Geography 7

The Coordination Committee formed by GR No. Abhyas - 2116/(Pra.Kra.
43/16) SD - 4
Dated 25.4.2016 has given approval to prescribe this textbook in its meeting held on 3.3.2017
GEOGRAPHY
STANDARD SEVEN
Maharashtra State Bureau of Textbook Production and

Curriculum Research, Pune.
The digital textbook can be obtained through DIKSHA APP
on a smartphone by using the Q. R. Code given on title page
of the textbook and useful audio-visual teaching-learning
material of the relevant lesson will be available through the
Q. R. Code given in each lesson of this textbook.
The Constitution of India
Preamble
WE, THE PEOPLE OF INDIA, having

solemnly resolved to constitute India into a
SOVEREIGN SOCIALIST SECULAR
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC and to secure to
all its citizens:
JUSTICE, social, economic and political;
LIBERTY of thought, expression, belief, faith
and worship;
EQUALITY of status and of opportunity;
and to promote among them all
FRATERNITY assuring the dignity of
the individual and the unity and integrity of the
Nation;
IN OUR CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY this
twenty-sixth day of November, 1949, do HEREBY
ADOPT, ENACT AND GIVE TO OURSELVES
THIS CONSTITUTION.
Preface
Dear Students,
Welcome to Standard VII ! So far, you have studied Geography as part
of Environmental Studies in Std III to V and from your Geography textbook
in Std VI. Now we are happy to offer this Std VII Geography textbook to you.
Many events occur in your surroundings. You are a part of the environment
where Nature keeps meeting you in the form of sunlight, rain, and cold. You
feel happy when a light, pleasant breeeze touches you. Geography is a subject
that offers explanations of all these natural events. It takes you closer to
Nature. In this subject, we also study the interactions of living organisms
among themselves and with Nature.
You will learn many basic concepts related to the earth in this subject.
You have to study many factors of human activities closely associated with
your daily life. If you study them well, it will definitely prove useful to you in
future. In Geography we also study the financial, social, cultural interactions
between various human communities.
The skills of observation, thinking and analysis are important for learning
this subject well. Keep using and refining them. Maps, charts, graphs,
diagrams, information and communication are tools for learning this subject.
Get well acquainted with them.
Do carry out the easy tasks and activities given in this textbook for you.
Many things that you have learnt in your previous textbook will help you to
learn from this book. Do keep them in mind.
Wish you all the best !
Pune
Date : 28.03.2017, (Gudhi Padwa) (Dr Sunil Magar)
Director
Indian Solar Year :
Maharashtra State Bureau of Textbook
7 Chaitra, 1939 Production and Curriculum Research, Pune
English Geography - Standard Seven - Learning Outcomes
Suggested Pedagogical Processes Learning Outcomes
The learner may be provided opportunities in pairs/ The learner-
groups/individually and encouraged to :
• Observes stars, planets, satellites (Moons), eclipses 07.73G.01 Explains clearly that tilted axis, rotation and
under the guidance of guardians/teachers to revolution of the earth are responsible for
understand the astronomical events. formation of seasons.
• Critically discuss the superstitions associated with 07.73G.02 Explains the effect of various seasons on
eclipses. the living organisms.
07.73G.03 Identifies that the eclipses are astronomical
• Using diagrams, tools and models to understand the
events/phenomenon on the earth.
movements of the sun, the moon and the earth. 07.73G.04 Critically reviews the superstitions related to
eclipses.
• Understanding the physical factors and reasons of 07.73G.05 Shows sensitivity towards conservation of
soil formation. soil as a natural resource.
• Identifying and classifying the soil types by collecting 07.73G.06 Explains the types of soils in Maharashtra
soil samples from the surroundings /regions. on the basis of maps.
• Understanding the correlation between temperature 07.73G.07 Explains the effects of air pressure.
and pressure belts. 07.73G.08 Explains the air pressure of a region with the
• Discussing a region’s air pressure with the help of help of isobars.
maps and geographical tools.
• Understanding the change occurring in the direction 07.73G.09 Tells the reasons behind formation of winds.
of winds. 07.73G.10 Explains the types of winds.
• Classifying the winds into planetary and local winds 07.73G.11 Explains the effects of winds.
• Using technology to obtain information about 07.73G.12 Explains the effects of the sun, the moon and
the earth on the movements of the sea water.
cyclones/storms.
• Using various activities, models to understand the
effects occurring on the movements of sea water.
• Understanding how human activities have changed 07.73G.13 Tells the various allied activities of agriculture.
allied activities in agriculture with time. 07.73G.14 Explains the types of agriculture with
• Explaining the importance of Agro-tourism and examples.
07.73G.15 Explains the importance of marketing
naturally ripened products.
system for agriculture.
• Collecting information regarding modern 07.73G.16 Explains the importance of agriculture in
agriculture and marketing. human’s life and country’s economy.
• Understanding the adaptation of the living 07.73G.17 Explains the effects of physical elements on
organisms according to physical set-up. the living organisms.
• Discusses natural regions with the help of references 07.73G.18 Can show the natural regions on the outline
and maps. map of the world.
• Asks questions regarding specific regions and finds
out with respect to them.
• Considering the distribution of human settlements 07.73G.19 Explains how man has used geographical
and patterns. factors in the formation of human
• Examining the favourable and non-favourable settlements.
effects of mutual relationship between physical 07.73G.20 Identifies the patterns of human settlements
setup and humans in a region. and their types.
• Identifying landforms in a region with the help of 07.73G.21 Draws contours.

maps and geographical tools. 07.73G.22 Reads contour maps.
• Drawing conclusions regarding geographical 07.73G.23 Explains the uses of contour maps.
elements from maps.
- For Teachers -
3 To begin with, get familiar with the textbook helps to create interest in the subject.
yourself. 2 The present book has been prepared for
3 Please plan carefully and independently for constructivist and activity-based teaching.
the activities in each chapter. Please do not Please do not teach the lessons in the book
teach without planning. by just reading them aloud.
3 The teaching-learning interactions, processes 3 Follow the order of the chapters as given in
and participation of all students is very the contents because the concepts have been
necessary and so is your active guidance. introduced in a graded manner to facilitate
knowledge-building.
3 Please use the geographical teaching aids in
the school as required for the appropriate 3 Do not use the boxes titled ‘Do you know?’
understanding of the subject. It is necessary for evaluation.
to use the globe, the maps of the World, India 3 A glossary is given at the end of the book.
and the State, atlases and thermometers. Detailed information of important
geographical terms / concepts in the chapters
3 Though the number of chapters has been
is given in this glossary. The words are given
reduced the number of periods required for
alphabetically. The words included in the
each chapter has been given a thought.
glossary are enclosed in blue highlights in the
Abstract concepts are difficult to follow and
chapters, e.g. eclipse (Chapter 2, Page 4)
therefore you are expected to use the given
number of periods fully. This will help the 3 Some websites have been given for reference
students to assimilate the content without at the end of the chapter and the glossary.
feeling the ‘burden of learning’. Also, a list of references used is also given.
You as well as the students are expected to
3 Like other social sciences, geographical use these references. These references will
concepts too are not easy to understand. surely help you to go beyond the textbook.
Major concepts of geography have a scientific Please bear in mind that extra reading is
base and they deal with abstractions. always helpful for understanding any subject
Encourage group work, learning through in depth.
each other’s help, etc. Facilitate peer learning
as much as possible by reorganizing the class 3 Use thought-provoking, activity-oriented,
open-ended, multiple choice questions for
structure frequently.
evaluation. Some examples are given at the
3 You will find that the character ‘Globee’ end of the chapters in the ‘exercises’.
appears in different boxes and instructions
3 Use QR Code given in the textbook.
given in the chapters. Please ensure that it
- For Students -
The character ‘Globee’ will meet you in every chapter. Have you guessed who
he is ? He will help in the various tasks you are expected to do. Try to follow
his instructions.
CONTENTS
Expected
S. No. Chapters Area Page No. Number of
Periods
1. How Seasons Occur - Part 1 General Geography 01 03
2. The Sun, the Moon and the Earth General Geography 03 09
3. Tides Physical Geography 09 10
4. Air Pressure Physical Geography 16 09
5. Winds Physical Geography 21 09
6. Natural Regions Physical Geography 30 13
7. Soils Physical Geography 39 09
8. How Seasons Occur - Part 2 General Geography 46 10
9. Agriculture Human Geography 52 12
10. Human Settlements Human Geography 62 07
11. Contour Maps and Landforms Practical Geography 69 07
Glossary 75 98
S.O.I. Note : The following foot notes are applicable : (1) © Government of India, Copyright : 2016. (2) The responsibility for the correctness of
internal details rests with the publisher. (3) The territorial waters of India extend into the sea to a distance of twelve nautical miles measured from
the appropriate base line. (4) The administrative headquarters of Chandigarh, Haryana and Punjab are at Chandigarh. (5) The interstate boundaries
amongst Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and Meghalaya shown on this map are as interpreted from the “North-Eastern Areas (Reorganisation) Act.
1971,” but have yet to be verified. (6) The external boundaries and coastlines of India agree with the Record/Master Copy certified by Survey of India.
(7) The state boundaries between Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand and Chattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh have not been verified
by the Governments concerned. (8) The spellings of names in this map, have been taken from various sources.
DISCLAIMER Note : All attempts have been made to contact copyright holders (©) but we have not heard from them. We will be
pleased to acknowledge the copyright holder (s) in our next edition if we learn from them.
Front Cover : Children putting up prominent features on the Globe. Back Cover :(1) Gateway of India, Mumbai (2) People of Masai
and Zulu tribes, and their house (3) Hampi, Karnataka (4 ) A sledge - a means of transport in the Tundra region (5) A Mongol hunter
(6) Transplanting rice - South Asia.
1. How Seasons Occur - Part 1
¾ How did you find out the duration of the

Let’s recall. night ?
¾ How do day and night occur on the earth? ¾ Which two dates had days and nights of the
¾ What term is used to describe the earth’s same duration?
revolution around the sun? ¾ With the help of the table, you saw how the
duration of the day and the night changes. Do
¾ How long does the earth take to do so?
you think such a change occurs everywhere
¾ In which hemispheres is our country located?
on the earth?
¾ Why don’t the sun’s rays fall perpendicular
¾ Use the following format to record the
at all the places on the earth?
duration of daytime from the 19th to 28th of
every month from September to December.
Can you tell ?
Geographical explanation
Note the timings of sunrise and sunset in
your area, for the following period by direct You must have noticed the change in the
observation, or using calendars, newspapers or duration of daytime and the nighttime from 19th
the Internet. A specimen table has been given to 28th June. It takes 24 hours for the earth to
below. Record the entries for the month of June, rotate around itself. It rotates from west to east.
find the answers to the following questions and The earth’s rotation has enabled us to measure
discuss them. time in terms of days. During a single day, we
¾ Among the records in the table which is the experience different stages like sunrise, midday,
longest day? sunset as well as daytime and nighttime.
¾ What difference do you notice in the duration To understand the changes in the locations
of the nights day by day? of sunrise and sunset on the horizon, let us carry
¾ Guess the reason behind it. out the activity given on the next page.
Duration Source of
Date Sunrise Sunset
Day Night Information
19th June
20th June
21st June
22nd June
23rd June
24th June
25th June
26th June
27th June
28th June
1
v Keeping some distance, fix the stick near
Try this. a wall that receives sunlight at the time
of sunrise or sunset throughout the year.
(Remember that the stick has to be fixed at
× this spot for a period of about one year.)
Figure 1.1 Experiment of the shadow

v Paste a large white paper on one side of the
table.
v Place a torch in front of the table in such a
way that it wouldn’t move.
v Stand a rod or a candle between the white
paper and the torch. See fig. 1.1
v Direct the light beam of the torch in such a
way that the shadow of the rod/candle falls
on the paper.
v Mark the position of the shadow on the paper.
v Move the table along with the rod/candle, Figure 1.2 Experiment
from one side to the other slowly. v After the observation, mark the position of
v Observe and mark the position of the the shadow for that date.
shadow that falls on the paper. v If the position of the shadow changes,
v Note the change in the location of the measure and note the distance between the
shadow. earlier and the changed position.
Geographical explanation v During the period of this activity, observe the
place of sunrise and the sunset on the horizon
From this activity, you will realize that as as well.
the position of the table changes, the position (The next part of the lesson should be dealt with in the
of the shadow also changes. If the positions of month of September)
the sunrise and the sunset on the horizon are v Study the duration of daytime and nighttime
observed for the whole year, you will realize that on the basis of observations from the table
they keep on changing. Let us try to understand for the month of September.
the reason behind this with the help of the next v What was the direction of the shadow of the
activity. stick in the month of September ?
v On which day was the duration of the day
and the night the same ?
Think about it.

Try this.
F If the position of the shadow on the
(For teachers : This activity is to be wall moves towards the north, in which
conducted throughout the year. Start this within direction does the location of sunrise or
eight days after the school opens. Continue it sunset appear to shift?
till the end of December. Make observations
once in a week at the time of sunrise or sunset Note : The second half of this lesson (Chapter
8) should be handled in the class around 22nd of
as per your convenience). December. Before that, record the observations
v Take a thick stick about 1.5 to 1.7 m long. as explained above.
2
2. The Sun, the Moon and the Earth
The moon’s motions: everywhere along its orbit while revolving.
Like the earth, the moon, also has axial When it is the closest to the earth it is said to
and orbital motions. The moon while rotating be in perigee and when it is at the farthest the
around itself, revolves around the earth and position is called apogee. See fig. 2.1
Moon
the earth revolves around the sun. As a result,
though the moon does not revolve around the sun Moon’s Apogee
independently, indirectly, it makes revolutions orbit
.
0 km
around the sun. The time it takes to make one 4,07,00
About
revolution around the earth and one rotation
Earth
around itself is the same. That is why, we Perigee m. Earth’s
0k orbit
constantly see one and the same side of the moon. 3 ,56,00
About
Moon
Figure 2.1 : Moon’s positions
Think about it.
You have studied the phases of the moon.
You know how it waxes from the new moon
F Like sunlight and moonlight, is there
day to the full moon day and how it wanes
anything called the earthlight ? If yes,
where do you think it is found ? from the full moon to the new moon day.
The moon’s orbit

Try this.
S
Carry out this activity on a playground. (Quarter
u
day)
v Select three students. Period of Waxing Moon New n
Moon
v Give them the roles of the sun, the moon and r
Earth
the earth. Full a
Moon Period of Waning Moon
v Make the sun stand in the middle. (See the (Quarter
y
day)
title page.) s
v Draw an elliptical orbit around the sun.
v The student who has been given the role of the
earth should rotate around himself from west Figure 2.2 : Waxing and waning moon (Phases)
to east. Simultaneously he should revolve See fig 2.2 which shows the different
around the student who is the sun along the phases of the moon. It shows the relative
drawn orbit in the anti-clockwise direction. position of the moon on both the quarters,
v Make sure that the student who is performing the full moon and the new moon days with
the role of the moon is also revolving around respect to the earth and the sun.
the one who is acting as the earth.
v Draw a diagram of the whole activity in your
Think about it.
notebook.
Geographical explanation F Fig. 2.2 shows the positions of the moon

as seen from the space and as seen from
The moon’s orbit of the revolution is also the earth. How will you identify which
elliptical as that of the earth. Hence the distance
of the moon from the earth is not the same are which?
3
new moon or full moon day. Hence, eclipses
do not occur on each new moon or full moon
Sun day. (See fig. 2.4.) However, sometimes, on a
new moon day or a full moon day, the three
fall in one line and are in the same plane.
Eclipses occur on such occasions. Eclipses may
be solar or lunar.
Moon
Moon Earth 5°
New Moon Day
0°
Sun
Waxing Moon
(Quarter day)
90° Waning Moon
(Quarter day)
Earth Figure 2.4 : Angle between the planes of orbits
Moon 270° Moon
180°
Think about it.
Full Moon Day Moon ) Consider the relative positions of the

