India is divided into six major physiographic divisions based on relief and geological structure. This topic covers the Himalayas, Northern Plains, Peninsular Plateau, Indian Desert, Coastal Plains and Islands in detail for competitive exams.
The paleomagnetic results obtained from India indicate that in the past, the Indian land mass has moved:
Correct Answer:
(A) Northward
The Indian Landmass has moved northward. This is evident from the paleomagnetic results obtained from India. Even the extension of the plateau region in the north side is evident. Palaeomagnetism is the study of the record of the Earth's magnetic field in rocks, sediment or archaeological materials. This record provides information on the past behaviour of Earth's magnetic field and the past location of tectonic plates. Earth's magnetic field and the past location of tectonic plates. According to continental drift theory Indian land mass was part of Gondwanaland which included South America, Antarctica, Australia, Africa and India. About 200 million years ago this large land mass broke and Indian land mass moved north wards. Vindhya and Western Ghat mountains emerged during this period.
Ques: 2
The Indian subcontinent was originally part of a huge mass called:
Correct Answer:
(D)
Gondwana Continent
The Indian subcontinent was originally part of a huge landmass called Gondwana Continent. Gondwana was an ancient supercontinent that broke up about 200 million years ago. The continent eventually split into landmasses that we recognize today as Africa, South America, Australia, Antarctica, the Indian subcontinent and the Arabian Peninsula
Ques: 3
If there were no Himalayan ranges, what would have been the most likely geographical impact on India?
Most of the country would experience the cold waves from Siberia.
Indo-Gangetic plain would be devoid of such extensive alluvial soils.
The pattern of monsoon would be different from what it is at present.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Correct Answer:
(D)
1, 2 and 3
If there were no Himalayan ranges then most geographical parts of India would experience the cold waves from Siberia, Indo-Gangetic plain would also be devoid of such extensive alluvial soil and the pattern of monsoon would be different from what it is at present. Thus, all the above statements are correct.
Ques: 4
Consider the following statements regarding formation of landforms in India:
Structurally, the Meghalaya plateau is an extended part of the Deccan plateau.
The Valley of Kashmir was formed in a synclinorium.
The Gangetic plain was formed in a fore deep.
The Himalayas originated as a result of triangular convergence of the Indian plate, the European plate and the Chinese plate.
Which of these statements are correct?
Correct Answer:
(A) I, II and III
Meghalaya plateau is an extension of the Peninsular plateau. It is believed that due to the force exerted by the north eastward movement of the Indian plate at the time of the Himalayan origin, a huge fault was created between the Rajmahal hills and the Meghalaya plateau. Later, this depression got filled up by the deposition activity of numerous rivers. Today, the Meghalaya and Karbi Anglong plateau stand detached from the main Peninsular Block. Thus statement (1) is correct. The Valley of Kashmir was formed in a synclinorium. The Indo-Gangetic basin is an active foreland basin having east-west elongated shape. The basin formed in response to the uplift of Himalaya after the collision of India and China plates (Dewey and Bird, 1970). Suess (1893-1909) was the first geologist to suggest that the Indo-Gangetic depression is a ‘fore-deep’ and was formed in front of the high crust-waves of the Himalayas as their southward migration was resisted by the rigid landmass of the Peninsula.
Thus statement (3) is also correct. The Himalayan Mountain range and Tibetan plateau have formed as a result of the collision between the Indian plate and the Eurasian plate. Chinese plate is not mentioned in the theory of plate tectonics. Thus statement (4) is wrong.
Ques: 5
Which of the following statement is incorrect?
Correct Answer:
(C) The Western coastline of India is formed by the deposition process of the rivers.
The Western coastline of India is not formed by the deposition process of the rivers. In fact, it is formed by submergence and emergence of the land. Gondwana rocks have the largest reserve of coal in India. Himalaya is the newly developed folded mountain. Geologically, Peninsular region is the most ancient part of India. Thus statement (c) is incorrect.
Ques: 6
Which of the following is a desert region?
Correct Answer:
(A) Sindhu area
The Sindhu area or the Indus Valley Region is a desert region located in the Northwestern Punjab Province (Pakistan).
Ques: 7
Match List I with List II and select the correct answer:
List-I List-II
Deccan Traps 1. Late Cenozoic
Western Ghats 2. Pre-Cambrian
Aravalli 3. Cretaceous Eocene
Narmada-Tapti alluvial deposits 4. Cambrian
5. Pleistocene
Code:
A B C D
Correct Answer:
(B) 3 1 2 5
The correctly matched order is:
The origin of the Deccan Traps - Cretaceous Eocene
Origin of Western Ghats - Late Cenozoic period
Origin of Aravalli Mountain - Pre-Cambrian
Narmada-Tapi alluvial deposits - Pleistocene period