rock, originally parts of a cliff, standing isolated off the shore called? (Pg. 12)

Which of the following is NOT a primary erosional action of wind? (Pg. 13)

Shallow lakes in desert basins that retain water only for a short duration are called: (Pg. 14)

Crescent-shaped dunes with points directed downwind are called: (Pg. 14-15)

(Exercise) In which stage of landform development is downward cutting most dominant? (Pg. 15)

(Exercise) A deep valley characterised by steep step-like side slopes is known as: (Pg. 15)

(Exercise) In which region is chemical weathering more dominant than mechanical? (Pg. 15)

(Exercise) Which sentence best defines ‘Lapies’? (Pg. 15)

(Exercise) A deep trough with very steep concave walls at its head is known as: (Pg. 15)

The two components of running water are overland flow as a sheet and linear flow as ______. (Pg. 1) Page 47

A deep valley with very steep to straight sides is called a ______. (Pg. 2) Page 48

Meanders cut into hard rocks are called ______ or entrenched meanders. (Pg. 3) Page 49

Unlike alluvial fans, the deposits making up ______ are very well sorted with clear stratification. (Pg. 4) Page 50

Deposits found on the concave side of meanders are called ______ or meander bars. (Pg. 5) Page 51

Small to medium round depressions on limestone surfaces formed by solution are called ______ holes. (Pg. 6) Page 52

The irregular limestone surface with sharp pinnacles and ridges is called ______. (Pg. 7) Page 53

The most common landform in glaciated mountains, a deep trough at the head of a glacier, is a ______. (Pg. 8) Page 54

Very deep glacial troughs filled with seawater are called ______. (Pg. 9) Page 55

Smooth, oval-shaped ridges composed of glacial till are called ______. (Pg. 10-11) Page 56-57

A ridge of sand and shingle lying parallel to the coast in the offshore zone is called an ______ bar. (Pg. 12) Page 58

Gently inclined rocky floors close to mountains in deserts are called ______. (Pg. 13) Page 59

Wind-carved rock remnants with a slender stalk and broad cap are called ______ rocks. (Pg. 14) Page 60

Long ridges of sand aligned parallel to the wind direction in areas of poor sand supply are ______ dunes. (Pg. 15) Page 61

(Exercise) What do incised meanders in rocks indicate? (Pg. 15) Page 61

1. Why is the surface of the earth uneven? Explain the roles of endogenic and exogenic forces. (Pg. 2) Page 37
2. What is the difference between a geomorphic process and a geomorphic agent? (Pg. 3) Page 38
3. Differentiate between orogenic and epeirogenic processes. (Pg. 3) Page 38
4. How do climatic factors influence the intensity of exogenic geomorphic processes? (Pg. 4) Page 39
5. What are the three major groups of weathering processes? Briefly define each. (Pg. 5) Page 40
6. What is exfoliation and how does it occur? (Pg. 6) Page 41
7. What are the activating causes that precede mass movements? List any five. (Pg. 7) Page 42
8. Why are the Himalayas particularly susceptible to debris avalanches and landslides? (Pg. 8) Page 43
9. Describe the process of soil formation, starting from the weathering mantle. (Pg. 9) Page 44
10. Explain how climate acts as an active factor in soil formation, giving examples of wet and dry climates. (Pg. 10) Page 45

Which of the following are classified as endogenic geomorphic processes? (Pg. 3)

What is the prime source of energy behind endogenic geomorphic processes? (Pg. 3)

Which of the following is a general term that covers all exogenic processes? (Pg. 4)

What is the sole driving force behind all exogenic processes? (Pg. 4)

Which type of weathering involves processes like solution, carbonation, and oxidation? (Pg. 5)

How does weathering contribute to the national economy? (Pg. 6)

What is the term for a rapid mass movement where rock debris slips with a backward rotation? (Pg. 7)

Which of the following is NOT considered a climatically controlled agent of erosion? (Pg. 8)

Which of the following is considered a passive control factor in soil formation? (Pg. 9)

In which climatic region would you expect soils with very low humus content due to rapid bacterial action? (Pg. 10)

(Exercise) Which one of the following processes is a gradational process? (Pg. 11)

(Exercise) Which one of the following materials is affected by hydration process? (Pg. 11)

