Class 6 ยท Social Science ยท Exploring Society
Chapter 3 โฐ๏ธ
Chapter 3 โฐ๏ธ
Landforms and Life
Detailed, colourful revision notes โ everything you need before your test!
Chapter Contents
1. What is a Landform?
A landform is a physical feature on Earth's surface, shaped over millions of years. Landforms are broadly divided into 3 categories: mountains, plateaus and plains.
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Fig 1: The three major landforms compared
Altitude = height of an object above sea level. Precipitation = water reaching the ground as rain, snow or hail.
2. Mountains
A mountain is a landform much higher than its surroundings, with a broad base, steep slopes and a narrow summit. A lower, gentler highland is called a hill.
Most mountains form ranges โ the Himalayas (Asia), the Alps (Europe), the Andes (South America) are examples.
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Fig 2: Comparing the heights of six famous mountains around the world
Mount Everest (Nepal-Tibet border) and Kanchenjunga (Nepal-Sikkim border) are the two highest Himalayan peaks. Anamudi in Kerala is the highest peak in South India.
Young mountains (like the Himalayas) have tall, sharp peaks and formed more recently โ some are still growing! Old mountains (like the Aravalli Range) are shorter and rounded due to millions of years of erosion.
3. Life in the Mountains
Montane forest โ forests on mountain slopes with conifer trees (pine, fir, deodar); at higher altitude these give way to grasses, mosses and lichen.
Because mountain terrain is rugged, farming is done via terrace farming (cutting steps into slopes). Herding, tourism (skiing, hiking, pilgrimage) are also major occupations.
Life in the mountains faces natural hazards: landslides (collapse of earth/rock), avalanches (sudden fall of snow/ice), flash floods (sudden flood from a cloudburst), and pressure from uncontrolled tourism.
Bachendri Pal โ first Indian woman to climb Mount Everest (1984).
Arunima Sinha โ climbed Everest in 2013 and the highest peak on every continent, despite losing a leg in an accident.
Arunima Sinha โ climbed Everest in 2013 and the highest peak on every continent, despite losing a leg in an accident.
4. Plateaus
A plateau is a landform that rises above the surrounding land with a broad, mostly flat top and steep sides.
The Tibetan Plateau ("Roof of the World") is the largest and highest in the world, averaging 4,500 m altitude. The Deccan Plateau is one of the oldest, formed by ancient volcanic activity.
Plateaus are called "storehouses of minerals" โ the Chhota Nagpur Plateau (India) has huge reserves of iron, coal and manganese. Lava plateaus have rich black soil, good for farming.
5. Plains
A plain is a landform with an extensive flat or gently rolling surface, usually below 300 m altitude. A floodplain forms when rivers deposit fertile sediments (rock, sand, silt) carried from the mountains.
About 40 crore people โ more than a quarter of India's population โ live in the Ganga (Gangetic) Plain. Major crops: rice, wheat, maize, barley, millets, cotton, jute.
Plains are ideal for agriculture (fertile soil) and river navigation (gentle slope) โ this is why the first civilisations developed in river plains thousands of years ago.
Irrigation has boosted farming in the Ganga plain, but overuse has caused groundwater depletion โ an important challenge for the future.
๐ฏ Quick Summary
- 3 major landforms: Mountains, Plateaus, Plains โ each with its own climate, life and challenges.
- Mountains = high, steep, narrow summit; young ones (Himalayas) are tall & sharp, old ones (Aravallis) are short & rounded.
- Mountain life: terrace farming, herding, tourism; hazards include landslides, avalanches, flash floods.
- Plateaus = raised, flat-topped, rich in minerals (e.g. Chhota Nagpur Plateau); Tibetan Plateau is the "Roof of the World".
- Plains = flat, fertile (from river sediments), ideal for farming and navigation; the Ganga Plain supports ~40 crore people.
โ๏ธ Notes by @edugrown โ happy revising! ๐