Chapter 6: Major Landforms of the Earth
Source: The Earth: Our Habitat – Class VI Geography, Pages 39–46 Class: VI | Subject: Social Science – Geography
Section 1. How Landforms Are Made 🌍
The surface of the earth is not the same everywhere. The earth has an infinite variety of landforms. Some parts of the lithosphere may be rugged and some flat.
Landforms Are the Result of Two Processes:
| Process | What it Does | Agents |
|---|---|---|
| Internal process | Leads to upliftment and sinking of the earth's surface | Forces within the earth |
| External process | Continuous wearing down and rebuilding of the land surface | Running water, ice, wind |
Key Terms:
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Erosion | The wearing away of the earth's surface |
| Deposition | The process by which eroded material is dropped and builds up the land surface |
🔑 Broadly, landforms are grouped by elevation and slope into three types: mountains, plateaus and plains.
Section 2. Mountains ⛰️
2.1 What Is a Mountain?
A mountain is any natural elevation of the earth surface. It has a small summit (top), a broad base, and is considerably higher than the surrounding area. Some mountains are even higher than the clouds; climate becomes colder as you go higher.
⚠️ A hill rises higher than the surrounding area. A steep hill with an elevation of more than 600 metres is generally called a mountain.
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Glaciers | Permanently frozen rivers of ice found in some mountains |
| Undersea mountains | Some mountains are under the sea and cannot be seen |
| Settlement & Farming | Harsh climate → less people; steep slopes → less farming land |
2.2 Types of Mountains
Mountains may be arranged in a line known as a range. Many mountain systems consist of a series of parallel ranges extending over hundreds of kilometres.
There Are Three Types of Mountains:
| Type | Key Features | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Fold Mountains | Young ones have rugged relief and high conical peaks; old ones have rounded features and low elevation (worn down by erosion) | Young: Himalayas (Asia), Alps (Europe); Old: Aravali (India), Appalachians (North America), Ural (Russia) |
| Block Mountains | Formed when large areas are broken and displaced vertically; uplifted blocks = horsts; lowered blocks = graben | Rhine valley and Vosges mountain in Europe |
| Volcanic Mountains | Formed due to volcanic activity | Mt. Kilimanjaro (Africa), Mt. Fujiyama (Japan) |
2.3 Uses of Mountains
| Use | Detail |
|---|---|
| Water & energy | Rivers sourced from glaciers; water used for irrigation and hydro-electricity generation |
| Cultivation | River valleys and terraces are ideal for growing crops |
| Forests | Rich flora and fauna; forests provide fuel, fodder, shelter, gum, raisins, etc. |
| Tourism & sports | Scenic beauty attracts tourists; paragliding, hang gliding, river rafting and skiing are popular |
Section 3. Plateaus 🏔️
3.1 What Is a Plateau?
A plateau is an elevated flat land. It is a flat-topped table land standing above the surrounding area.
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Sides | May have one or more sides with steep slopes |
| Height | Varies from a few hundred metres to several thousand metres |
Examples of Plateaus:
| Plateau | Location | Special Feature |
|---|---|---|
| Deccan Plateau | India | One of the oldest plateaus |
| East African Plateau | Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda | – |
| Western Plateau | Australia | – |
| Tibet Plateau | Asia | Highest plateau in the world; 4,000 to 6,000 metres above mean sea level |
3.2 Uses of Plateaus
| Use | Detail |
|---|---|
| Mining | Rich in mineral deposits – African plateau (gold, diamonds); Chhotanagpur plateau – India (iron, coal, manganese) |
| Waterfalls | Rivers fall from great heights – Hundru falls (river Subarnarekha, Chhotanagpur); Jog falls (Karnataka) |
| Farming & Tourism | Lava plateaus have fertile black soil; many plateaus have scenic spots for tourists |
Section 4. Plains 🌾
4.1 What Is a Plain?
Plains are large stretches of flat land. They are generally not more than 200 metres above mean sea level.