(Exercise) Debris avalanche can be included in the category of: (Pg. 11)

The actions of exogenic forces result in the wearing down of relief, which is known as ______. (Pg. 2) Page 37

All processes that move, elevate or build up portions of the earth’s crust are collectively called ______. (Pg. 3) Page 38

The force applied per unit area on earth materials is called ______. (Pg. 4) Page 39

Weathering is an ______ process, meaning very little or no motion of materials takes place. (Pg. 5) Page 40

______ weathering involves contributions from or removal by organisms like earthworms and plant roots. (Pg. 6) Page 41

The transfer of rock debris down slopes under the direct influence of gravity is called ______. (Pg. 6) Page 41

The nearly free fall of earth debris from a vertical face is called ______. (Pg. 7) Page 42

______ is a consequence of erosion, occurring when erosional agents lose their velocity. (Pg. 8) Page 43

The science of soil is called ______. (Pg. 9) Page 44

The process by which bacteria convert gaseous nitrogen from the air into a usable chemical form for plants is called ______. (Pg. 10) Page 45

(Exercise) List examples of mass movements that are real rapid and perceptible. (Pg. 11) Page 46

1. What observation about the Atlantic coastline first suggested to scientists that continents might have moved? (Pg. 1) Page 27
2. Name and describe the two large continental masses that initially formed when Pangaea broke apart. (Pg. 1) Page 27
3. Explain how the distribution of the fossil reptile *Mesosaurus* supports the continental drift theory. (Pg. 2) Page 28
4. What major discovery from post-World War II ocean floor mapping revitalized the study of continent distribution? (Pg. 2-3) Page 28-29
5. Describe the distribution pattern of earthquake foci (shallow vs. deep) in relation to mid-ocean ridges and the Pacific Rim. (Pg. 3) Page 29
6. What is the basic concept of “sea floor spreading” as proposed by Harry Hess? (Pg. 4-5) Page 30-31
7. What are the three main types of plate boundaries? Define each briefly. (Pg. 7) Page 33
8. Explain the convection cell model as the driving force for plate tectonics. (Pg. 7-8) Page 33-34

Who first proposed the comprehensive theory of ‘continental drift’? (Pg. 1)

What evidence for continental drift is provided by the matching rock formations of 2,000 million years between Brazil and West Africa? (Pg. 1-2)

What was the key problem with the forces (pole-fleeing and tidal) suggested by Wegener to move the continents? (Pg. 2)

Which of the following is NOT one of the three major divisions of the ocean floor? (Pg. 3)

According to sea floor spreading, where is the youngest oceanic crust found? (Pg. 4)

A tectonic plate is composed of: (Pg. 6)

At which type of boundary is new crust generated? (Pg. 7)

How do scientists determine the rate of plate movement? (Pg. 7)

What major geological formation in India is linked to the outpouring of lava during the northward movement of the Indian plate? (Pg. 8)

(Exercise) Who amongst the following was the first to consider the possibility of Europe, Africa and America having been located side by side? (Pg. 9)

(Exercise) Polar fleeing force relates to: (Pg. 9)

(Exercise) Which one of the following is not a minor plate? (Pg. 9)

(Exercise) Which fact was NOT considered in discussions of sea floor spreading? (Pg. 9)

(Exercise) What is the type of plate boundary of the Indian plate along the Himalayas? (Pg. 9)

Alfred Wegener named the single supercontinent ______. (Pg. 1) Page 27

______ is the sedimentary rock formed from glacier deposits, used as evidence for continental drift. (Pg. 2) Page 28

Arthur Holmes proposed that ______ currents in the mantle could be the driving force for continental movement. (Pg. 2) Page 28

The longest mountain chain on Earth, submerged under ocean waters, is the ______. (Pg. 3) Page 29

A key observation for sea floor spreading was that sediments on the ocean floor are unexpectedly ______. (Pg. 4) Page 30

The Pacific plate is largely an ______ plate. (Pg. 6) Page 32

The location where one plate sinks under another is called a ______ zone. (Pg. 7) Page 33

The movement of the Indian plate caused the uplift of the ______. (Pg. 8) Page 34

(Exercise) What were the two forces suggested by Wegener for continental movement? (Pg. 9) Page 35