sun, the moon and the earth on the new moon
Figure 2.3 : Angles made by the earth-moon-sun day and both the quarters. What will be the
We see the phases of the moon in the sky angle between the lines joining the earth and
from the earth. They are the illuminated portions the moon as well as the earth and the sun?
How many times will this angle be formed in
of the moon. They become visible due to the
a month?
sunlight reflected from the moon. While revolving
around the earth, the moon is on the opposite side Solar eclipse:
of the sun on a full moon day, whereas on a new If the moon is between the sun and the
moon day, it is positioned between the sun and earth, the shadow of the moon falls on the
the earth. On the first and the third quarter days, earth. At such a time these three celestial
the moon, the earth and the sun make an angle objects are on the same plane and fall
of 90°. At these positions, we see half the portion in one line. Hence the place on the earth
of illuminated moon. Hence in the sky, it appears where the moon’s shadow falls, experiences
semicircular in shape. (See fig. 2.3.) a solar eclipse. This shadow is of two
Eclipses: types. The central portion of the shadow
The orbital path of the earth and that of the is darker and the periphery is light. In the
moon are not in the same plane. The moon’s area of dark shadow on the earth, the sun
revolutionary orbit makes an angle of about 5°
becomes completely invisible. This condition
with that of the earth. As a result, the moon
is known as total solar eclipse. However,
intersects the plane of the earth’s orbit twice
during one revolution. On each new moon day, during the same period, at the places where
the lines joining the earth and the sun and the the shadow is lighter, the sun disc appears
moon make an angle of 0° whereas on each partially covered. This condition is described
full moon day, this angle is of 180°. Even so, as partial solar eclipse. (See fig. 2.5) Total
the sun, the earth and the moon may not be solar eclipse is seen in a very limited region
in one straight line in the same plane on every of the earth.
4
Moon
Sun
Earth
Partial
Total solar eclipse
solar
eclipse Figure 2.5 : Total and partial solar eclipse
Annular solar eclipse
Moon
Sun
Earth
Partial solar
eclipse
Figure 2.6 : Annular and partial solar eclipse
Sometimes the moon is in apogee v Fix a small plastic or sponge ball on the
position. This means it is at its farthest from sharp end of the pencil.
the earth. As a result, the deep shadow of the
moon is cast in space and does not reach the v Draw a circle along the midline of the
earth. From a very small region of the earth, ball. Let this ball be your moon.
only an illuminated edge of the sun disc is
v Now place a large plastic or rubber ball at a
seen in the form of a ring. This is called
annular eclipse. (Fig. 2.6) Annular eclipse is distance of 10 to 15 cm. from this moon. Let
a rare phenomenon. this larger ball be the earth. Draw a circle
Try this.
v Take a ball of clay or mud and

keep it at the centre of a table.
v Fix a pencil vertically in the clay
ball in such a way that its sharp
end points upwards.
Figure 2.7 : Solar eclipse activity
5
along the midline of this ball too using a
pencil in the centre. Let this be the equator.
Keep the ball steady using a rubber or cloth
ring.
Arrange the balls representing the earth
and the moon in such a way that the circle
drawn on the moon will be in the plane of the
equator of the earth.
Take a torch (the sun). Hold it at a distance Figure 2.9 : Lunar eclipse activity
of about 30 cm from the moon.
Direct the light beam on the moon. See fig.
2.7. Use your brain power !
Observe the shadow of the smaller ball on the
earth to understand how solar eclipse occurs. ) On the day of solar eclipse, in which part
Lunar eclipse: of the earth will it not be seen?
A lunar eclipse occurs when the moon
enters the shadow of the earth, while
) Can we see total and annular solar eclipses
on the same occasion?
revolving around it. At this time, it is
necessary that the earth is between the sun ) Why is an annular lunar eclipse not seen?
and the moon, and all three of them are in ) Which eclipses will you see from the
the same plane. On a full moon day, the moon ?
moon’s path of revolution passes through the
thick shadow of the earth. If the moon is
) Why are solar eclipses caused by the other
planets not seen from the earth?
totally hidden within the shadow, we see a
total lunar eclipse and if only a part of the
moon is in the shadow, we see a partial
lunar eclipse. (See fig. 2.8).
Think about it.
Try this.
) When solar eclipses do not occur on a
new moon day, does it mean that the

Arrange the materials used for the solar moon does not have any shadow at all ?
eclipse demonstration earlier, as shown in
fig. 2.9 and try to understand how a lunar
eclipse occurs.
Moon
Total
Sun Earth lunar
eclipse
Moon Partial
lunar
eclipse
Figure 2.8 : Total and partial lunar eclipse
6
suit their biological clock, their response to
Characteristics of solar eclipse the event is also unusual. Try to observe the
v A solar eclipse occurs on a new moon responses of the birds and animals at the time
day, but not on every new moon day. of such events and record your observations.
v If and only if the sun, the moon and
the earth are in the same plane and fall
in one line, the solar eclipses occur. Do you know ?
v The maximum duration of a total solar
eclipse is 7 minutes and 20 seconds Occultation and Transit:
Like eclipses, some other specific
(440 seconds).
conditions occur with reference to the sun
Characteristics of lunar eclipse
or the moon. These are called occultation
v A lunar eclipse occurs on a full moon and transit respectively. Occultation occurs
day, but not on every full moon day. with reference to the moon whereas the
v A lunar eclipse occurs if and only if transit is associated with the sun.
the sun, the moon and the earth are in Occultation: This is a typical event
the same plane and fall in one line. occurring in space. The moon revolves
v The maximum duration of a total lunar around the earth. While doing so, it
eclipse is 107 minutes. obscures a star or a planet and that
celestial body appears to hide behind
Eclipse - an astronomical event: the moon. This is called occultation. The
A solar eclipse or lunar eclipse is just total solar eclipse is actually a kind of
an astronomical event. There is nothing occultation. During this, the sun disc gets
‘auspicious' or 'inauspicious' about these hidden completely because of the moon.
events. It is just a result of the sun, the earth Transit: If an inner planet like Mercury
and the moon being in specific positions. There or Venus comes in between the line of
is a lot of curiosity about eclipses, because the earth and the sun, a transit occurs. At
that time, a small dot appears to move
an eclipse is not a regular occurrence.
across the sun disc. Transit is a type of
For scientists working in the field of solar eclipse.
astronomy, eclipses and particularly total or
annular solar eclipses present great opportunities
for study. Scientists from all over the world
make it a point to visit the locations where
such events are going to occur. They carry out
elaborate studies of eclipse conditions.
Always remember -
Figure 2.10 : The transit of mercury
While observing a solar eclipse, it is
necessary to view the sun disc through dark
glasses or special goggles made for that
purpose, otherwise the intense light of the Look for me elsewhere !
sun can be harmful to the naked eye.
F Class 7 General Science
During the period of a solar eclipse, Chapter 17
a large number of birds and animals get
confused due to the untimely darkness that F Class 6 General Science
sets in. As this is an event that does not Chapter 16
7
Exercises
Q. 1. Correct the wrong statements. Write down Q. 3. Complete the following table.
the corrected ones.
Details Lunar Eclipse Solar
(1) The moon revolves around the sun.
Eclipse
(2) On a full moon day, the moon, the
Phase of the New moon
sun and the earth are positioned in
moon day
this sequence.
(3) The revolutionary orbits of the earth Sequence Moon-Earth-
and the moon are in the same plane. Sun
(4) In one revolution of the moon, its Type of
orbit intersects the earth’s orbit only eclipse
once. Maximum 107 minutes
(5) It is alright to observe a solar eclipse duration of
without protecting the eyes. total eclipse
(6) An annular solar eclipse occurs when
Q. 4. Draw and label the diagrams.
the moon is in the perigee position.
(1) Total and partial solar eclipse.
Q. 2. Select the correct option. (2) Total and partial lunar eclipse.
(1) Solar eclipse Q. 5. Answer the following.
(1) Why do the sun, the moon and the earth
(a) not lie in one and the same line on every
full moon and new moon day?
(2) When total solar eclipse occurs why is
(b) partial eclipse also seen from the earth ?
(3) Suggest measures that can be taken to
eradicate the superstitions related to the
eclipses.
(c)
(4) What precautions should we take while
observing a solar eclipse ?
(2) The shape of sun disc at the time of (5) What types of solar eclipses will occur in
annular solar eclipse. perigee condition ?
Activities:
(1) Collect paper cuttings about eclipses
and paste them in a notebook.
(2) Write a note on an eclipse that you
(a) (b) (c) have seen.
(3) Apogee position of the moon. (3) Using the internet, ‘Panchanga’ and
calendar collect information about the
eclipses that are likely to occur this
year.
***
(a) (b) (c)
8
3. Tides
Can you tell ?
Observe the following pictures. Answer the questions given below and discuss.
Figure 3.1 a Figure 3.1 b
¾ Do the above photographs show the same Try this.

place or different places ?
¾ Observe and note the spread of water seen Keep a small stone or a chalk piece on
in both the photographs. your notebook and move the notebook
¾ What is this natural event called? from left to right with some force.
Both the photographs show the same place.
If you stay near the coast for some time, you
will realize that the sea water is sometimes
very close to the coast (Figure 3.1a) while
at other times, it is far away from the coast.
(Figure 3.1b) We call these movements of the
sea water ‘tides’. Barring a few exceptions,
all the coasts on the earth experience tides.
High and low tides are natural phenomena.
Let us try to understand the scientific reason
behind these natural events.
Tides are movements of sea water
occuring daily and regularly. The level of Figure 3.2 : Girl moving a notebook with force
sea water changes after a specific period of
time. After every 12 hours and 25 minutes, Take water in a small container which
a cycle of high tide and low tide gets has a handle. See what happens if the
completed. container is whirled around with force.
This regularly occurring event appears Fill the mixer jars with water and switch
to be quite simple and natural, however, it is on the mixer. Observe. (Do this under
directly related to the sun, the moon and the the supervision of parents.)
earth and the gravitational and centrifugal Observe a fan and a slingshot while they
forces that interact between them. are moving.
9
v Take half a glass of water. Slowly move Ø In which activities did you find that the
the glass in one direction, in circular centrifugal or gravitational force was
fashion. Observe what happens to the greater?
water.
In all the above activities, the effect
of the centrifugal force is visible. The
centrifugal force acts in the direction opposite
to the gravitational force. Centrifugal means
going away from the centre. You must have
experienced it too. At the local fairs if you
sit in a Ferris Wheel, your seat spins and
leans outward away from the wheel. This
also is an effect of centrifugal force.
Divide the students into two equal
Figure 3.3 : Boy moving the glass with water teams. Conduct a game of tug-of-war for
five minutes. Discuss their experiences in
v Observe what happens if you whirl a keyring the class.
around a finger.
Centrifugal and gravitational force:
Due to its rotation, the earth gets a type
of power or force. This force works away
from the centre. It is called centrifugal force.
(See fig. 3.5) Due to this force any object
on the earth would be thrown into the space.
However, the gravitational force is working
towards the centre of the earth at the same
time. This force is many times greater than
the centrifugal force. Hence any object on the
surface of earth remains at the place where
it exists.
Figure 3.4 : Girl whirling the keyring
North Pole North Pole
Can you tell ?
North Pole
On the basis of the questions given M K
below, discuss the results of the activities
listed above.
South Pole South Pole
Ø In which direction did the piece of chalk
fall? G= Gravitational force, C= Centrifugal force
Ø Where did the water in the glass show a Figure 3.5 : Centrifugal force and gravitational force
bulge ?
Ø What effect did the movement have on Tides:
the things attached to the keyring ?
What happened to the water in the The following factors are responsible for
Ø
container and the mixer ? the occurrence of tides.
Ø Which forces could be operating in v The gravitational pull of the moon and the
activities listed above ? sun as well as that of the earth.
10

Revolution of the earth around the sun Generally the highest high tide occurs on full
and the indirect revolution of the moon moon and new moon days whereas on the
around the sun. days of the first and the third quarter, the

Centrifugal force generated due to the high tide is at its minimum. Spring tides and
rotation of the earth. neap tides are the two types of tides.
Low tide
Spring tide:
On new moon and full moon days, the
gravitational pull of the sun and the moon
High Gravitational act in the same direction. Due to this, the
North Pole force of the
tide
moon total pull increases. Hence the tide on these
Centrifugal
force
High tide
Moon
days is much higher than the average high
tide. This is known as spring tide. See fig.
Gravitational
3.7. As the bulge at the high tide is greater,
force the water at low tide recedes much more.
Low tide Centrifugal The water level during spring tide is higher
force than the average high tides and lower than
Figure 3.6 : Occurrence of tides
the average low.
The moon is closer to the earth than the
sun, hence its gravitational force becomes more Sun
effective than that of the sun. Tides occur due
to the relative positions of the moon, the sun
and the earth. A place on the earth located at Level of high tide
the opposite point of the place experiencing
high or low tide also experiences high or low
tide respectively at the same time. This is a
result of the centrifugal force. See fig. 3.6 Moon
and try to understand the locations of high
and low tides on the earth.
Low tide
When there is high tide at 0° meridian, the High tide
North Pole
180° meridian also experiences high tide.

The meridians that are at right angles to Low tide Earth
those having high tide will experience low
High tide
tide at the same time. If it is high tide
at 0° and 180° meridians, then at which Figure 3.7 : Spring tide
meridians will low tide occur ?
Neap tide:
While revolving around the earth, the
Think about it. moon makes a right angle with respect to
the earth and the sun, twice a month. This
position occurs on the first and the third
)
Large rockets are used to go into the quarter of each month. On both these days,
space away from the earth. Which force the forces of both the sun and the moon
do they act against? operate at right angles on the earth. See fig.
3.8. At the places where the sun causes high
tide, the gravitational pull of the moon which
Types of tides: is at right angles also acts on the sea water.
As the timing of the tide varies every day, Due to such conditions, the water level rise
the range of a tide also keeps on changing. is less than usual at the time of high tide.
11
Similarly, fall in water level is less than usual The tides clear the waste and hence the
at the time of low tide. This is because the coasts become clean.
attraction of the sun and the moon are not Ports do not get filled with sediments.
complementary but at right angles to each Ships can move up to the ports during
other. Such tides are called neap tides. Neap high tide.
tides are a little lower than the average high During high tide, sea water can be stored
tides and a little higher than the average low in salt pans from which salt can be
tides. obtained.
The tidal force can be used to generate
Sun electricity.
A lack of an understanding of the timings
of high and low tides may cause accidents
to swimmers entering the sea.
The tides help in maintaining the mangroves
and the coastal biodiversity.
Timings of the tides change daily :
The tides are continuously occurring
Low tide High phenomena. After reaching the maximum
tide
water level during high tide, the low tide sets
North Pole Level of
high tide
in. Similarly, after reaching the lowest water
Earth level during low tide, the high tide sets in.
Remember that in the following discussion the
Low tide
High highest limit of the high tides is mentioned.
Moon tide See fig. 3.9. You will understand why the
Figure 3.8 : Neap tide timings of the high and the low tides change
daily.
Do you know ?
Intertidal Range
The difference in the water level of the
Rotational speed of the earth: 1° = 4 minutes
high tide and the low tide is called tidal Time taken for 12°30' = 50 minutes
range. In open seas, this range is about Figure 3.9 : Why do the tide timings change daily?
30 cm. However, towards the coastal
areas it goes on increasing. Along the
There will be high tide at point ‘P’ as it
coast of Peninsular India the range is is opposite to the moon.
around 100 to 150 cm for most of the
As point ‘F’ is opposite (at an antipodal
part. The highest tidal range in the world location) to the point ‘P’, it will also
is observed at Bay of Fundy along the experience high tide at the same time.
Atlantic Coast of North America. Here
It will take 24 hours for point ‘P’ to come
the tidal range is about 1600 cm. In back to its original position (360°). Point
India, the highest tidal range is in the ‘P’ will be at point ‘F’ after 12 hours
Gulf of Khambhat. It is about 1100 cm. (180°).

The same change will also occur with
reference to the point ‘F’.
Effects of tides:

Point ‘F’ will not experience the same
With the high tide, fish move into the
creeks and this helps fishing activity. high tide, because in the meanwhile the
moon also would have moved a little
12
ahead (approximately 6° 15' ). Hence it and regularly occurring phenomenon too. See
will take 25 minutes more for the point fig. 3.10.
‘F’ to come to the position opposite to
the moon.

After 12 hours 25 minutes, ‘F’ will arrive
opposite to the moon and it will experience
high tide. Point ‘P’ opposite to ‘F’ will
also experience high tide.

