Class 9 Geography

Exercise Answers
Very Short Answers (1 to 8)

1. Give an outline of the distribution of

continents and oceans of the world.
The Earth's surface is divided into
continents and oceans. Continents are
large landmasses, and there are seven:
Asia, Africa, North America, South
America, Antarctica, Europe, and
Australia. Oceans are vast bodies of
saltwater, and there are five main oceans:
the Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, Southern, and
Arctic. About 71% of the Earth's surface is
covered by oceans, while continents
cover about 29%. The continents are
unevenly distributed, with most landmass
in the Northern Hemisphere.

2. Explain why there has been change

over the earth's surface.
The Earth's surface changes due to both
natural and human factors. Natural factors
include weathering, erosion, deposition,
volcanic eruptions, and earthquakes.
These processes break down rocks, move
soil and sediments, and create new
landforms. Human activities like
deforestation, mining, construction, and
agriculture also cause changes by altering
the landscape.

3. What is meant by exogenic factor?

Mention some exogenic factors.
Exogenic factors are external processes
that originate on or near the Earth's
surface and shape the landforms.
Examples include weathering, erosion,
transportation, and deposition caused by
wind, water, ice, and living organisms.

4. Why are earthquakes and volcanic

eruption called endogenic factors?
Earthquakes and volcanic eruptions are
called endogenic factors because they
originate from within the Earth. These
processes are caused by movements of
the Earth's crust and mantle, such as the
shifting of tectonic plates and the
movement of magma.

5. What do you mean by a river basin?

Draw a diagram of a river basin.
A river basin is the area of land drained by
a river and its tributaries. All precipitation
in this area flows into the river system.

Watershed

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River
(The area

between the highlands is the river basin.)

6. What is a tributary? Name two major

tributaries of the Brahmaputra.
A tributary is a smaller river or stream that
flows into a larger river. Two major
tributaries of the Brahmaputra are the
Subansiri and the Dibang.

7. Give an outline of river erosion.

River erosion is the process by which a
river wears away its banks and bed. It
occurs through hydraulic action (force of
water), abrasion (scraping by sediments),
attrition (banging of rocks), and solution
(dissolving of minerals). River erosion
shapes valleys, forms features like
waterfalls, and transports sediments
downstream.

8. What do you mean by lateral erosion

of a river?
Lateral erosion refers to the sideways
erosion of a river, which widens the river
valley. It mainly occurs in the middle and
lower courses of a river, leading to the
formation of wide floodplains and
meanders.

Short and Long Answers (9 to 25)

9. What is ox-bow lake? Draw diagram

to show how it is formed.
An ox-bow lake is a crescent-shaped lake
formed when a river meander is cut off
from the main channel. This happens as
erosion and deposition make the
meander’s neck narrower, and during a
flood, the river cuts through, leaving the
old loop isolated.

Step 1: Meander bends

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Step 2: Neck narrows

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Step 3: River cuts through neck

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Step 4: Old meander becomes ox-bow lake

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(Oxbow Lake)

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10. What is floodplain? Write how it is

formed.
A floodplain is a flat area of land next to a
river, formed by the deposition of
sediments during floods. When a river
overflows, it slows down and deposits silt
and sand, gradually building up a fertile
plain.

11. Write how and where sandbars are

formed in a river channel.
Sandbars are formed by the deposition of
sand and sediments in a river channel
where the water flow slows down, such as
at bends, shallow areas, or where
tributaries join. The river loses energy and
drops the sediments, forming ridges of
sand.

12. How are the deltas formed?

Deltas are formed at the mouth of a river
where it meets a sea or lake. As the river
slows, it deposits sediments, which build
up and split the river into several channels
called distributaries, creating a delta.

13. Write why the wind action is strong

in the deserts.
Wind action is strong in deserts because
there is little vegetation to block the wind,
and the dry, loose sand is easily picked up
and moved. High temperature differences
create strong winds, and the flat, open
terrain allows wind to travel freely.

14. What is meant by deflation?

Deflation is the process by which wind
removes loose, fine particles like silt and
sand from the Earth's surface, especially
in arid regions. It leaves behind larger
particles and can create deflation hollows.

15. How are the sand dunes formed?

Sand dunes are formed when wind carries
sand particles and deposits them when
the wind speed drops or hits an obstacle.
Over time, the sand accumulates into
mounds or ridges, with a gentle windward
slope and a steeper leeward slope.

16. What is inselberg?

An inselberg is an isolated hill or mountain
that rises abruptly from a plain. It is
formed by long-term weathering and
erosion of the surrounding softer rocks,
leaving the harder rock standing alone.

17. Define glacier and state how it

differs from a river.
A glacier is a large mass of ice moving
slowly over land, formed from compacted
snow in cold regions. Unlike rivers, which
are liquid water, glaciers move as solid ice
and shape the land mainly by abrasion
and plucking, creating U-shaped valleys.

18. What is moraine? Draw a diagram

to show different types of moraine.
A moraine is an accumulation of rock
debris (till) carried and deposited by a
glacier. Types include:
Lateral moraine: Along the sides of
a glacier
Medial moraine: In the center
where two glaciers meet
Terminal moraine: At the glacier’s
end
Ground moraine: Beneath the
glacier

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(Lateral) (Lateral)

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(Medial)

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(Terminal at the end)

19. Write how a glacial horn is formed.

A glacial horn is a sharp, pyramid-shaped
peak formed when several glaciers erode
a mountain from different sides. The
intersection of three or more cirques
creates a horn.

20. What is a coast?

A coast is the area where land meets the
sea or ocean. It includes features like
beaches, cliffs, and bays, shaped by the
action of waves, tides, and currents.

21. What is a beach? State its

importance.
A beach is a gently sloping area of sand,
pebbles, or gravel along the shore of a
sea, lake, or river. Beaches protect the
land from wave erosion, support diverse
ecosystems, and provide recreation and
tourism opportunities.

22. Write how sea-waves bring about

change in the coasts.
Sea-waves erode, transport, and deposit
materials along the coast. They form
features like cliffs, beaches, bays, and
spits. Continuous wave action can cause
coastal erosion, changing the shape of
the coastline over time.

23. Connect by arrows the factors and

the features on the basis of their
cause-effect relation.
River → Floodplain, Delta, Sandbar,
V-shaped valley, Ox-bow lake
Wind → Sand dune, Inselberg
Glacier → Horn, Lateral moraine, U-
shaped valley
Sea-wave → Beach, Coast,
Sandbar

24. Think and write about the probable

changes of the earth’s surface in
future.
The Earth's surface will continue to
change due to natural processes like
erosion, deposition, earthquakes, volcanic
eruptions, and glacial movements. Human
activities such as deforestation,
urbanization, and mining will also alter the
landscape. Climate change may cause
rising sea levels, melting glaciers, and
more extreme weather, reshaping
coastlines and landforms.

25. Prepare a note on the surface

characteristics of your village or town.
Draw a sketch of the area and try to
show three major features (river, hill,
wetland, plain etc).
Sample Note:
My village is located on a fertile plain with
agricultural fields. A small river flows to
the east, providing water for irrigation. To
the north, there is a low hill covered with
trees, and in the south, there is a wetland
that supports fish and birds.

(Draw a simple sketch showing the river,

hill, and wetland as per your locality.)