1. Why is it important to study the interior of the Earth? (Pg. 1) Page 18
2. What are direct sources of information about the Earth’s interior? Explain with examples. (Pg. 1) Page 18
3. What are the indirect sources of information about the Earth’s interior? Explain at least three. (Pg. 2) Page 19
4. What is an earthquake? Explain the process of energy release along a fault. (Pg. 2) Page 19
5. Differentiate between body waves and surface waves generated by an earthquake. (Pg. 2-3) Page 19-20
6. What is a seismic shadow zone? Describe the shadow zones for P and S-waves. (Pg. 3) Page 20
7. List the major immediate hazardous effects of an earthquake. (Pg. 4) Page 21
8. Describe the structure of the Earth, differentiating between the Crust, Mantle, and Core. (Pg. 5-6) Page 22-23
9. What is a volcano? How are volcanoes classified? (Pg. 6) Page 23
10. What are intrusive volcanic landforms? Briefly describe Batholiths and Dykes. (Pg. 7-8) Page 24-25

What are the two major deep drilling projects mentioned as direct sources of information? (Pg. 1)

The difference between the observed and expected gravity value at a location is called: (Pg. 2)

The point on the Earth’s surface directly above the focus of an earthquake is called the: (Pg. 2)

Which type of body wave can travel only through solid materials? (Pg. 3)

Which type of earthquake is generated due to the sliding of rocks along a fault plane? (Pg. 3)

The magnitude of an earthquake is measured on which scale? (Pg. 4)

Which of the following is NOT a layer of the Earth’s interior as described in the chapter? (Pg. 5)

What is the approximate mean thickness of the continental crust? (Pg. 5)

Which type of volcano is characterized by highly fluid basalt lava and a broad, gentle slope? (Pg. 6-7)

The Deccan Traps in India are an example of which volcanic formation? (Pg. 7)

Which intrusive form is described as a large, dome-shaped granitic body that cools at great depth? (Pg. 8)

(Exercise) Which one of the following earthquake waves is more destructive? (Pg. 8)

(Exercise) Which one of the following is a direct source of information about the interior of the earth? (Pg. 8)

(Exercise) Which type of volcanic eruptions have caused Deccan Trap formations? (Pg. 8)

(Exercise) Which one of the following describes the lithosphere: (Pg. 8)

The deepest drill at Kola in the Arctic Ocean has reached a depth of ______ km. (Pg. 1) Page 18

Meteors provide information about the Earth’s interior because their material and structure are ______ to that of the Earth. (Pg. 2) Page 19

The point inside the Earth where earthquake energy is released is called the ______ or hypocenter. (Pg. 2) Page 19

______ waves are the first to arrive at the surface and can travel through all states of matter. (Pg. 3) Page 20

Earthquakes induced by the explosion of chemical or nuclear devices are called ______ earthquakes. (Pg. 4) Page 21

The ______ scale measures the visible damage caused by an earthquake. (Pg. 4) Page 21

The uppermost part of the mantle, which is the main source of magma, is called the ______. (Pg. 5) Page 22

The core is sometimes referred to as the ______ layer due to its composition of nickel and iron. (Pg. 6) Page 23

Highly explosive volcanoes that collapse into a depression are called ______. (Pg. 7) Page 24

A near-horizontal body of intrusive igneous rock is called a ______ or sheet. (Pg. 8) Page 25

(Exercise) Name the direct sources of information about the interior of the earth. (Pg. 9) Page 26

1. What were the early theories regarding the origin of the Earth, and who proposed the Nebular Hypothesis? (Pg. 2) Page 13
2. Using the balloon analogy, explain what the “expanding universe” means. What is the limitation of this analogy? (Pg. 2) Page 13
3. What is Hoyle’s concept of steady state, and which concept is currently favoured by scientists? (Pg. 3) Page 14
4. How was the layered structure of the Earth (lithosphere) developed? Explain the process of differentiation. (Pg. 4) Page 15
5. How do modern scientists refer to the origin of life, and what evidence do we have for early life on Earth? (Pg. 5) Page 16
6. Describe the three stages in the development of the universe according to the Big Bang Theory. (Pg. 2-3) Page 13-14
7. What are the three stages in the development of planets as described in the chapter? (Pg. 3-4) Page 14-15
8. List and explain the three stages in the evolution of the Earth’s present atmosphere. (Pg. 4-5) Page 15-16