Later again, after 12 hours and 25 minutes
point ‘P1’ will experience high tide as it
comes in front of the moon. There will
be high tide at F1 too as shown in the
fig. 3.9. Figure 3.10 : Waves coming to the coast
There is high tide and low tide twice
a day (24 hours) generally. The time Structure of the waves:
difference between two high tides is of The sea water get pushed up and down
12 hours and 25 minutes. because of the wind. The raised up portion of
a wave is called crest and the depressed one
Try this. is called trough. If a strong wind is blowing
in one direction, large waves are generated.
Take a wide open large dish. The vertical distance between a crest and
Keep the dish on a table or a flat surface. the following trough is called the amplitude
Fill water in the dish up to the rim. of the wave whereas the distance between
We have to generate waves in the dish. two successive crests or troughs is called
¾ Is it possible to generate waves without wave length. The wave length, its amplitude
touching or shoving the dish ? Try doing and its velocity depend on the velocity of
so. wind. See fig. 3.11.
¾ In what different ways can you generate
waves in the dish ?
Crest Wave length Crest Wave length Crest
of the wave
amplitude
Waves:
If you blow air over hot milk or tea, trough Wave length trough
while drinking, ripples are generated on the
milk or the tea. In the same way, because Figure 3.11 : The structure of a wave
of the force of the wind, water appears to be
moving. The sea water gets pushed by the Velocity of waves:
wind and ripples are generated on the water If we stand at the coast, we feel the waves
surface. These are called waves. are coming towards the coast. If a floating
The sea water moves up and down or object is thrown at a distance in the sea, we
slightly forward and backward due to the find the object moving up and down at the
waves. The waves bring the energy contained same place. It does not come to the coast.
in them to the coast. They break in the It means the water forming the wave also
shallow waters near the coast. Large or small does not come to the coast. Remember that
waves are formed continuously at the surface the water in the wave does not move, what
of the sea. Generation of waves is a natural moves is the energy.
13
The main reason of wave generation
is wind, but at times, due to earthquakes
or volcanic eruptions occurring below the Do you know ?
floor of the sea, waves get generated. Such
waves assume a great height in the shallow While moving along the sea coast or
waters near the coast. These waves are very playing in the water we must take adequate
destructive. They cause huge loss of property
and life. These waves are called tsunamis. In care regarding the timings of the tides
2004, tsunami waves were generated because otherwise it can lead to serious accidents.
of the earthquake that took place near Sumatra For that we must know the timings of the
island of Indonesia. They devastated the east tides. For this you must know the phase of
coast of India as well as of Sri Lanka. the moon on the given day. Three-fourth
The waves cause erosion along the of the phase of the moon is the time of
headlands and create beaches in the protected
the high tide. For example, suppose you
locations in the bays.
are at the coast on the fourth phase of the
moon, then three fourth of the phase is
Always remember-
three. It means the high tide will occur at 3
If earthquake occurs in the ocean, the am and 3 pm, and approximately 6 hours
coastal areas face a risk of tsunamis. In
from it, that is, 9 am and 9 pm will be the
such cases, it is better to go away from
the coasts or towards higher altitudes. This low tide. There may be slight differences
way, loss of life can be avoided. according to local conditions. We must
collect the information from local people
and learn from them about the structure of
the coast, its slope, rocky areas as well as
Look for me elsewhere !
the streams near the coast before entering
the sea waters for enjoyment.
)
Class 6, General Science Energy
Resources.
Tell the timings of the tides occurring
)
Class 9, Geography Interior Movements.
on the first and third quarter days of the
)
Class 6, General Science, Forms of month.
Energy
Figure 3.12 : Beach
14
Exercises
Q. 1. Prepare a chain by matching the following.

Group A Group B Group C
Waves 8th phase of the moon Objects get thrown towards the outer side.
(Quarter)
Centrifugal force New moon day Highest high tide occurs on this day.
Gravitational force Rotation of the earth These are also generated due to earthquakes
and volcanoes.
Spring Tide The moon, the sun and The forces of the sun and the moon operate
the earth in different directions.
Neap Tide Wind Operates in the direction towards the centre
of the earth.
Q. 2. Give geographical reasons: Q. 5. Observe fig. 3.8 of neap tide and answer
the following questions.
(1) Tides are influenced more by the moon
(1) Which phase of the moon does it show ?
than the sun.
(2) What are the relative positions of the
(2) At some places along the coast, the low
moon, the sun and the earth ?
lying areas turn into lagoons or marshy
(3) What effect will it have on the tides ?
lands.
(3) Place located on the opposite meridian Q. 6. Differentiate between
to the place experiencing high or low (1) High tide and low tide.
tide will also experience high or low (2) Spring tide and neap tide.
tide respectively. Q. 7. Describe the positive and negative effects
of tides.
Q. 3. Answer in brief. Activities:
(1) If there is high tide at 7 am, find the (1) Visit the nearest sea coast. From a
timings of the next high and low tides higher location, observe the waves
on the same day at a given place. approaching the coast. See if the
(2) If at Mumbai (73° E meridian), there is approaching waves change their
high tide at 1.00 pm on Thursday, then direction. With the help of your
on which other meridian will there be teacher find the answer to why this
high tide too? State with reasons. change occurs.
(3) Explain the reasons for the generation (2) Collect information from the internet
of waves. about how electricity is generated
from waves. Find places where such
Q. 4. In what way will the following depend on
electricity is being generated.
the tides?
(1) Swimming (2) Steering a ship ***
(3) Fishing (4) Salt pans.
(5) Going to coastal areas for trips
15
4. Air Pressure
Let’s recall. After some time, bring the lantern down with
the help of the thread and put off the candle.
Have you tried the activity that shows ‘Air (Instructions for teachers/ parents: This activity
has weight’ given on page 16 of your Science is to be performed under your supervision and
textbook? presence with utmost care.
Geographical explanation The teacher should arrange a discussion
after completing the activity given above. Use
During the activity, you saw that the balance following questions to initiate the discussion.)
tipped on the side of the full blown balloon. This
shows that the air has weight.
Anything that has weight, exerts pressure
on the thing that lies below it. Thus, the air in
the atmosphere exerts pressure on the surface
of the earth. Due to this air pressure, various
phenomena like storms, precipitation, etc. occur
in the atmosphere. There are variations in air
pressure.
Air pressure is not uniform on all places on
the earth’s surface.
Air pressure keeps on changing from time to
time.
The altitude of a region, temperature of the
air, and amount of water vapour in the air
are some factors influencing air pressure.
Altitude of the region and air pressure:
The proportion of dust in the air, water
vapour, heavy gases, etc. is higher in the
air closer to the surface of the earth. This
proportion decreases with increasing altitude.
As one moves higher and higher from the
surface of the earth, the air becomes thinner
and thinner. As a result, the air pressure
decreases with increasing altitude.
Air temperature and air pressure:
Try this.
Take a flying lantern.

Tie an approximately 5m long thread to
the flying lantern so that you can bring the
lantern down whenever required.
After carefully reading the
instructions given on the package of the
lantern, open it and light the candle placed
in it. Observe what happens. Figure 4.1 : The experiment of the flying lantern
16
Ø Did the flying lantern start ascending Temperature zones and pressure belts are
immediately after the candle was lit? interrelated to each other but the latitudinal
extent of the temperature zones is much larger
Ø What would have happened to the flying
while pressure belts are narrower. See fig. 4.2a
lantern had the candle got extinguished after
and 4.2b. For example, the Temperate zone
the lantern had gone up in the air?
extends from 23° 30' to 66° 30'. Compared to
Geographical explanation this, the air pressure belt has limited extent. It is
The air in the flying lantern gets generally up to 10° parallel.
heated once the candle is lit. The The uneven distribution of temperature
hot air expands, becomes lighter and starts influences the distribution of air pressure
moving up. Therefore, the lantern is also lifted too. This leads to the formation of low and
up towards the sky. In nature too, a similar high pressure belts horizontally between the
phenomenon occurs. equator and the poles. See fig. 4.2b.
Temperature and air pressure are closely Observe fig. 4.2 a and b and answer the
related. Wherever the temperature is high, the air following questions:
pressure is low. As the temperature rises the air Ø Which pressure belt is mainly found in the
gets heated, expands, and becomes lighter. This Tropics?
lighter air in the vicinity of the earth’s surface Ø With which pressure belt are the polar winds
starts moving up towards the sky. As a result, associated? In which temperature zone are
the air pressure in such areas decreases. they observed?
Ø What could be the reason behind a low
pressure belt in the Tropics?
Think about it. Ø With which pressure belts are the winds in the
Temperate zone associated?
F What will be the effect on air pressure if
Ø Write the latitudinal extent of the low
the temperature drops? Why?
pressure belts.
Can you tell ?

900 North Pole Polar high pressure belt
66 30' N.
0
Polar winds 65°
Subpolar low pressure belt
Frigid Zone Westerlies 55°
23030' N. 35°
Mid-latitudinal high pressure belt
Temperate Zone 25°
Easterlies
Torrid Zone
Equator 5°
Equatorial low pressure belt
00
5°
Easterlies
Temperate Zone 25°
23030' S. 35°
Westerlies
Subpolar low pressure belt 55°
Frigid Zone Polar winds
65°
66030' S. Polar high pressure belt
900 South Pole
Figure 4.2 a : Temperature zones Figure 4.2 b : Pressure belts and planetary winds
17
Pressure belts on the earth’s surface: low pressure belt. This condition is observed
The heat received from the sun is uneven in the area between 55° and 65° parallels in
in different regions. Hence the distribution of both the hemispheres.
the temperature is uneven from the equator Polar high pressure belts:
to the poles. As a result, the temperature In both the polar regions, the temperature
zones are created. We have studied this in the is below 0°C throughout the year. Hence,
previous class. here the air is cold. As a result, high pressure
Equatorial low pressure belt: belts get formed. These are called polar high
The sunrays can be perpendicular pressure belts. They generally occupy the area
between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of between 80° and 90° parallels in both the
Capricorn. So the temperature is higher in this hemispheres.
region. Hence air in this region gets heated, The duration and the intensity of sunrays
expands, becomes lighter and moves towards varies during particular periods of the year
the sky. As this process operates continuously in both the hemispheres. As a result, the
a low pressure belt gets formed in the central locations of the temperature zones and the
part of this region between the parallels pressure belts dependent on the sun’s heat also
5° north and 5° south. vary. This change is of the order of 5° to 7°
Mid-latitudinal high pressure belts: towards north in Uttarayan, and 5° to 7° south
The heated air becomes lighter, starts in Dakshinayan. This is called the oscillation
ascending and after reaching higher altitudes, of pressure belts.
moves towards the polar region, i.e., towards
the North and the South Pole. Due to low Always remember -
temperatures at the higher altitudes, the air
The major difference between the
cools down and becomes heavier. This heavier
temperature zones and pressure belts is that
air descends down in both the hemispheres in the
the temperature zones are continuous and
region between 25° to 35° parallels. This leads are spread from the equator to the poles
to the formation of high pressures belts in these from Torrid to Frigid. Pressure belts are
parallels of latitudes in both the hemispheres. not continuous and areas of high and low
This air is dry, hence the region does not get pressure are found in different regions from
rainfall. Consequently, most of the hot deserts the equator to the poles.
on the earth are found in these regions. (See fig.
Effects :
4.2b.)
Air pressure has the following effects.
Sub-polar low pressure belts:
v Origin of winds.
Due to earth’s curvature, the area between
v Generation of storms.
two parallels gets reduced as we move towards
v Convectional type of rain.
the poles. This results in lesser friction of the
air with the earth’s surface. Air in this region v Air pressure affects the breathing activity too.
is thrown out because of this reduced friction Isobars:
and also because of the earth’s rotational The line that joins the places of equal
motion. This leads to the development of a pressure on the map is called an isobar.
18
Make friends with maps !
19
Can you tell ? Figure 4.3 : Distribution of Annual Average Pressure in the World (Value of Air Pressure in
Millibars)
Observe the map given above and study ¾ The direction of the isobars and the
the distribution of air pressure. Consider the distance between successive isobars over
following points: oceans and continents. Do you know ?
¾ The nature of the isobars. ¾ Comparison of the isobars in the northern
and the southern hemispheres. The air pressure at sea-level is
¾ High and low pressure belts and their
latitudinal position. 1013.2 millibars.
Use your brain power ! Do you know ?
F If there is low pressure at the equator, All things in and on the earth stay
what will be the condition of air earthbound because of the earth’s gravity.
pressure in the Arctic Zone? This includes air which is in the gaseous form.
Due to the earth’s gravity, air is pulled to the
earth’s surface. That is why, air pressure
Always remember - is maximum at sea-level. Note that air
exerts pressure on everything and everyone
Air pressure is
including us. It is believed that the weight
measured in units of
of the air column on any one person’s head
millibars. For this
amounts to 1000 kg.
an instrument called
barometer is used. The
air pressure at the earth’s
surface is measured with Look for me elsewhere !
this instrument. Figure 4.3 : Barometer
F Class Three- Environmental Studies.

Give it a try.
F Class Seven- Science.
Study the temperature distribution map
given in your Std VI textbook and the pressure
distribution map in this lesson to find the
correlation between air temperature and air
pressure.
Exercises
Q. 1. Give reasons: (2) Air pressure is expressed in ................ .

(1) Air pressure decreases with increasing (millibars, millimetres, millilitres,
altitude. milligrams)
(2) Pressure belts oscillate.
Q. 2. Give short answers to the following (3) On the earth, air pressure is .............. .
questions. (uniform, uneven, high, low)
(1) What effect does temperature have on (4) The .................... pressure belt spreads
air pressure? between 5° North and 5°South parallel.
(2) Why is the subpolar low pressure belt (Equatorial low, Polar high, Subpolar
formed? low, Mid-latitudinal high)
Q. 3. Write notes on:
(1) Mid-latitudinal high pressure belts Q. 5. How does a high pressure belt get formed
near 30° parallel? Why does this region
(2) Horizontal distribution of air pressure.
have hot deserts?
Q. 4. Fill in the gaps with the appropriate option.
(1) At higher altitudes air becomes Q. 6. Draw a neat diagram showing pressure
................ belts. Label the diagram.
(thicker, thinner, hotter, more humid) ***
20
5. Winds
Can you tell ?

¾ See who moves the paper roll first to the

See outside the window of your classroom. other end of the table.
Which objects are moving? Which are still? ¾ What could be the reason of the delay in

Which objects are moving on their own? making the rolls reach to the other end of the
table?

Which objects are not moving on their own?
¾ What can we do to move the rolls to the other
Why?
end of the table with a greater speed?
(Through these questions, make the students ¾ Can a bottle filled with water be moved to
think of ‘Winds’.) the other end of the table in this manner? Can
We feel the wind but cannot see it. When we use the same method that you tried for
moving the paper rolls?
certain objects in our surroundings move, we
experience wind. The movement of air is called
wind. Why does air move?
We have learnt that the air pressure is not
Try this. uniform across the earth’s surface. Air moves
from high pressure areas towards low pressure
(Get pairs of students to do this.)

90°
¾ Fold a paper into two same-sized rolls. 60°
Low Pressure
¾ Keep both the paper rolls on one side of a
table.
¾ You and your friend should select one roll High Pressure 30°
each.
¾ Without touching the role of the paper or the
table, what can be done to move the paper Low Pressure
0°
rolls to the other end of the table?
High Pressure
30°
Low Pressure
60°
90°
Original direction of air
(From high pressure to low pressure)
Changed direction because of

rotation
Figure 5.2 : Change in direction of winds

Figure 5.1 : Generation of wind
21
areas in a horizontal manner. Winds are generated ¾ Name the winds that blow in the southern
due to this movement. hemisphere?
The extent of the difference in the air pressure ¾ In which direction do the Easterlies blow in
affects the velocity of the wind. If there is less the northern and southern hemispheres?
difference in the pressure, winds blow with less Polar high pressure belt
velocity. Winds blow with greater velocities if the 90°
80°
pressure difference is greater. Wind speed also Polar winds 65°
varies. Wind velocity is measured in the units of Subpolar low pressure belt
55°
Westerlies
knots or kilometres per hour.
35°
25°
Give it a try.
Easterlies
Write the changed direction of the wind in the 5°
table below:
5°
Pressure Belts Northern Southern
Hemisphere Hemisphere Easterlies
Mid-latitudinal high pressure belt 25°

Mid Latitudes
35°
Westerlies
Poles Subpolar low pressure belt 55°
Polar winds
65°
90° 80°
When we consider the earth as a whole,
Polar high pressure belt
we find the direction of the winds is influenced Figure 5.3 : Planetary winds and pressure belts on the
by the rotation of the earth. In the northern earth
hemisphere, winds get deflected towards the right Winds are known by the direction from
of their original direction, whereas in the southern which they blow. For example, Westerlies are
hemisphere they get deflected toward the left of winds that blow from the west. The direction of
their original direction. See fig. 5.2. This direction blowing, the duration, the regions covered, and
has been shown by curved arrows in the figure. the condition of the air determine the following
The rotation from west to east causes this change wind types:
in the original direction of the winds. Planetary winds:
Some winds blow regularly on the earth
Can you tell ? from high to low pressure belts throughout the
Observe fig. 5.3 and answer: year. These winds cover a large portion of the
¾ Which are the winds in the northern earth, hence these are called planetary winds.
hemisphere that blow from the mid- For example, the Easterlies, the Westerlies and
latitudinal high pressure belt to the equatorial the Polar winds.
low pressure belt? In both the hemispheres, the winds blow
¾ What is the direction of the Westerlies in the from the high pressurea area between 25° and
southern hemisphere? 35° parallels, to the equatorial low pressure
¾ Which planetary winds blow from the belt. (See fig. 5.3.) Due to the rotation of the
mid-latitudinal high pressure belts to the earth, their original direction changes. In
subpolar low pressure belts in the northern the northern hemisphere, they blow from the
hemisphere? north-east to the south-west whereas in the
¾ Why is the direction of polar winds not the southern hemisphere they blow from the
same in both the hemispheres? south-east to the north-west. These winds
22
coming from both the sides converge near the over a limited area are called local winds.
equatorial calm belt. These winds are known as Local winds affect the climate of the region
the Easterlies. where they blow. These winds are known by
In both the hemispheres, winds blow different local names in the different regions
where they blow.
from the mid-latitudinal high pressure belt to
the subpolar low pressure belt situated near
60° parallel. (Fig. 5.3.) Their original direction Try this.
changes due to the rotation of the earth. In the
southern hemisphere, these winds blow from In the activity given below, consider the elevation
of land, the heating and cooling properties of
the north-west to the south-east and in northern
land and water, the air pressure, etc.
hemisphere, they blow from the south-west to the
(A) Observe the picture. (Fig. 5.4 a.)
north-east. These winds are called Westerlies.
Describe the valley breeze with the help of the
In both the hemispheres, winds blowing
picture.
from the polar high pressure belt to the subpolar
low pressure belt (55° to 65°) are called Polar
winds. Generally, they blow from east to west.
Do you know ?
Winds in the southern hemisphere blow

with great velocities. The southern hemisphere
is mostly occupied by oceans. In this
hemisphere the obstacle caused by the relief of
the land surface is almost absent. As there is
no obstacle; winds blow with greater velocities
in the southern hemisphere as compared to the
northern hemisphere. Their characteristics are
as follows:
) Beyond 40° S, winds blow with tremendous
velocities. These winds are called Roaring
Forties.
) Around 50° S, winds are stormy. Hence
they are called Furious Fifties.
) The stormy winds around 60° S make Figure 5.4 a : Valley breeze
tremendous noise and hence they are
Characteristics of Valley Breeze
called Screeching Sixties.
Why are such winds not found in the
northern hemisphere at 40°, 50° and 60°
parallels?