- Some plains are extremely level; others may be slightly rolling and undulating
- Most plains are formed by rivers and their tributaries
4.2 How Plains Are Formed ⚙️
Step 1: Rivers flow down the slopes of mountains and erode them ↓ Step 2: Rivers carry forward the eroded material (stones, sand and silt) ↓ Step 3: Rivers deposit their load along their courses and in their valleys ↓ Result: Plains are formed from these deposits
4.3 Uses and Examples of Plains
| Use | Detail |
|---|---|
| Farming | Very fertile; highly productive for cultivation |
| Settlement & Transport | Flat land easy for building houses and transport networks |
| Population | Most thickly-populated regions of the world |
🔑 Largest river plains in Asia: Ganga and Brahmaputra (India), Yangtze (China). Some of the largest plains are also found in North America.
🔑 In India, the Indo-Gangetic plains are the most densely populated regions of the country.
Section 5. Landforms and the People 👥
- Life is difficult in mountainous areas; plains provide much better conditions for farming, housing and transport
- Natural calamities – earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, storms, floods – cause widespread destruction and huge loss of life and property
- Creative awareness about such events can help lower the risks
Common Confusions ⚠️
| Confusion | Clarification |
|---|---|
| Mountain vs Hill | A hill rises above surrounding area; a hill with elevation over 600 metres is generally called a mountain. Mountains are considerably higher with small summits and broad bases. |
| Mountain vs Plateau | A mountain has a peak (small summit, broad base). A plateau is flat-topped table land – elevated but with a flat surface, not a peak. |
| Erosion vs Deposition | Erosion = wearing away and removing material. Deposition = dropping and building up that eroded material elsewhere. They are opposites carried out by the same agents (water, ice, wind). |
| Horst vs Graben | In Block Mountains: the uplifted (raised) block is a horst; the lowered (sunken) block is a graben. |
Memory Aids 💡
| What to Remember | Mnemonic / Trick |
|---|---|
| Three types of mountains | 💡 "F-B-V" → Fold, Block, Volcanic – like three flavours of mountains: Folded paper, Broken blocks, Vomiting lava |
| Horst = raised, Graben = lowered | 💡 Think: Horst = High up. Graben = Goes down (into a grave). |
| Plains are formed by rivers | 💡 Rivers Rob mountains (erosion) and Redecorate valleys (deposition) – plains are their gift to humans. |
| Tibet = highest plateau | 💡 Tibet = Tallest table in the world (4,000–6,000 m above sea level). |
Exam Corner 🎯
Directly from The Earth: Our Habitat, Chapter 6 Exercises (Page 46):
Q1.Answer the Following Questions Briefly:
| Question | Topic Tested | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| (a) What are the major landforms? | Three types – mountains, plateaus, plains | p.40 |
| (b) What is the difference between a mountain and a plateau? | Comparison of features | p.40, p.42 |
| (c) What are the different types of mountains? | Fold, Block, Volcanic with examples | p.41 |
| (d) How are mountains useful to man? | Uses of mountains | p.41–42 |
| (e) How are plains formed? | Formation process – rivers, erosion, deposition | p.43 |
| (f) Why are the river plains thickly populated? | Fertile soil, easy transport, flat land | p.43 |
| (g) Why are mountains thinly populated? | Harsh climate, steep slopes, less farming land | p.40 |
Q2.Tick the Correct Answers:
| Question | Correct Answer | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| (a) Mountains differ from hills in terms of | (i) elevation | p.39 |
| (b) Glaciers are found in | (i) the mountains | p.40 |
| (c) The Deccan Plateau is located in | (iii) India | p.42 |
| (d) The river Yangtze flows in | (iii) China | p.43 |
| (e) An important mountain range of Europe is | (ii) the Alps | p.41 |
Q3.Fill in the Blanks:
| Blank | Answer | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 1. A ________ is an unbroken flat or a low-level land | Plain | p.43 |
| 2. The Himalayas and Alps are examples of ________ mountains | Fold | p.41 |
| 3. ________ areas are rich in mineral deposits | Plateau | p.42 |
| 4. The ________ is a line of mountains | Range | p.41 |
| 5. The ________ areas are most productive for farming | Plain | p.43 |
Abbreviation Legend
| Abbreviation | Full Form |
|---|---|
| m | metres |
| MSL | Mean Sea Level |
| Fig. | Figure |
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