The term ‘Nebular Hypothesis’ is associated with which philosophers/scientists? (Pg. 2)

What is the most popular theory regarding the origin of the universe? (Pg. 2)

Approximately how long ago did the Big Bang event take place? (Pg. 3)

A light year is a measure of: (Pg. 3)

What was the nature of the Earth’s surface initially? (Pg. 4)

Which process contributed water vapour and gases to the early atmosphere through the Earth’s interior? (Pg. 4)

Which of the following gases flooded the atmosphere around 2,000 million years ago? (Pg. 5)

Life on Earth is believed to have begun to evolve around how many years before the present? (Pg. 5)

(Exercise) Which figure represents the age of the Earth? (Pg. 5)

(Exercise) Which one is NOT related to the formation/modification of the present atmosphere? (Pg. 5)

The process through which planets were formed from a cloud of gas and dust is called ______. (Pg. 2) Page 13

Who provided evidence that the universe is expanding? (Pg. 2) Page 13

What was the temperature and density of the initial “tiny ball” of matter before the Big Bang? (Pg. 3) Page 14

What are the initial differences in the early universe that led to the formation of galaxies? (Pg. 3) Page 14

The very large cloud of hydrogen gas that leads to galaxy formation is called a ______. (Pg. 3) Page 14

In the second stage of planet formation, small rounded objects formed by cohesion are called ______. (Pg. 4) Page 15

The early atmosphere largely contained water vapour, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, methane, ammonia and very little of free ______. (Pg. 4) Page 15

(Exercise) The process through which the material inside the Earth got separated into different layers is called ______. (Pg. 5) Page 16

(Exercise) The gases which initially formed the Earth’s primordial atmosphere were ______ and helium. (Pg. 5) Page 16

1. Why should we study geography? Explain with examples. (Pg. 2) Page 2
2. How is geography different from and related to other sciences? (Pg. 3) Page 3
3. Describe the dynamic interactive relationship between ‘Nature’ and ‘Human’ as explained in the chapter. (Pg. 3) Page 3
4. List and explain the three sets of questions geography is concerned with. (Pg. 4) Page 4
5. Explain how geography is an integrating discipline, with an example from history. (Pg. 4) Page 4
6. What is Biogeography? Name its sub-branches. (Pg. 8) Page 8
7. Explain the importance of Physical Geography with examples of how each element (lithosphere, atmosphere, etc.) is important for human beings. (Pg. 9) Page 9

Who coined the term ‘Geography’? (Pg. 2)

Geography was logically perceived as the study of what? (Pg. 3)

The question ‘why?’ in geography is related to: (Pg. 4)

Which aspect of geography did Alexander Von Humboldt introduce? (Pg. 6)

Which branch of physical geography is devoted to the study of landforms? (Pg. 6)

The study of population growth, distribution, and density falls under which branch? (Pg. 7)

Which of the following is NOT mentioned as a common aspect of geographical methods and techniques? (Pg. 8)

According to the chapter, which resource has India developed technology for collecting from the oceanic bed? (Pg. 9)

(Exercise) Which one of the following features can be termed as a ‘physical feature’? (Pg. 10)

(Exercise) Which one of the following questions is related to cause-effect relationship? (Pg. 10)

(Exercise) Which one of the following disciplines attempts temporal synthesis? (Pg. 10)

The Greek root ‘graphos’ means ______. (Pg. 2) Page 2

A geographer explains phenomena in a frame of ______ relationship. (Pg. 3) Page 3

Geography as a discipline takes note of ______ characteristics and attributes. (Pg. 4) Page 4

The regional geography approach was developed by ______. (Pg. 6) Page 6

The study of structure of atmosphere and elements of weather is called ______. (Pg. 6) Page 6

______ Geography studies the historical processes through which space gets organised. (Pg. 7) Page 7

The new branch of geography concerned with problems like land degradation and pollution is ______ Geography. (Pg. 8) Page 8

The study of physical geography is emerging as a discipline of evaluating and managing ______. (Pg. 9) Page 9

(Exercise) The correct pair for ‘Pedology’ is ______. (Pg. 10) Page 10