Local winds:
The winds that blow for a short duration
of time, originate in specific regions and blow
23
(B) Read the following information
carefully and draw a diagram for the mountain
breeze accordingly.
Characteristics of the Mountain breeze:

Mountains cool down quickly at night.

The valley zone is comparatively warmer.

Air pressure is greater on the mountains.

Winds blow from the mountain towards the
valley.

The hot and light air from the valley is pushed
upwards and the cool air rushes down into
the valley.
Figure 5.4 b : Mountain breeze
Mountain winds set in after sunset.
Do you know ?
The region up to 5° north and 5° south of In the area near the Tropic of Cancer
the equator remains calm for most of the year and Tropic of Capricorn, that is, between 25°
and winds do not blow in this region. It is called and 35° north and south, there exists a high
the equatorial calm zone or Doldrums. pressure belt. This is also a calm belt. This belt
is known as Horse Latitudes.
Observe the diagrams given below. Answer the questions related

Can you tell ?
to sea and land breezes.
Warm air cools

Air on land gets and comes down
heated and goes up
High
Low Sea Breeze
pressure
pressure Cooler sea breeze blows to the land
Figure 5.5 a : Sea breeze

24
Warm air on the
Warm air cools and water goes up
comes downs
High Land Breeze Low
Pressure Pressure
Cool land breeze blows towards the sea.
Figure 5.5 b : Land breeze
¾ Why do the breezes blow from the sea to the The density of water is comparatively less.
land during the day? Water is transparent and unstable. Hence, water
¾ When do the winds blow from the land to does not get heated quickly. As a result, the air
the sea? pressure in land and water areas is different.
¾ Describe the winds shown in fig. 5.5 a. In the coastal areas, land gets heated during
¾ Compare fig. 5.5a and 5.5b with reference daytime. Hence, the air on the land also gets
to temperature conditions, air pressure and heated and the air pressure on land decreases.
winds. The sea water gets heated slowly hence the air
¾ Which winds are called sea breezes and is less heated and the air pressure remains high.
which are called land breezes ? Why? Winds blowing from the sea towards the land
¾ In which part of India are the land and sea are called sea breezes. At night, land cools down
breezes experienced? faster as compared to the sea and therefore has
higher air pressure. Hence, the land breeze blows
¾ Do you experience sea and land breezes in
your area? from land towards the sea.
Besides these, winds blow under particular
Geographical explanation conditions in different areas. These are also
The land is made up of dense matter. called local winds. For example, Fohn, Chinook,
Land is stable and opaque. As a result, heat is Bora, Loo, etc. See the table on the next page.
transferred at a greater speed and in a higher
proportion. Hence, land gets heated quickly.
25
Do you know ?
Major local winds in the world
Name of the wind Nature of the wind Characteristics and areas of influence
Loo Hot and dry Blows in the North Indian plains during the summer
season generally in the afternoons. They come from the
hot Thar Desert.
Simoom Hot, dry and These blow with tremendous velocities from the
destructive Sahara and Arabian deserts. As these winds are
quite strong they are destructive.
Chinook Warm and dry These blow down the eastern slopes of Rocky Mountains
(Snow eater) of North America. They cause the snow to melt and
increase the temperature in the valleys.
Mistral Cold and dry These blow in Spain, France and areas the around
the Mediterranean Sea. They originate from the Alps.
These cold winds reduce the temperature in the coastal
areas.
Bora Cold and dry These blow from the Alps Mountains towards the
coastal areas of Italy.
Pampero Cold and dry These blow around the Pampas grasslands in South
America.
Fohn (foehn) Hot and dry These blow along the northern slopes of the Alps.
Seasonal winds (Monsoon): pronounced effects of these winds are felt. (See
Monsoon winds are generated due to the fig. 5.6.) The influence of monsoon winds is seen
uneven heating of land and water in the different in the summer and winter seasons in the Indian
seasons. During summers, Monsoons blow from subcontinent. Due to these winds, the Indian
the sea to the land and in winter they blow from subcontinent experiences monsoon (rainy) and
the land to the sea. Southeast Asia, East Africa, retreating monsoon seasons apart from summer
North Australia are the regions where the and winter.
Low Pressure High Pressure
Sout Nort
hw h
seaso est Retre east
na a
wind l Man ting
s soon
Equator
Equator
South-East winds
South-East winds
Figure 5.6 : Seasonal winds


26
Monsoon winds are in fact sea and land On weather maps, the centre of a cyclone is
breezes blowing on large scale. represented by the letter ‘L’. A cyclone system
Most of the precipitation in the Indian moves from one place to another.
subcontinent is the effect of monsoon winds. Cyclonic storms:
After crossing the equator, they blow from the Cyclones occurring in the western part of
south-west towards the Indian subcontinent the Pacific Ocean along the coasts of Japan,
during the period from June to September. They
China, Philippines, etc. are known as ‘Typhoons’.
are called the south-west monsoons. They are
These storms arise in the months between June
full of moisture.
and October. Due to high velocity winds and
From September to December, because of
heavy rains, these prove to be destructive.
the low pressure area developing near the
The cyclones in the Caribbean Sea are
equator, winds blow from the Indian subcontinent
towards the equator. These are called the north- known as hurricanes. These are also destructive
east monsoon winds. They are dry winds. in nature. During these storms, the minimum
Cyclones: velocity of the wind is 60 km per hour. Cyclones
Cyclonic conditions are created when a also originate in the temperate zone but they are
low pressure area is surrounded by high not so powerful and hence are not destructive.
pressure areas. In these conditions, winds start
blowing towards the low pressure area from the
surrounding high pressure areas. (See fig. 5.7.)
Due to the rotation of the earth, the cyclonic
winds in the northern hemisphere move in an
anticlockwise direction, whereas they move in
a clockwise direction in the southern
hemisphere. During a cyclone, the sky is
cloudy, winds blow with a very high velocity
and it rains heavily. The area affected by
cyclones is limited. The duration, velocities,
direction and place of origin of these winds is Figure 5.8 : Cyclonic storm
unpredictable. See the image of a cyclone

Anticyclones:
obtained by a satellite in fig. 5.8.
Under specific atmospheric conditions, the
air pressure in a particular region increases and
the pressure in the surrounding areas remain
low. In this situation, winds blow from the centre
Low pressure High pressure toward the surrounding areas in a circular
High pressure
994 manner. In the northern hemisphere, these winds
996 blow in a clockwise direction whereas in the
998 southern hemisphere, they blow in an
1000 anticlockwise direction. During anticyclones,
the skies are clear, winds blow with lesser
Value of air pressure in millibars
Figure 5.7 : Cyclone
velocities and the weather is pleasant.
27
Anticyclones generally last for a few days or a
week. Such anticyclones originate in temperate Do you know ?
zones.
Naming the cyclones:
On weather maps, the centre of an
anticyclone is represented by the letter ‘H’. Cyclones occurring in different parts
Anticyclones are vividly experienced in high of the world are assigned different names.
pressure belts. Winds in these regions are always A list of names is prepared for each of the
moving out and hence the rainfall in such areas oceans or its part. Names in the list are
is quite low. suggested by the countries in the region of
that ocean. If the wind speed in the storm
1004 exceeds 33 knots (60 km/hour) the cyclone
1006
is assigned a name. Names make it easier
1008
1010 for us to remember a particular storm.
High pressure
Low pressure
Low pressure

Value of air pressure in millibars
Figure 5.9 : Anticyclone

F Class Six- Lesson Five- Temperature
F Class Seven- Science.
Exercises
Q.1. Rewrite the following statements after (4) The direction of seasonal winds blowing
choosing the correct option. over the Indian subcontinent during
(1) When the air expands, it .............. . winter is from the ....... .
(a) becomes solid (a) south-east to north-west.
(b) becomes thinner (b) south-west towards north-east.
(c) gets lost (c) north-east to south-west.
(d) becomes humid (d) north-west to south-east.
(2) From high air pressure regions, winds (5) The Roaring Forties in the southern
............ . hemisphere
(a) blow to regions of still higher pressure. (a) blow towards the equator.
(b) blow towards regions of cooler air. (b) blow in the areas around 40° S
(c) blow towards regions of low air parallel.
pressure. (c) blow from the subpolar region of low
(d) remain still. pressure.
(3) In the northern hemisphere, winds (d) blow around 40° N parallel.
blowing towards the equator .......... due Q.2. Identify the type of winds from the
to the rotation of the earth. description given below.
(a) turn to the south (1) These winds from the south-west bring
(b) turn to the east rains to the Indian subcontinent. During
(c) turn to the west June to September, India gets rains.
(d) turn to the north After this period these winds retreat.
28
(2) These winds blowing from the north Q.6. Answer in short:
pole region towards 60° N parallel (1) Why is the air pressure high in polar
cause cold wave conditions in extensive areas in both the hemispheres?
areas covering North America, Europe
(2) What effect does the rotation of the
and Russia.
earth have on the winds?
(3) Hilltops get heated quickly during the
(3) Why do the cyclonic winds blow in a
day. The air in this part becomes hot,
light and starts ascending. Hence, a circular manner?
low pressure area forms in this region. (4) State the reasons that lead to the
At the same time the air at the foothills formation of cyclones and describe the
being cooler, and that area experiences effects of cyclones.
high pressure. Air in that area blows
Activity :
towards low pressure.
Using the internet, obtain information,
Q.3. Given below are the values of air pressure
photos and maps of the recent cyclone
in millibars. Using the same, draw
that arrived at India’s eastern coast.
diagrams to show a cyclone and an
anticyclone. Write the social and economic effects of
that cyclone.
990, 994, 996, 1000
1030, 1020, 1010, 1000 ICT Question :
Q.4. State one reason why. Use the mobile app ‘Windyty’ and try to
(1) A belt of calm exists near the equator. know the direction of winds and pressure areas
(2) The winds coming from the north-west in the world.
in the southern hemisphere have ***
greater velocities than the winds
coming from the south-west in the
northern hemisphere.
(3) The monsoon winds in the summer
come from the sea but the retreating
monsoon winds in winter come from
land.
Q.5. Complete the flow chart:
Types of Winds
Planetary Winds
NE Monsoon Winds
Land
Breeze
29
6. Natural Regions
Can you tell ? Tick the boxes in the pictures using the index given on page 31.
Housing
Clothing
Flora and Fauna
Food
On the basis of the selection you have done polar bears and penguins be kept in tropical
and the questions given below, arrange a zoos?
discussion in the class. Ø Are all the plants shown in the pictures
Ø Why are all the house types shown in the found in our surroundings? If not, where do
pictures not seen in our surroundings? you think they can be found?
Ø Which are the regions where such types of There exists a large number of different
houses are found? things in the world than those we see in our
Ø Would you like to stay in a house built of surroundings. We see different educational and
ice? Why don’t we build such houses? informative TV programmes about wild life. We
Ø What brings about differences in people’s become curious to know more about this wild life.
clothing? Why is this wild life not seen in our areas? Why
Ø Where do you think khubz, insects and ants are they not similar to the wild life found in our
also form a part of the diet of the people? areas? What causes this difference? Let us try to
Ø Can the animals from polar regions like find the reasons behind all this.
30
Index: (1) I use/experience! 9 (1) I have seen! (1) I do not know about it! 8
On the other hand, there are similarities of

climate, vegetation and animal life in different
There are differences in terms of landforms, continents that spread between certain latitudes.
climate, soils, etc in different parts of the world. These similarities stand out as the distinctive features
This difference is mainly due to the availability of of these regions. As these regions stand out on the
sunlight and water in that region. The availability basis of natural factors, they are called natural
of sunlight and water keeps on changing from the regions. The natural environment of such regions
equator to the poles. You have studied this in the affects the living world including human beings.
previous standards. Differences in landforms, The entire land area on the earth can be divided into
climate and soil greatly influence the flora, fauna these natural regions. Let us try to understand their
and human life and give rise to variations in the distribution with the help of maps and tables given
biodiversity in different parts of the world. in this lesson.
31
Region Location and extent Climate
Tundra Region z Between 65a to 90a parallels Mean summer temperature
z
a
z Greenland, N. Canada, N. Europe 10 C z Mean winter temperature
N. Asia. approximately -20 to -30aC
z Mean annual rainfall 25 to 300
mm z Very cold climate
Taiga Region z Approximately between 55a and z Summer temperature 15a to 20aC
65a N. parallels. From Alaska to z Winter temperature below 0aC.
the Atlantic coast. parts of Eurasia. z Mean annual rainfall between
300 and 500 mm. z Rainfall in
summer, snowfall in winter
Grasslands (Steppes z Between 30a and 55a north and z Summer temperature around 27
aC.
Winter temperature below 0aC
and Prairies) south parallels in the interior parts z
of the continents.
z Mean annual rainfall 400 to
z Steppes (Eurasia), Velds (South
600 mm.
Africa), Pampas (S. America),
Prairies (N. America), Downs z Rainfall mostly during summers.
(Australia) etc.
Hot Desert Region z Between 20a and 30a north and Mean summer temperatures
z
south parallels. 30a to 45aC.
z In the western parts of continents. z Mean winter temperature
Sahara (N. Africa), Colorado (N. 20a to 25a C.
America), Atacama (S. America), z Tremendous heat and very low
Kalahari (S. Africa), Thar (Asia), rainfall.
etc. z Nights are very cold.
Grasslands z Between 5a to 20a north and z Summer temperatures around

35aC. z Winter temperatures
(SudanType) south parallels in both the
hemispheres. z Savanna (Africa), around 24aC. z Rainfall around
Queensland (Australia), 250 to 1000 mm.
the Parkland (Africa), Llanos and z Hot and humid summer, warm
Campos (S. America) and other
and dry winter
grasslands.
Equatorial Region z Between 5aN and 5aS of the z Summer temperatures around
equator. 30aC. z Annual rainfall between
z Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, 2500 and 3000 mm. z High heat
Guinea, Congo basin, Amazon and rainfall throughout year.
basin z Because of hot and humid
climate, vegetal litter decomposes

leading to diseases.
32
Natural vegetation Animal life Human life
z Short lived vegetal life. Caribou, Reindeer, etc.
z z Hunting and fisheries. z Hide
z Short grass, small shrubs,

Polar
z bears, foxes, walrus and tents, igloo (tupik) houses. z Use
flowers, lichens, moss. seal. of sledges. z Eskimo people.
z Animals with soft, thick fur. Tough life. Population
distribution highly sparse.
z Coniferous forests. z Have soft and thick fur. zPopulation is less. z
z Leaves are narrow, z Caribous, elks, ermine, Lumbering and hunting are major
pointed; branches leaning beavers, silver fox, minks, bears occupations. z Few agrarian
towards the ground. Wood etc. activities.
is light and soft. z Spruce,
fir, pine, redwood, etc.
z Extensive grass ranches z Wild life includes deer, z Rearing animals is the main
are seen. horses, dogs, wolves, bisons, occupation. z Earlier people had
z Short grasses growing in rabbits, hares kangaroos, dingos a nomadic life. z Lived in hide
lumps. z Grass gets dried etc. z Domesticated animals tents (Yurts). z Kirgiz people are
up in winter.
like sheep, goat, cattle, horse, no more nomadic, now stay in
z Elder, poplar trees are
donkeys are also found. well built houses. z Grow wheat.
found
z Thorny bushes with z Camels survive for days z Bedouins (Sahara), Bushmen
hardly any leaves. z Leaves without water. z Number of (Kalahari) Aborigines
are narrow, oily, have thick animals living on the ground is (Australia) z Most of the needs
bark. z Once moisture in less. z Daytime live inside the get fulfilled through animals.
ground z E.g. snakes, rats, z Agriculture is confined to river
soil is consumed, plants die.
lizards, scorpions, etc. z valleys and oases.
z Examples: cactus, sisal, Domesticated animals like
palm, date palm etc. horse, donkeys, sheep, oxen etc.
z Tall and thick grass. Large number of herbivorous
z z Houses are simple, with mud
and carnivorous animals. walls and thatched roof,
z Height of grass around 6
z Nature has gifted them with z Without windows.
m. (Elephant grass) z Trees speedy legs. z Skin of the z Short in height and dome
are rare and have umbrella animals has colorful spots or shaped huts called kraals.
like canopy. stripes/bands. z Hunting and rearing are main
z Examples: lion, cheetah,
z Examples: acacia, agave,
hyenas, wolf, zebra, giraffe, occupations. z Examples: main
sisal, pineapple, cactus etc. elephant, rhino, wild ox, tribes include Zulu, Hausa,
buffalo, kangaroo, emu, etc. Masai, etc.
z Dense evergreen forests z A great variety in animals. z Human settlements are few.
z Variety of trees and z In marshy lands, crocodiles, z Human life is dependent on
bushes. anaconda and hippopotamus, nature. z Population is mostly
z Swampy land. etc. tribal. z Houses are built on the
z Tall hard-wooded trees. z Animals/Birds living on trees trees. z Tribes like Pygmies
z Examples: mahogany, Examples: chimpanzee, gorilla, (Africa), Boro Indians, Semang,
etc.
greenheart, rosewood, hornbills, etc. z Poisonous
ebony, etc. insects such as the tse-tse fly
Let’s play : Prepare cards for each of the cells in the above table. Distribute the cards among
students and play the game of finding other members of the family of natural regions.
33
The natural regions given in the table are local conditions. They are the Monsoon, the
found in specific latitudinal extents between the Mediterranean and the West European regions.
equator and the poles. Availability of water and While the Monsoon and West European regions
temperatures found there determine the location stand out because of specific winds blowing
and extent of these regions. there, the Mediterranean region is known for its
Besides the regions mentioned above, there rainfall in winters. These are described in the
are some more regions which stand out due to table below.
Monsoon Region Mediterranean Region West European Region
North and south of the equator Extends between 30० and 40० Located in the western parts
Location and Areas:
l l l
between 10० and 30० N & S parallels in both the hemispheres of continents between 45० and
parallels. l Areas: Indian on the western side of 65० N and S. parallels,
subcontinent, Philippines, West continents. l Portugal, Spain, Norway, Denmark, Ireland,
Indies, N. Australia, E. Africa, Algeria, Turkey, California, British Colombia, South Chile,
C. America, etc. Central Chile, SW and NE New Zealand, etc.
Australia etc.
l Summer temperatures between l Dry summers and rainfall in l Mean summer temperature
27० and 32०C l Winter winters l Mean summer around 20०C, l Mean winter
temperatures 15० to 24०C. Temperature from 21० C to 27० temperature around 5०C,
l Mean rainfall between 500
Climate
l Rainfall 250 to 2500 mm. C. l Winter temperature

l Areas get rains in specific between 10० C and 14० C. and 2500 mm. l Rainfall
l Mean annual rainfall 500 to mostly in the form of cyclones
seasons from SW Monsoon. associated with Westerlies
1000 mm.
l Rainfall is highly variable and l It rains throughout the year.
l It rains in winter.
distribution is quite uneven. l Climate is mild.
l Semi-evergeen and decidous l Thick, small and oily leaves. l Green grasses all the year
Natural vegetation
forests. l Vegetation depends l Thick bark Examples: olive, round. l Trees shed their
on the distribution of rainfall. leaves in winter. l Coniferous
oak, chestnut. l Grass in low
l Banyan, peepal, teak, sal, trees and short grasses - oak,
sheesham, sandalwood, rainfall regions. l Coniferous beech, maple, elm, pine,
cinchona, bamboo, acacia, forests in mountainous regions. spruce, poplar, etc.
shrubs, grasses etc.
l Wild animals such as tigers, l Due to animal husbandry l Because of animal
lions, leopards, cheetahs, domesticated animals are found husbandry, domesticated
Animal life
elephants, wolves, boars, in large numbers- goat, sheep, animals in large numbers.
monkeys, snakes, peacocks, cow, mules, horses etc. l Wild animals include
cuckoos, etc. wolves, foxes, bears etc,
l Domesticated animals: cattle,
goats, horses.
l Large number of small l Seat of Greek and Roman l Industrious and enthusiastic
Human Life
hamlets. l Considerable civilisations. l Main occupation people. l Have been mainly

difference in diet and costumes. is agriculture. l Mostly fruit and sailors and explorers l Use
l Population is mostly involved flower cultivation. l Wheat and woollen clothing. l Have
in primary occupations wheat products form the staple achieved progress in
l Main occupation is agriculture. diet. l Colourful costumes. secondary and tertiary sectors.
Besides the nine regions given in the tables, locations. For example, the China type region,
there are certain other distinctive regions which St. Lawrence region, etc. See the extent of these
stand out because of their specific continental regions in fig. 6.1.
34
35
Figure 6.1 : Natural Regions of the World ¾ Which natural region occupies the
Answer the following questions after studying largest area in the world?
the above map. (Fig. 6.1) ¾ Which continent has the highest
¾ Where else do we find conditions
diversity in terms of natural regions? similar to the continent of
¾ Which natural regions are found in
India? ¾ Why are there fewer natural regions Antarctica?
¾ Which continent comprises a major in the southern hemisphere than ¾ Through which natural regions does
portion of the hot desert type region? those in the northern hemisphere? the Prime Meridian pass?
Answer the following questions:
¾ Which natural region consists of short-lived ) Why are people in the hot deserts engaged
vegetation? mostly in animal rearing?
¾ In which natural region will you find the ) Why do people in hot deserts live a
kraals? nomadic life?
¾ Which region has winter rains? ) Why are carnivorous animals found in
¾ In which natural regions are gorillas and the grasslands?
chimpanzees found?
¾ In which natural region is the land surface in
the forests devoid of vegetation? Always remember-
¾ Which regions favour dairy farming?
¾ Which region is favourable for fruit Not only human life but the entire living
production? world on the earth depends on the available
natural resources. Hence, while utilizing
Think about it. these resources, we must think of all the
living organisms. The concept ‘the earth is
) Why are animals like lions not found in one single family’ will become a reality only
equatorial forests? if we do that.
As one travels from the equator to the

poles, the spectrum of biodiversity narrows
down. This leads to the issue of availability of Do you know ?
natural resources. This adversely affects
About 25% of the deserts on the earth
human occupations. In monsoon regions,
are sandy deserts. Many of the deserts are
agriculture and allied activities form the main
occupied by rock exposures or covered by
occupation of the people. In equatorial
stony wastes and pebbles. Some have high
regions, occupations like gathering of gum,
hills with narrow rocky pinnacles. Deserts
honey, rubber, lac, etc. are all based on forest
like Ladakh in our country or Arizona in the
produce. Taiga is a softwood forest. Therefore,
United States of America are of this type.
lumbering is the main occupation there. In
Strong winds blowing in the desert lift
Tundra regions, the main occupation is
and deposit sand to make sandy hills or sand
hunting and fishing. Extensive farming is
dunes. Some dunes can be as high as 200m.
undertaken in grasslands nowadays.
These hills do not remain stationary, but keep
Significant differences are found in the
moving slowly under the influence of winds.
environment and available resources in different
At times, villages get buried under them.
natural regions. The use of resources is dependent
on that region’s progress in science and
technology. Similarly, the history and cultural
organisation of that place also affects the life of
the people.
Think about it. ) Class Six- Geography- Page 48

) Class Six- Science- Diversity in living
) Why are the hot deserts mainly located things and their classification.
along the western side of the continents?
36
Exercises
Q. 1 Read the following statements carefully. Q.2. Give geographical reasons:

Correct the wrong ones and write them (1) People in monsoon region are mainly
down: engaged in agriculture.
(1) Due to its mild and warm climate, (2) Trees in equatorial forests grow tall.
people from the West European region (3) Vegetation is short-lived in the Tundra
are not energetic. region.
(2) The prairie region is called the wheat Q.3. Answer the following questions:
(1) What is the latitudinal extent of the
basket of the world.
Taiga region?
(3) The trees in the Mediterranean region
(2) Name any three herbivorous animals
have oily leaves and the bark is quite from the Sudan region. What has
thick. There is a high rate of nature endowed them with for
transpiration. self-protection?
(4) The camel is an important animal of (3) What are the characteristics of the
the hot desert region as it can survive Monsoon region?
without water and is useful for Q. 4. Show the following items on an outline
transport. map of the world. Prepare the index.
(5) Carnivorous animals like tigers and z Colorado Desert z British Columbia
lions are found in large numbers in the z Downs Grassland z Inhabited part of
equatorial regions. Greenland z Mediterranean Sea
Activity:
Using the Internet, check the information given in this lesson. Collect pictures of the flora and
fauna and the human life of the various natural regions. Make a collage by pasting these pictures on
the world map.
***
37
Project : Using the internet and other sources, choose
Till now, we have studied many one country each from any two natural regions.
geographical concepts. For example, latitude, Collect some information, photographs images,
longitude, graticule, climate of a region, its etc. regarding these countrics Then make a
physical setup, flora and fauna, etc. Now, let us collage using the following points.
do a project related to all of these.
Name of the country : _______ ____________ Special features : _______ _______________

______________________________________
_____________________________________
Loction and extent : _______ ____________
_____________________________________
______________________________________
_____________________________________
Climate : _______ _____________________
_____________________________________
___________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
______________________________________
_____________________________________
Flora : _______ ____________ ____________ _____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
______________________________________
_____________________________________
Fauna : _______ ____________ ___________ _____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
______________________________________
_____________________________________
Human life : _______ _____________________ _____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
______________________________________
_____________________________________
Costumes : _______ _____________________ _____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
______________________________________
_____________________________________
Occupations : _______ __________ ________ _____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
______________________________________
______________________________________ Map
Arrange an exhibition of your collage posters in the classroom and make a presentation
using them.
***
38
7. Soils
Let’s recall. Biotic material: The weathering of

rocks turns them into powdery material but
¾ What are the different constituents of soil? this powdery material is not soil. To turn such
¾ From where do the abiotic factors
become available for soil formation? powdery material into soil, it is necessary that
biotic material gets mixed into it. The biotic
¾ On which factors does the variety in the
soil depend? material comes from the decomposition of
While answering the questions above, the remains of the plants and animals in that
you must have gathered some information region. The vegetal litters, roots of plants,
about soil and realized some of its remains of animals, etc. get decomposed due
characteristics. Let us consider the soil in to water. Microorganisms, and certain other
more detail. organisms help decompose the dead remains
The parent rock, the climate of the of organic materials. The biotic material
region, the biotic material, the slope of the thus produced gets mixed into the soils and
land and time are factors that influence soil is called ‘humus’. If the proportion of humus
formation. in the soil is greater, the soils become fertile.
Factors necessary for soil formation: The process of decomposition by
Parent rock: Remember that the parent
living organisms takes place continuously.
rock in a region is an important factor in soil
Now-a-days production of vermicompost is
formation. Depending on the hardness of the
rock and the climate of the region, the rock undertaken on a large scale. Try to understand
gets weathered. The rock turns into powdery the process of producing vermicompost
material which further turns into earthy or compost. Production of compost needs
material. For example, the basalt rock of the sufficient period of time and elements like
Deccan Plateau in Maharashtra turns into organic waste, water, heat etc.
black soil after weathering. This soil is also Time: Soil formation is a natural and
referred to as ‘regur’ soil. Rocks like granite slow process. It needs a very long period of
or gneiss in South India give rise to red soil. time. To form a 2.5 cm thick layer of top soil,
Regional climate: This is also an it takes thousands of years. From this you
important factor influencing soil formation. may understand that soils are invaluable.
Weathering of the rock is the first step in In the region of high rainfall and higher
the process of soil formation. The process temperatures, the process of soil formation
of weathering depends on the climate of the is faster. Comparatively, in regions of low
region. The climate decides the intensity of
temperatures and low rainfall soil formation
weathering. That is why one and the same
takes more time.
type of rock gives rise to different types of
soils when the rock is exposed to different Humans use the soil gifted by nature as
climates. In the dry climate of Deccan a resource. It is mainly used for agricultural
Plateau, weathering of basalt leads to the purpose. For getting higher production,
formation of black soil whereas in the different types of chemical fertilizers,
humid climate of the Western Sahyadris the insecticides are used profusely. However,
leaching of the same basalt rock leads to the this leads to the degradation of soils.
formation of lateritic soil.
39
¾ What happened to the seeds put in the
Always remember- pot filled with soil?
¾ What do you learn from this?
Earth doesn’t mean soil :
Soil contains the powdered form of Geographical explanation
weathered rock, partially or completely
An important component of the living
decomposed organic material and
world on the earth is ‘plants’. For the
innumerable microorganisms. Interactions
production and growth of plants, soil is
between biotic and abiotic components
indispensable. They provide support to
in the soil go on continuously. Plants get plants. Vegetation is abundant in the regions
nutrients required for their growth from the that have fertile soils, e.g., the equatorial
soils. Soil is a complete ecosystem. Earth is regions. However, in the areas where the soils
also a substance. The potter uses it as raw are not fertile, vegetation is scanty, e.g., in
material. A farmer uses soil as an ecosystem. deserts. And where there is a shortage of soil,
vegetation is not seen, e.g., in the polar areas.
Though favourable climate, availability
Try this. of abundant water and sunlight are necessary
for the growth of a plant, these alone are not
sufficient. Fertile soils favour plant growth.
Think about it.
) Why do equatorial regions have fertile

soils?
) Why is the vegetation sparse in deserts?
Figure 7.1 : Soil experiment

When man realized that sowing of seeds
in the soil leads to the growth of plants
Take three flower pots of the same size
and yields crops, he started using soil as a
Keep one pot empty. Fill the second pot resource. Gradually, he realized that the
with water after closing the hole at the fertile soils along the river beds give higher
bottom and third pot with soil. yields. Hence he settled in the valleys and
Put a few seeds in all of them. (You may started living there in groups. This led to the
use aserio, peas, gram, fenugreek, wheat, rise of ancient river valley civilizations, e.g.,
green gram, coriander seeds, etc.) the Indus civilization.
Keep all the three pots in the sun and For the growing population, man started
water the empty pot and the soil-filled producing greater amount of food crops. He
pot for 4-5 days. Observe and answer the realized that crop production and prosperity
following. in agriculture mainly depends on the fertility
¾ What happened to the seeds put in the of soil and the optimum availability of water.
empty pot and the pot filled with water? Hence, there emerged competition among
40
people to discover fertile lands and settle The regions where soils are not arable
there. Later, for getting richer harvests he need to fulfil their food requirements
made efforts to increase the fertility of soils. through import. For example, countries like
In the process, use of different fertilizers Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, etc. fulfil their
became a practice, which led to record requirements by importing food from China,
agricultural productions. India and the USA.
Food crops, fruits and flowers are The regions where soils are fertile can
produced according to the type of soils. Food be self-reliant as far as the food production
crops like jowar and bajra are produced in is concerned. Hence, human settlements
the regur soils of Maharashtra Plateau while get concentrated in such areas. Agro-based
soils in Konkan, Kerala, Tamilnadu and industries flourish in these areas at a later
Karnataka region produce rice. In Madhya date. For example, sugar factories develop
Pradesh, potato is cultivated in regions in the sugarcane producing areas; fruit
where the soils are well drained. The local processing industries develop in the areas
agricultural produce determines the staple of fruit production, etc. These regions later
diet of the people. show the signs of development.
Figure 7.2 : Maharashtra -Types and Overall Distribution of Soil
41
Observe the map given in fig. 7.2 and Alluvial soil of the coastal strip: Majority of
answer the following questions: the rivers flowing in the Konkan region are
¾ Which soil occupies most of the area in short and flow with great speed. Therefore,
Maharashtra? the alluvium brought by them gets deposited
¾ In which areas are laterite soils found? at the mouth of the rivers. This soil is found at
¾ Which soil is found in the river valleys the mouth of the rivers in the western coastal
of Maharashtra? strip, e.g., the areas around Panvel -Uran
¾ Which soil is found in parts of the coast, Dharamtar creek, etc.
Sahyadri ranges?
Yellow brown soil : These soils are found in
¾ In which region is alluvial soil found? areas of extreme rainfall. They are not very
Geographical explanation fertile. Therefore, they are not very useful
used for agriculture. They are mainly found
You have studied the major soil types of
in Chandrapur, eastern part of Bhandara and
Maharashtra. On the basis of the soil’s
parts of Sahyadri mountains.
colour, texture, formation process, thickness
of layers, etc. we can divide the State’s soils
into 5 major types. Try this.
Coarse soil : This soil type is a result of
weathering and low rainfall. This soil can be
Make two small heaps of soil.
found in the hilltops of the western part of
On one of them, sow or any other fast
the plateau, e.g., Ajanta, Balaghat and growing seeds.
Mahadeo hills. The proportion of humus is
Keep watering that heap for 4-9 days.
negligible in this soil.
After the saplings surface, water both the
Regur or Black soil : It is found in areas of heaps with a watering can. Observe. See
medium rainfall in the valleys and alluvial fig. 7.3.
plains of river basins. Two types of this soil (Note for Teachers : Start this activity 10 days
are found. Dark black soil is found in the before teaching this lesson so that the saplings
western part of Deccan Plateau while grow a little.)
medium black soil is found in the
eastern part (Vidarbha). Though it is
black in colour, proportion of organic
components is less in the soil.
Laterite Soil : This type of soil is
found in the coastal belt of Konkan
to the west of the Sahyadris and in
the east of Vidarbha. In areas of very
heavy rainfall, the eroded rocks get
washed away in a large quantity. As
a result, the parent rock lies bare
open. The iron in the rock reacts with
the oxygen in the air and causes
chemical reactions. This gives the
reddish - orange colour to the soil
which is thus formed. Figure 7.3 : Soil heap experiment
42
Soil erosion and degradation:
that area. Such crops are given the
A layer of soil (top layer of soil) gets status of Geographic Indication (GI).
removed due to wind or water. This means For example, Haapus mango of
that the soil gets eroded. Running water, Sindhudurg, custard apple from Beed
climate and diversity in physiography are district, the oranges of Nagpur, etc.
reasons of soil erosion. The soil quality may
get lowered due to certain reasons. This is
called degradation of soil. To obtain a higher
agricultural yield, chemical fertilizers,
insecticides, weedicides, etc. are used. The
excessive spraying of chemicals and use of
chemical fertilizers leads to soil degradation.
Excessive irrigation draws the salts from
the soil upwards and makes the soil saline
and then unproductive. Due to excessive use Figure 7.3 b : Soil erosion
of chemicals their residues remain in the soils
for many years. They become a threat to the
existence of microorganisms in the soils. It
leads to lowering of the humus content in the
soil and the plants do not get micronutrients.
If the pH of the soil thus gets disturbed it is a
sign of soil degradation.
Figure 7.3 c : Soil erosion

Soil conservation :
Considering the importance of soils, it
is necessary to conserve it. It is necessary
to protect the fertile soils of farmlands
from getting washed out due to rains.
Soil conservation includes the works like
construction of embankments and, planting
Figure 7.3 a : Soil degradation trees on them, construction of gulley plugs
against the steep slopes etc. Such works
are taken up by the Department of Soil
Do you know ? Conservation.
Planting trees can also control the velocity
Geographic Indication (GI) :
of the wind. This helps reducing the erosion of
Certain soils are best suited for certain
soil by wind. The plant roots hold the soil and
crops. Hence, the crop production of
this also reduces the erosion of soil. Under soil
that crop becomes the speciality of
conservation, the continuous contour trenches
43
(CCTs) are constructed along the slopes. Figure 7.4 : Soil conservation
Construction of such trenches at different Afforestation
heights checks the velocity of water running
along the slopes and hence reduces soil
erosion. The water arrested in these trenches
percolates into the ground. See fig. 7.5.
The Government of Maharashtra has
implemented the watershed (catchment
area) development program under which
constructing embankments along slopes in
rural areas, introducing CCTs along steep CCT
slopes etc. are undertaken. This led to the
success of the scheme ‘Arrest water, let it
percolate’. This has resulted in raising the
ground-water levels and reducing the erosion
of soil. Recently, the Government has
launched the scheme called Jalayukt Shivar.
Under this scheme, works like construction
of farm bunds, arresting waters of small
streams, connecting the streams etc. are
Contour Bunding
being carried out on a large scale.
It is advisable to reduce the excessive
use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. If
organic manures, vermicompost, compost
are used regularly, it helps maintain the pH
Weir
balance, increase the proportion of humus,

and retain the fertility of soil.
Keeping the farmland fallow for some
period and cultivating different crops
alternatively is important to help retain the
fertility of soils.
Think about it.

) Rohit and Prateeksha noted that their
field had yielded a bumper crop. But ) Class Seven - Science - Lesson Three
they also noted that a part of their field
) Class Six - Geography- Lesson Seven
had a stunted growth of plants. What Map 7.5
investigation will you suggest to them?
) Class Four- Environmental Studies -
Food for All
44
Exercises
Q. 1. Complete the following table. Q. 4. Complete the following table with

reference to soil.
Factor / Process Role in the
formation of soils Action Effect Result
Parent Rock (w.r.t.
Regional fertility)
Climate Construction of
Organic material embankments
Microorganisms Wind speed
decreased
Q. 2. Why do the following occur ? Farm land is
kept fallow for
(1) To the west of Sahyadris, laterite soils
some period
are formed from basalt rock. Humus content
(2) Humus content in the soil increases. increased.
(3) Soil formation process is faster in the Trenches are
equatorial climate. dug across a
(4) The salinity of the soil increases. slope.
(5) Rice is the staple diet of the people Litter is burnt
in the farm.
from Konkan.
Proves
(6) Soil erosion
favourable for
(7) Soil degradation. micro organisms
Q. 3. Give information on: Salt content in
the soil
(1) Measures of soil conservation. increases
(2) Organic manures Chemical
(3) Place where you will get the fertilizers used
information about the suitability of a excessively
soil for a particular crop. Activity :
(4) Importance of soils for plant growth. (1) Visit a soil testing centre/laboratory
and note the work that is carried out in
the centre.
(2) Prepare compost at home or in your
housing society.
(3) Visit a place where ‘Arrest water, let it
percolate’ is being implemented.
Collect information about it and make
a note of it.
***
45
8. How Seasons Occur -Part 2
Can you tell ? this movement of the sun towards the north or
south in a year is called the apparent movement
Discuss the activity you have been carrying
of the sun. The position of the rising sun keeps
out since June. (See Chapter 1.) Make use of
on moving towards the south in the period from
the observation tables for the months of June,
September and December. 21st June to 22nd December. This period is called
¾ In which month the duration of the day was Dakshinayan. From 22nd December to 21st June,
around 12 hours? the sun keeps on moving towards the north. This
¾ What could be the reason behind it? period is called Uttarayan. The revolution of
¾ Bring out the differences between the the earth around the sun and the tilted axis of
duration of daytime in the months of June, the earth are the two factors responsible for the
September and December.
apparent movement of the sun.
¾ What could be the reason for the change in
the shadow of the stick? Seasons occur only with reference to the
¾ What did you observe about the position of northern and the southern hemispheres.
the sun at the horizon at the time of sunrise
and sunset?
¾ Which of the following factors could be Think about it.
related with the change in the position of
the shadow of the stick and the difference ) In which direction will the location of
in the duration of daytime? sunrise and sunset appear to move after
z Rotation of the earth 22nd of December?
z Distance between the earth and the sun
z Revolution of the earth
z The axis of the earth. Always remember -
You must have noticed the longest day, the
This year you will study the ‘apparent
shortest day and the days with the same duration
motion of the sun’ in your science textbook
of day and night time with the help of the
as well. In that book, the sun’s east-west
obervations in the months of June, September
and December. Generally, these dates are the motion from sunrise to sunset, that is, its
same every year. With the help of the shadaw diurnal apparent motion is also considered.
experiment, you must have noted the change in In geography, we consider the apparent
the position of sunrise. Let us study the changes (north-south) movement of the sun. In both
in the position of sunrise and the difference in the motions, the sun only appears to move and
duration of day and the night time. does not actually move. The diurnal apparent
movement of the sun is related to the rotation
Geographical explanation of the earth whereas its annual apparent
Apparent movement of the sun: movement is related to the revolution of the
You must have realized through your earth and the tilt of the earth’s axis.
observations that the position of the sun, at sunrise
appears to change on the horizon every day. Its Observe fig. 8.1 carefully and answer:
position appears to move towards the north or ¾ How is the northern hemisphere in which
south in the course of a year. However, in reality, you live positioned relative to the sun on the
dates given in the figure?
the sun does not move anywhere. That is why,
¾ Which season will you experience in the
46
Spring Equinox
N.P 23°30' which shows the position of the earth in relation
21 March
Winter Solstice 22
December
to the sun, you can guess which season prevails
Summer Solstice
21 June
N.P in which hemisphere. Seasons occur due to the
N.P
S.P revolution of the earth, as well as due to the tilt
Sun
S.P
of its axis of rotation.
N.P
S.P
Do you know ?
Autumnal
Equinox
23 September
Due to the gravitational forces of the
S.P
Figure 8.1 : Cycle of seasons, equinoxes, solstices sun and the earth, the speed of the earth gets
reduced, during the aphelion position and
northern hemisphere around 22nd December?
increases during the perihelion position. As
¾ What would be the season in the northern the difference in the distance of the earth in
hemisphere around 21st June?
both these positions is not very great, it does
¾ If it is winter in the northern hemisphere, not have any effect on the seasons.
which season will it be in the opposite
hemisphere?
¾ At any given point of time, why are the Geographical explanation
seasons in the northern and southern
hemishpheres different? As the earth revolves around the sun, the
equator receives perpendicular rays on two days
Perihelion and aphelion positions of the earth:
in a year. This condition occurs on 21st March
The path of the revolutio of the earth around
and 23rd September. On these days, both the
the sun is elliptical. The sun is at one of the two
centres of the ellipse. The sun does not change poles are at the same distance from the sun. This
its position. As the earth moves in an ellipse, its is called equinox. (See fig 8.3)
distance from the sun does not remain the same.
It is at its minimum distance in the first week of
January. This is called the perihelion position of
the earth. In this position, the southern end of
the axis is towards the sun. As against this in
the first week of July, the earth is at the farthest
point from the sun. This is called the aphelion
position. In this position, the northern end of the
axis is towards the sun. With the help of fig. 8.1
Uttarayan (July) Dakshinayan (January)
Northern Northern
Hemisphere Hemisphere
Summer Winter
Figure 8.3 : Equinox days

Aphelion Perihelion
152 million km 147 million km The illuminated and dark portions of all
Sun
the parallels including the equator are shown in
Southern Southern
Hemisphere Hemisphere figure 8.3. In the figure, the circle of illumination
Winter Summer divides all the parallels from the north pole to
the south pole equally. Everywhere on earth
Earth’s elliptical orbit nighttime and daytime are of equal duration.
This candition is called equinox. On equinox,
Figure 8.2 : Aphelion and perihelion position
47
the sun’s rays are perpendicular on the equator. ¾ Which hemisphere will have the longest
In this condition, the circle of illumination night on 22nd December?
coincides with the great circle defined by two ¾ On which date will the Tropic of Cancer
opposite meridians. In the northern hemisphere receive perpendicular sunrays?
spring prevails from 21st March to 21st June ¾ Considering the position of the north pole,
while autumn prevails from 23rd September to which season will prevail in the northern
22nd December. The southern hemisphere has the hemisphere from 22nd March to 23rd
opposite seasons during these periods. September?
In the northern hemisphere, 21st March is ¾ The cricket matches in Australia are
called spring or vernal equinox whereas 23rd generally in summer. When does Australia
have summers?
September is called autumnal equinox.
The equinox or solstice dates can vary by a ¾ In which period is the ‘midnight sun’
observable in Norway? Which season will
day or so.
there be at that time?
¾ At what time will the midnight sun be visible
at the ‘Bharati’ research station of India at
Use your brain power ! Antarctica? What will be the season there at
that time?
) On equinox days, the two Poles experience
either sunrise or sunset. On which pole Geographical explanation
will it be sunrise on 21st March?
When any one of the poles inclines the
most towards the sun, 23°30' parallel of that
Figure 88.4
Fi 4 shows
h the position
th iti off th
the earth
th
st nd hemisphere receives perpendicular sunrays. See
with its tilted axis on 21 June and 22 December.
figure 8.4. The sunrays are perpendicular at
Its also shows its illuminated and dark portions.
the equator on 22nd March and 23rd September
Observe the figure and answer the following.
which are the days of equinox. After 22nd March,
¾ In fig ‘A’ which pole is receiving sunlight? other parallels between the equator and the
¾ In fig ‘B’ which pole is not receiving Tropic of Cancer in the northern hemisphere
sunlight? start receiving perpendicular rays sequentially.
¾ Which hemisphere has the longest daytime Only on 21st June and 22nd December the sunrays
on 21st June? become perpendicular on the Tropic of Cancer
and Tropic of Capricorn respectively. These two
days are called Solstice days.
Can you tell ?
21 June 22 December
SUNRAYS
Fig. ‘A’ Fig. ‘B’
Figure 8.4 : The position of the earth with its tilted axis on 21st June and 22nd December
48
Sunrays are never perpendicular on any The cycle of season and the living world:
of the parallels between Tropic of Cancer and If the earth’s axis were not tilted, the
the North Pole or between Tropic of Capricorn same climatic conditions would have prevailed
and the South Pole. 21st June is the longest day throughout year. The seasons would not have
and it marks the shortest night in the northern occurred. One and the same type of climatic
hemisphere. Similarly, 22nd December marks the conditions would have prevailed on each of the
longest day and the shortest night in the southern different parallels. It is the tilt of the axis that
hemisphere. 22nd December is the shortest day in leads to occurrence of seasons, change and
the northern hemisphere. diversity on the earth. The living world on the
In the region from the Arctic Circle to the earth is affected by the cycle of seasons. For
north pole, the sun remains visible for 24 hours example, in the region between 66°30' and 90°
or longer. At the north pole, the sun is visible in both the hemispheres, even the mild sunlight
available for a part of the year gives rise to
in the sky from 22nd March to 23rd September,
certain flora and fauna. In the Antarctic region,
i.e., for six months. Similar situation prevails in
at the southernmost part of the earth, birds like
the region between the Antarctic Circle and the
penguins, fish like seal and animals like walruses
South Pole in the period from 23rd September to
are found. In the polar region of the northern
21st March. Note that on the equator, the duration hemisphere animals like reindeer, polar bears,
of day and night is same throughout the year. Arctic foxes etc. are found. People living in this
(i.e.,12 hours each). region too have adapted to the natural conditions
Seasons have been decided on the basis prevailing in that region. Our adaptation to
of the duration of sunlight, equinoxes and climatic conditions is possible only up to a certain
solstices. The equatorial region does not limit. That is why organisms prefer a certain
experience any change of season. Hence the habitat. During extreme cold climatic conditions
climate in that region does not change at all in when the food supply becomes scarce, a number
the year. In places beyond the equatorial region of birds and animals migrate temporarily. Trees
bear fruit in a particular season. Therefore,
in either hemispheres, summers or winters are
agricultural seasons also depend on to the local
experienced one after the other, within a year. climatic conditions. In polar areas, snowline
The occurrence of seasons one after the other in shifts north or south according to seasons. This
a year leads to the ‘cycle of seasons’. Generally, affects migration of birds and animals.
there are two seasons, summer and winter, on
the earth. However, in some places, seasons are
taken to be four in all. Use your brain power !
The changes in the atmosphere, vapour
in the air, the wind and the precipitation also
F While India and England are located in
the same hemisphere, why are the cricket
influence the seasons. Continuous occurrence of matches in these two countries arranged
rain in a specific period gives rise to an additional in different months?
season besides summer and winter. Due to the F On 21st March and 23rd September,
local conditions, seasons other than summer daytime and nighttime are same all
and winter are seen to occur in different parts. over the earth. But why do some parts
For example, rains occur in India in a specific experience summer and some parts winter
period. Therefore we consider four seasons : on these days?
such as summer, the rainy season the period of F Mention any two countries in the world
retreating monsoon and winter. There are four where one needs woollen clothing in
seasons in Europe and North America too. They the month of May. Also mention their
are summer, autumn, winter and spring. latitudinal positions.
49
year, it travels around 70,000 km. It might be
Do you know ? the only species in the world that experiences
summer twice in a year.
Arctic tern
Siberian Crane
Once the winter at the North Pole Due to severe winter and lack of food,
becomes severe, this bird travels southwards. cranes from the cold northern regions visit
When it is summer in the northern hemisphere, India travelling around 8 to 10 thousand
it flies back towards the North Pole. It has to kilometres. Once summer starts in India, they
travel in search of food. In the course of one migrate back to the north.
Use your brain power !

Think about it.
)
The summer capital of Jammu and
) What effects do the seasons have on Kashmir is Srinagar and the winter capital
the biodiversity in India? Write briefly is Jammu. What could be the reason?
about it.
Give it a try. Look for me elsewhere !
Regarding daytime and the cycle

of seasons, what conditions would have ) Class Seven- Science- Adaptation,
prevailed at the following place, if the earth’s Apparent motion
axis were not tilted? Use the Globe to answer ) Class Seven- Geography- Natural Regions.
the question.
(Canada, Tasmania, Nigeria, West ) Class Six- Geography- Chapter 5
Indies, Peru, Borneo.) ) Class Five- Environmental Studies- Part
One- Chapter 2
) Class Three- Environmental Studies- Part
One- Chapter 24
50
Exercises
Q. 1. Complete the statements using correct options: Q. 3. Rewrite the following statements after
(1) The apparent movement of the sun means correcting them.
........ (1) The earth’s velocity varies according to the
(a) The sun revolves around the earth in a period of revolution.
year (2) If we observe from the northern hemisphere,
(b) It appears that the sun moves to the north we see the apparent movement of the sun.
or south in a year. (3) The dates of equinox change every year.
(c) The earth keeps on changing its (4) North Canada experiences summer from
positon. September to March.
(5) When it is summer in South Africa,
(2) If the axis of the earth were not tilted
Australia has winter.
..........
(6) Duration of daytime is less on the vernal
(a) The earth would not have rotated
and autumnal equinoxes.
around itself.
(b) The earth would have revoved around Q. 4. Spot the error in the diagram given below.
the sun with greater velocity. N.P.
(c) Different parallels on the earth 22 March Spring Equinox
would have experienced the same
climate throughout the year. 22 December 21 June
N.P. S.P. N.P.
(3) 21st June and 22nd December are solstice
days, that is, ................. Sun
(a) The sun starts its southward journey
S.P.
from Tropic of Cancer on 21st June and N.P. S.P.
Summer
northward journey from Tropic of Solstice Winter
Solstice
Capricorn on 22nd December. Autumnal
Equinox
(b) The Dakshinayan of the sun S.P. 23 September
takes place between 21 June and 22nd
st
December. Q. 5. Draw a diagram showing the cycle of seasons

(c) The Uttarayan of the earth takes place in the southern hemisphere.
between 21st June and 22nd December. ICT Question :
(4) The revolution of the earth around the Sun (1) Using the internet sites or a calendar,
and the tilt of the axis of the earth together find and note the duration of the day for
are responsible for the following seasons. specific dates between 22nd March and 23rd
(a) Summer, rainy season, Retreat of September. Calculate the duration of the
Monsoon and winter, nights too. Using this information draw a
(b) Summer, winter and spring compound bar graph.
(c) Summer and winter.
Q. 2. Answer the following questions. (2) Draw a diagram of aphelion and perihelion
(1) What leads to the occurrence of seasons? positions of the earth on the computer.
(2) What is the duration of the day on equinox? Activity :
(3) Why is the effect of the seasons not Using the internet, collect pictorial information of
experienced in the equatorial region? any four migratory birds/animals.
(4) Why is the sun visible for more than 24 hours
during Dakshinayan in the region between ***
the Antarctic Circle and the South Pole?
(5) Why are penguins not found at the North
Pole?
51
9. Agriculture
Can you tell ?
Figure 9.1 : A house in a village

See fig. 9.1, and discuss the following and cattle. They are also seen in the picture.
questions : He gets milk, eggs, etc from them. He sells
¾ What all do you see in the picture? hens, goats to earn money. He does all this
for his subsistence. All these occupations
¾ Why has the family kept goats and hens? depend on natural factors. All these fall
¾ Which implements are seen in the picture? under agriculture. These occupations are
¾ How are these implements used? supplementary to the cultivation of crops.
¾ In which major occupation type will the Agriculture has a wide scope. For our
activities shown here be included? basic needs of food and clothing we make
¾ What could be the main occupation of use of plants and animals. Besides the
these people? cultivation of different crops, rearing cattle,
sheep and goats, maintaining poultry farms,
¾ Who could be the owner of the house? keeping bees, sericulture, horticulture,
¾ Which products shown in the above orchardry, pisciculture, pig farming, emu
picture do you use daily? farming, etc. are included in agriculture.
Geographical explanation In agricultural occupation, resources
like manpower, animals, implements, etc.
In the picture shown above we see a are used. Advanced technology is employed.
standing crop, a ploughshare, etc. From this, In agriculture, cultivation of crops is
it becomes obvious that this is a farmer’s considered to be the main and the most
house. A farmer keeps hens, sheep, goats important occupation.
52
Give it a try.
Figure 9.2 : Traditional and modern agricultural activities
¾ Observe the pictures given above. What agriculture. We use the products of these
differences do you observe through these occupations in our everyday life. These
pictures? traditional occupations are allied activities
in agriculture.
¾ What changes have taken place in
traditional agricultural practices? Animal husbandry:
Rearing different animals and obtaining
Geographical explanation various products from them for subsistence
In the above pictures, we see the changes is the core of animal husbandry.
in agricultural practices. In the past, Dairy farming :
primitive man had to wander in the forest to Cows, oxen, buffaloes, etc. are reared for
sustain himself on the collected forest agriculture related work. Rearing milch
produce. Later he learnt the art of cultivation animals and animals which can be employed
and started getting greater production from in farming is also an occupation. It is
the land. Through this, he could provide for considered to be an inseparable part of mixed
the whole year’s need for foodgrains. He farming. It has become quite commercial in
also started obtaining a number of products recent times. In India, it has started changing
through floriculture, horticulture, rearing recently. Commercial dairy farming is mainly
animals, pisciculture, etc. Abandoning undertaken for meat and milk.
nomadic life, he undertook different Sheep and goat rearing:
occupations related to agriculture at the This is also a traditional occupation. That
same place. is generally carried out in hilly tracts and semi-
Now let us get introduced to the different arid regions with dry climate. Sheep and goats
occupations that come under the scope of survive on short grasses, shrubs and acacia
53
which grow in remote hilly rural areas away Sericulture:
from urban settlements. In India, it is mainly Silk thread is obtained from the cocoon of
undertaken for meat. Sheep rearing is carried the silk moth. These threads are very fine
out to obtain wool. and strong and from these one can weave
Poultry: soft silk cloth. Getting silk thread form
Keeping hens and other fowl is a common cocoons and manufacturing silk cloth are
practice in all parts of the world. It is a independent occupations. They are not
traditional occupation. Today, it is carried included in agriculture. Different
out as a household occupation and also on a organizations supply silk moth eggs to the
commercial basis. Running a poultry on a farmers. Leaves of mulberry trees are the
commercial basis requires a lot of care. For main food for these silk worms. Once
this, scientific methods are employed. In planted, the Mulberry trees survive for a
India, this occupation is generally located in minimum period of 15 years. Hence, the
the areas close to big cities as they provide a expenditure of planting the trees every year
ready market for this occupation. is saved.
In some areas, rabbit, pig and emu
Nursery:
rearing is also undertaken.
In the last few years, the area under
Beekeeping: floriculture, cultivation of medicinal and
This occupation is undertaken to obtain aromatic plants and horticulture has
honey and wax. Bees, in order to collect increased. These plantations require a high
honey, hover around the plants that bear standard of seedlings, cuttings, bulbs and
flowers. This promotes the process of seeds. This has led to the development of
pollination. As a result, the trees bear large nurseries. Nurseries give good returns.
number of fruits and the crop yields increase.
Bee keeping is an important occupation with
respect to agriculture.
Pisciculture (Fish farming):
Farm ponds are dug out for this purpose.
Water is stored in such ponds. Fish seeds are
released in the ponds. For this, seeds of
freshwater species are used. In order to Figure 9.3 : Nursery
achieve the best growth of fish, scientific
methods are employed. Do you know ?
Fishing in open seas has a number of risk
factors. Different types of fish and other Greenhouse farming: Greenhouse
aquatic organisms get caught in the fishing farming facilitates getting maximum
nets. Separating them becomes a major task. product from the land. It can have a total
All organisms do not fetch the same price. All control on natural factors like climate,
these factors led to the rearing of specific type heat, atmospheric moisture as well as soil
of fish species separately. Pisciculture moisture. It assists in getting maximum
developed out of these efforts. Wam, Roha, economic benefits. Greenhouse farming is
Rawas (Indian Salman), Kolambi (Prawns),
highly specialized type of farming of the
etc. are reared in fish farms.
modern era. For erecting a green house
54
galvanized iron pipes and plastic sheets Intensive farming:
Getting maximum production from a
are used. Its main aim is to control the pest minimum area is the characteristic of
attack by controlling water, light and intensive farming.
temperature. Green houses are used on Due to large population or limited
larger scales for growing flowers like lily availability of land, per head holding is
and gerbera to give maximum economic small.
returns. This type of farming is mostly seen in
developing regions.
Farm production is sufficient only for the
requirement of the family.
In this type of farming, the cultivator and
his family are totally dependent on
farming. As farm production is low, the
economic condition of the cultivator is
also poor.
Figure 9.4 : Greenhouse farming
Types of farming :
Different types of agriculture have
evolved due to geographical and cultural
diversity, and technological differences in
different regions. The type of farming
depends upon the purpose and aims of
methods of farming, the crops being
cultivated, the techniques used, land use
etc. Broadly, the following types of
Figure 9.5 : Terrace farming
agriculture can be identified:
Types of farming
Subsistence farming Commercial farming
Intensive Shifting Extensive Plantation Market

grain Horticulture
farming cultivation farming gardening
farming
Subsistence farming: In this type of farming mostly animate
Intensive farming and shifting energy is used.
cultivation are the two types in traditional Besides the cereals, vegetables are also
farming. Intensive farming is carried out in grown to some extent.
one and the same farm for years together. In Shifting cultivation:
shifting cultivation, every year a new area is
Shifting cultivation is a primitive type
chosen for cultivation. After a specific period
of time, old areas are again used for of cultivation. This type of cultivation is
cultivation. practised in the tropics in densely forested
55
areas or hilly tracts. The farmer initially
selects a piece of land in the forest. In order
to make it cultivable, he clears the land by
cutting down the trees, plants, removing the
shrubs and grass. Once the cut trees dry out,
he burns them. The left over ash gets mixed
in the soil and acts as manure. Sowing and
harvesting is done before the rainy season
(See fig 9.6). The production obtained from
this is not sufficient to fulfil the food Figure 9.7 : Mechanisation in extensive farming
requirement. Hence people undertake Heavy capital investment is necessary
hunting, fishing and gathering of bulbs and for this type of farming. Since huge
roots from forests. In this type of farming, expenditures are needed for the purchase
the fallow period is longer than the crop of machinery, fertilizers, pesticides,
godowns, transport cost etc.
period. After the productivity of the land
The problems in extensive grain farming
depletes in two to three years, a different are droughts, attack by pests, locusts,
piece of land is selected for cultivation. etc. and market fluctuations.
This type of farming is carried out in the
temperate grassland regions.
Plantation farming:
Farm size in plantation agriculture is 40
hectares or above.
As plantation agriculture is practised in
hilly tracts, use of machines is not
possible, and hence local manpower
becomes important.
The crop for which the geographical
conditions are favourable is planted. This
Figure 9.6 : Shifting cultivation is a single crop-cultivation practice too.
This type of agriculture does not produce
Commercial farming: food grains. Only commercial crops like
Extensive grain farming and plantation tea, rubber, coffee, coconut, cocoa,
agriculture are the two major types covered spices, etc. are planted.
under commercial farming. This type of farming began and spread
Extensive grain farming: mostly during the colonial period. It is
Farm size is greater than 200 hectares. practised in the tropics.
Due to large farm size and sparse This type of farming requires large scale
population in the region, this type of capital investment due to the long duration
farming is carried out with the help of of crops, use of scientific methods,
machines like tractors and crushers. exportable production, processing etc.
Pesticides are sprayed with the help of Climate, manpower, deterioration of
helicopters or planes. environment, economic and managerial
Monocrop (a single crop) cultivation is problems are the major issues faced by
the striking characteristic of this type of this type of agriculture.
farming. The crops are wheat or corn. This type of agriculture is practised in
Besides these, barley, oats, soyabean are India and other South Asian countries,
also cultivated to some extent. Africa, South and Central America, etc.
56
flowers are the major products of this type of
Use your brain power! farming. In this type of farming modern as
well as traditional methods are used. The
) Why does extensive commercial size of farms is small and every plant is
farming need more capital? cared for properly.
) Why does plantation farming need
skilled and experienced labour?
Market gardening:
Market gardening is a type of cultivation
developed in modern times. This has
developed mainly as a result of urbanization
and the ready markets available in urban
centres. Farmers cultivate vegetables and
other item in the vicinity of urban centres to
Figure 9.9 : Floriculture
cater to the demands of city dwellers. This
type of cultivation works on a principle of In recent times, use of irrigation,
economics - demand and supply. The chemical fertilizers, green houses etc. is
landholding is small. Use of irrigation, being made for getting more profit (See fig.
organic and chemical fertilizers, low
9.9). Major products of horticulture are
investment, use of manpower, demand of
flowers like lily, gerbera, tulip, dahlia,
chrysanthemum, marigold, etc. These fetch
a good price in the market.
Different native and exotic fruits like
mangoes, custard apples, grapes, bananas,
pomegranates, dragon fruits, cherries,
oranges, raspberries, strawberries, mulberries
etc. are cultivated in fruit farming (See fig.
9.10) at places like Mahabaleshwar,
Panchgani, Pune, Nagpur, Jalgaon, Nashik
etc. Countries having Mediterranean climate,
France and Italy are famous for horticulture.
Figure 9.8 : Market gardening
markets, use of science and technology etc.

are the characteristics of market gardening. It
is dependent on good transport network.The
quality and price of the product is determined
by rapid transport. Hence, this type of farming
is also known as ‘truck farming’.
Horticulture/Floriculture:
Cultivation of flowers and fruits is a Figure 9.10 : Orchardry
subtype of market gardening. Fruits and
57
Do you know ?
Organic farming:
The nutrient requirements of the crops For controlling pests, organic
is fulfiled by soil and therefore, pesticide like neem can be used. The crop
replenishment of used up nutrients is obtained from organic farming is high in
necessary. Nutrients are also used quality. Chemical fertilizers and pesticides
abundantly to increase the yield. Organic are not used in such a type of farming.
fertilizers are prepared for this purpose.
The litter should be decomposed in the
ground.
Grasses like sesbania or jute are also
buried in the soil for making manures
Cowdung and compost mannures are
used.
Vermicompost is obtained from organic
waste.
When farming is done using all
vestal matter mixed in the soil it is called
organic farming ( See fig. 9.11). Figure 9.11 : Preparing organic fertilizers
Can you tell ? Observe the pictures in fig. 9.12 and briefly describe the type
of agriculture shown in the picture. Use the space below the picture.
Figure 9.12 :
------------------------ ------------------------ ------------------------ ------------------------

------------------------ ------------------------ ------------------------ ------------------------
------------------------ ------------------------ ------------------------ ------------------------
------------------------ ------------------------ ------------------------ ------------------------
------------------------- ------------------------- ------------------------- -------------------------
------------------------ ------------------------ ------------------------ ------------------------
------------------------- ------------------------- ------------------------- -------------------------
------------------------ ------------------------ ------------------------ ------------------------
------------------------- ------------------------- ------------------------- -------------------------
------------------------ ------------------------ ------------------------ ------------------------
------------------------- ------------------------- ------------------------- -------------------------
58
Agrotourism:
Agrotourism is a new field in tourism. In
the tropics, various types of agricultural
products are cultivated. Hence there is
greater scope for agrotourism. In agrarian
countries the rural life, local customs and
culture are utilized for agrotourism (See fig.
9.13).
City dwellers are curious about the
farmer’s life and environment. Many of
them visit rural areas just to see this.
Agrotourism is financially beneficial for the
farmer and his village.
Figure 9.13 : Agrotourism
Figure 9.14 : Choose one in each pair.
Observe the pictures of some fruits and Geographical explanation

vegetables given in figure 9.14. Tick the
ones you like. Later, discuss your choices. After the discussion, you may have
(For teachers: Brief the students about realized that those fruits and vegetable that
artificially ripened items and naturally look fresh and attractive may not have been
ripened items.) ripened using proper methods. At times, in
59
order to get the produce earlier, artificial to be a proper arrangement for its sale.
chemicals, pesticides are employed Institutes like farmer’s organizations,
profusely. These facilitate quicker production consumer societies, etc. help in this
and the produce appears fresh and attractive. task and try to protect farmers from the
exploitation by agents, mediators and
However, such products are harmful to
others.
health. Also they do not last long after Some of the farm produce is directly used
purchase. by industries as raw material. International
markets are now becoming easily available
Give it a try. for farm produce due to globalization. Many
progressive farmers are using the modern
Write a paragraph on the basis of the technology in their farms. Also, they sell the
following questions: produce with proper packaging. Hotels and
Ø Which improper practices arising out malls also require agricultural produce on a
of man’s greed are observed in large scale. By advertising on the internet,
agriculture? their products get sold in local as well as
international markets.
Ø What means of irrigation are available
in your area?
Do you know ?
Ø Have you observed the wastage of
water in agriculture? If yes, describe it.
Ø Which steps can easily be taken to
avoid improper practices in
agriculture?
Marketing systems:
Figure 9.15 : Farming in Israel
Marketing systems are necessary for
Israel is a major exporter of fresh
making the goods produced by the farmers
available to the consumer at a fair price and farm produce. It is the most advanced
in time. The importance of marketing system country as far as agricultural technology
in countries like India will become clear is concerned. It has adverse climate,
from the following points. severe scarcity of water and more than
v Agriculture in India is scattered over half its land is occupied by hot deserts.
vast areas. But, overcoming all these unfavorable
v All farmers are not organized. conditions and persistently following the
v Most of the farmers are economically path of modernization of agriculture it has
weak and cannot market their production taken a giant leap in the field of agriculture.
on their own. That is why, the system
of Agricultural Produce Market
Committees is established at the taluka Use your brain power !
level. At these places, farmers bring
their produce and sell to the traders. F In what different ways is ground
v As farm produce is perishable, there has water obtained for agriculture ?
60
F Class 4 Environmental Studies (Part One) F Class 5 Environmental Studies (Part One)
'The Value of Food' chapter. 'Food for All' chapter.
Exercises
Q. 1. Select the proper option for the following Q. 2. Give short answers for the following
statements. questions.
(1) In which of the following type of farming (1) Describe the importance of irrigation for
are the crops rotated? agriculture.
(a) Intensive. (c) Commercial.
(2) Give a comparative account of any two
(b) Plantation. (d) All of these.
methods of irrigation.
(2) Agriculture requires the following:
(3) Mention the major types of farming and
(a) Only ploughing
(b) Use of animals, implements, give information about intensive
machines and manpower. farming and extensive grain farming.
(c) Use of only manpower. (4) Describe the characteristics of plantation
(d) Just cultivate the crop. farming.
(3) In India, agriculture has developed (5) Which are the crops cultivated in your
because.... area? What are the geographical reasons
(a) There are two seasons of agriculture for that?
in India.
(6) Why is the agriculture in India seasonal
(b) Majority of the people depend on
in nature? What are the difficulties for
agriculture.
(c) Traditional agriculture is practised perennial agriculture?
in India. Activity:
(d) In India factors like climate, soils, Visit a farm where modern technology
water, etc. are conducive.
is used for agriculture. Collect
(4) It is necessary that modern methods and
information about it.
technology be used in agriculture in
India because.... Use of ICT
(a) There are factories producing (1) Collect the pictures of improved seeds
improved seeds. and means of irrigation from the internet.
(b) There are industries producing (2) Collect information regarding
fertilizers agricultural in Israel from the internet.
(c) Population is growing and there are
and present it.
agro-based industries.
(d) Modern means and machines are
***
available.
61
10. Human Settlements
Look at the following picture. Find suitable locations for
human settlements and show them in the picture.
Try this.
(For teachers – Discuss the students’ assumptions and conclusions
as also the questions on the pictures given below.)
Figure 10.1 : Show settlements at suitable locations.

Why were the settlements shown at the specific places ? Why should they be located
there? Why can’t they be located in other places?
Can you tell ?
Figure 10.2 a : Figure 10.2 b :
62
Figure 10.2 c : Figure 10.2 d :
Observe the pictures given in figures live in forest areas in ‘tribal hamlets’
10.2 (a, b, c, d). Think and answer the (Adivasi padas). Agriculture is practised in
following questions : fertile areas. Farmer families build their
¾ What all can you see in the pictures? houses in or near their fields. These
¾ What are the familiar features? settlements gradually grow bigger. The
¾ Which picture shows sparse settlements? settlements where the original occupations
¾ Which picture shows agriculture? of the majority of the people are based on
¾ Which picture shows dense settlements? natural resources are called rural settlements.
¾ Which picture shows high rise buildings? Agriculture, fishery, etc are some of these
¾ From the following, assign a suitable occupations.
names to each of the pictures : Rural With the passage of time, other associated
settlement, Tribal hamlet, Town, City occupations also develop gradually in these
¾ Arrange the pictures according to the rural settlement. As a result, people from
level of development in the settlements. surrounding areas migrate and settle there
Geographical explanation leading to an increase in the rural population.
Houses are built and different facilities are
Human settlements flourished at places developed for the growing population.
with favourable geographic conditions - Importance of secondary and tertiary
such as availability of water, a conducive occupations increases, the proportion of
climate, fertile land etc. people engaged in primary occupations
In the early settlements, the occupations declines. This process leads to the
of the people were dependent on the locally transformation of rural settlement into urban
available natural resources. This gave rise to settlements. Due to religious, historical,
separate settlements of people engaged in a commercial, educational, and administrative
particular occupation. For example, people reasons and also due to tourism, the original
along the sea coast are engaged in fishing. settlement may transform into an urban one.
Their settlements became fishing hamlets If the population and the necessary amenities
(Koliwada). Forest dwellers or tribal people increase on a large scale, the urban areas
use forest produce for their livelihood. They grow into metropolitan cities.
63
C
Can you tell ?
Observe fig. 10.3 and discuss the

following questions:
¾ What is the difference between the A B
human settlement at A and B?
¾ What is the difference between the
settlements at B and C?
¾ Where do you find less than 2 houses?
¾ In what type of settlement do you
live?
Figure 10.3 : A type of settlement

Index
Settlement
Road
Railway
Contour
River
N.
Observe fig. 10.4 and answer the following ¾ In which settlements are the houses close
questions. together? What could be the reason
¾ Name some of the settlements shown in behind this density?
the map. ¾ Can you now classify the settlements on
¾ Which of the settlements in the map are the basis of these patterns?
in a scattered form? After considering various settlements,
¾ How are the houses in the settlements we realize that people settle down in different
along the roads arranged? geographical conditions and adopt
64
themselevs to the conditions in the region. Scattered settlements :
Patterns of human settlements evolve in In scattered settlements, houses are few
accordance with the natural conditions. In and far from each other. Generally, such
this lesson, we are going to study the major settlements are found in the areas of high
patterns of human settlements and the relief, dense forests, grasslands, hot deserts,
reasons behind them. and extensive agricultural lands (See fig.
Geographical explanation 10.5).
Using the resources from the surroundings,

man constructed houses and started living in
them. In the modern era of science and
technology, people have made a remarkable
progress in the construction of shelter. They
have even built sky-scrapers. Man is thinking
of constructing colonies on other planets and
their satellites, too, in future.
Settlements have provided man with
stability. Rural settlement is the first step
towards a stable life in human history.
Urban settlements have evolved through
the expansion and growth of rural Figure 10.5 : Scattered settlement
settlements. A certain way of life is Characteristics:
preserved in rural settlements. Increase in Distance between scattered settlements
the population of rural settlements is the can be clearly seen.
beginning of urbanization. Life in urban These settlements have limited populations
settlements is more dynamic. There are as in small hamlets. (pada, wadi, etc.).
large scale economic correlations between Facilities and services in these settlements
rural and urban settlements. The are not adequate.
day-to-day food requirement of the urban As these settlements are closer to nature,
population is fulfilled by rural settlements. they are free from pollution.
They depend on the centrally located
Modernization, science and technology
villages for their day-to-day requirements.
lead to transformation in both types of
settlements. Nucleated settlements :
These settlements are generally close to
water sources like brooks, rivulets, rivers,
Think about it. lakes, reservoirs etc. In the deserts of
Rajasthan we find nucleated settlements
) Think about the possible processes near assured sources of water. Fertile plains,
that take place during the growth and transport hubs and mining centres,
development of settlements. Make a commercial centres often lead to the
list of such processes. development of this type of settlement.
Besides these reasons, defense, health,
The ttypes off settlements
Th ttl t and d th
the education, and other social and religious
characteristics of their distribution can be factors can also give rise to nucleated
described as follows: settlements. (See fig. 10.6.)
65
narrow in shape and they spread along a
straight line (See fig. 10.7).
Characteristics:
Houses in these settlements are along a
single line. As the settlement grows in the
course of time, multiple lines emerge.
Roads are parallel to each other.
Besides houses, some shops can be seen
too.
These settlements grow along with the
roads. For example, such settlements are
found along the coastal tracts, major
Figure 10.6 : Nucleated settlement
rivers and National or State highways in
Characteristics:
In these settlements, houses are close our country.
together.
Social services are available in these Always remember -
settlements.
Factors influencing the location of human
As these settlements develop in certain
settlements:
places over certain periods of time they
Physical Cultural Economic
attain particular shapes.
Physiography Defense Irrigation
Roads are narrow in the old parts of these Land / soils Health Occupations
settlements . Climate Education Transport
People from different castes, religions, Water supply Tourism and
races and ideologies live together in these River banks Historical communica-
settlements and hence they have a better significance tion
Industries
social life.
Trade
Linear settlements: Government
Linear settlements are seen along roads, offices
railways, rivers, sea coasts and in foothill
regions etc. These types of settlements are
Give it a try.
¾ Name the metropolitan cities of India.

¾ Identify the type of the settlement
where you live.
) Std III- Environmental Studies-

Lesson - Our village, our city.
) Std V- Environmental Studies - Part
Figure 10.7 : Linear settlement One- Page 42
66
Give it a try. Observe the photographs given below. Identify the type of settlements
shown here and write about them.
Exercises
Q.1. Answer in short. Q. 2. Identify the types of human settlements

(1) Explain the various types of human from the follwing statements.
settlements. (1) Their money and time is saved by
living on the farm.
(2) Differentiate between nucleated and
scattered settlements. (2) There is a lot of social life in this
settlement.
(3) Explain the natural factors affecting
(3) Shops are located on both the sides
the location of human settlements.
of the road.
(4) Explain how human settlements have
(4) This settlement is found at the
evovled.
foothills of mountains or along the
(5) Differentiate between a hamlet and a coast.
village. (5) Each house is located away from the
other.
67
(6) This settlement is good from a (B) ‘B’. has a high school, a big market and a
security point of view. small theatre.
(7) Having houses away from each other (C) ‘C’ has houses, farms, many shops and
is good for health. small industries.
(8) The houses are too close to each (D) ‘D’ is a natural harbour. Many industries
other. have been established there.
Q.3. Study the diagram and identify the types of * ‘C’ is a settlement that has developed
settlements.
along the roadside. Give two reasons of
(A) Settlement ‘A’ has 5-6 houses and the
place does not have other facilities. its location here.
C
B
A
Index
River
Main Road
D
Railway
Contour
Settlement
ICT Activity :
With the help of the internet, find the image
of your village/city. On that basis, write about
the type and characteristics of your settlement.
***
68
11. Contour Maps and Landforms
In Standard V, you have gathered some

information about how height and relief
are shown on a map. Now carry out the
following activity on the same topic under
the guidance of your teacher.
Try this.
(For the teacher: Carry a few large potatoes

to the class. Make groups of the students and
distribute the potatoes among the groups.)
Take a large oblate shaped potato and

other required items as shown above.

Cut the potato into two parts so that each
part has a flat base.

Observe how a potato appears when seen
from the front and when seen from above?
Draw an outline of the potato in your
Rest the cut half on its flat base and
note book. measure its height in millimetres.
69
Do not separate the slices. Insert a
toothpick or a piece of pointed stick
through the slices vertically.

This is our ‘potato hill’. The tapering side
of the potato is the hill top.
Draw two circles, each going round the

hill, one near the top, and the other close
to the base. Keep sufficient distance
between the circles. The circle near the
top will be smaller.

Without removing the toothpick, place
the sliced potato on a piece of paper.
Moving a pencil along the edge of the

Now the teacher will slice the potato on lowest slice draw, its outline. It will be
these circles. nearly circular in shape.
70
each slice that you have measured can help
you?
After assigning values to each circle,
our sketch of the potato hill will be complete.

After drawing the outline, pull the
toothpick upwards. Remove the lowest
slice delicately and keep it aside. Repeat
the same procedure for the other
two slices.
Think about it.
) What did we achieve in this

activity? We have transferred a three
dimensional object – the potato – into
a two dimensional picture.
In reality it is not possible to make
the slices of a mountain or any other

Observe the figure that is formed after the
exercise is complete. You will note that landform and place them on paper or on the
you have drawn three concentric circles. ground to draw a two dimensional picture
Write the height of the potato that you of that landform. For this, mathematical
had measured earlier in the centre of the and survey methods are applied. You will
innermost circle. Measure the thickness of learn about these methods if you study
all the slices you have kept side. Give value
Geography as a special subject at a later
‘0’ (zero) to the outermost circle. How will
you give the values to the other lines? Think stage.
about it. Do you think that the thickness of
71
Height in metres
N.
Figure 11.1 a : A model of the earth’s surface
Figure 11.1 b : Contour line map
A model of the relief in an area is shown Geographical explanation

in fig 11.1 (a) given above. Observe it
carefully and answer the following questions. While studying different landforms on
¾ Which landforms do you observe in the the surface of the earth, one has to take into
model? consideration various facets of landforms
¾ Which colours have been used on them? like altitude, relief, slope, direction of slope
Observe the map given in fig. 11.1 (b) and and the drainage. For this, maps prepared
answer the following questions. using particular methods are used. These are
¾ What all do you see in the map? known as contour maps. These maps help us
¾ What is the general direction of the ranges to understand the above characteristics of the
shown in the map? landforms. These maps are of immense use
to mountaineers, trekkers, soldiers, defense
¾ Towards which direction is the flat land
located in the map? officers, etc. These maps prove to be of great
use in the planning for a region too.
¾ What are the maximum and minimum
values of the lines in the map?
¾ What do these values indicate?
¾ Do you find any similarities in the map
and the model in fig. 11.1(a)?
When one sees a landform on a
What are those?
contour map, what is the observer’s
¾ Which figure gives us more information position with respect to the landform?
and what is that information?
(For example, a hill is shown with the
¾ Is there any similarity between this map help of contours on a map. From where
and the sketch map of the potato hill? do you think you are looking at it?
72
While finding answers to these
questions, you will become familiar
with the contour lines and you will be
Karha River Basin able to identify major landforms
shown by the contour lines.
z Find the altitude of your place
above mean sea-level (in metres).
Mula-Mutha Basin
You have to draw contour lines
Figure 11.3 a : A model of the Karha river basin, Saswad
from mean sea-level to your place.
Jejuri The interval of the contour should
Purandar
not be more than 50 m. Determine
anpur how many lines you will draw for
Naray
this.
Karha River
z Friends, consider you have gone
Saswad
for mountaineering. You have to
conquer a peak on the hill ‘A’. A
map of this hill is given (figure
Diveghat
11.4). Studying the contour lines in
Height in metres Katraj-Diveg
hat range the map, find the side from which
you will reach the peak safely and
Figure 11.3 b : A map of the Karha river basin, Saswad easily. Mark your path on the map
with a pencil.
A 3D model is given in fig. 11.3 (a). The
northern part of the model shows the basin
of the rivers Mula-Mutha. To its south is the
Katraj-Diveghat range extending from the A
west to the east. Beyond that some portion
of Karha basin is seen.
(Observe this model and the map (fig. 11.3
(b)) given below it and answer the following
questions.)
¾ In which direction does fort Purandar
lie?
¾ What is the direction of flow of the river
Karha?
¾ In which parts are the hill ranges not
observed?
¾ Which part of the map is not seen in the
model? Why?
¾ In which direction does the altitude of
Height in metres
Katraj-Diveghat range decrease?
¾ In which direction are higher hill ranges Figure 11.4 : Contours (Hill)
located?
73
Always remember-
Contour lines join places with the
same altitude on a map. Therefore, F Class Five Environmental Studies -
generally they do not cross each other. Part One- page 39-41
Exercises
Q.1. Answer the following questions. Q.2. Fill the blanks with appropriate words.
(1) How can the distribution of the height (1) If the contour lines are closer to each
and landforms in a region be shown? other, the slope is ...............
(2) To whom are the contour maps (2) The contour lines on the map represent
useful? ...............
(3) What do you understand by observing (3) The slope can be understood from the
contour lines? distance between the ...............
(4) How will a contour map be useful for (4) If the distance between two contour
a farmer? lines is more, the ............... is gentle.
Q.3. Identify the landforms in the following

map.
Height in metres
***
74
GLOSSARY
y
Agent: A person acting as a link between a y
Anti-cyclone: At times, the air pressure in a
producer and a consumer. The consumers of region increases more than the surrounding
any product are not located in one region. areas. Under such conditions, winds blow
They are scattered over a vast area. In such from the central high pressure areas towards
situation it is difficult for the producer to reach the low pressure in the surrounding areas in a
the consumers. Therefore, it becomes circular manner. Such winds moving outwards
necessary to have a link between the producers from the central regions in a circular manner
and consumers. The agents are this link. are called anticyclones.
y
Agriculture: Agriculture is a comprehensive y
Antipodal point: A point that is located
term. It includes farming and many allied diametrically opposite to a given point. Such
occupations. Animal husbandry, dairy a point is fixed with reference to an imaginary
farming, pisciculture, sericulture, nursery, etc. line in the form of the diameter of the earth.
come under the scope of the term agriculture. For any or every point on the surface of the
y
Agro-tourism: In this form of tourism, the earth, there exists an antipodal point on the
most important aspect is to obtain the earth’s surface.
information about agricultural activities by y
Aphelion: A position of the earth on its
actually visiting a farm or a meadow. People elliptical orbit when it is at the maximum
are curious about knowing how the food they distance from the sun. This position occurs in
consume is produced. It is out of this curiosity the month of July.
that agro-tourism has developed. It is the first
experience for most visitors especially for y
Apogee: A specific position of the moon on
youngsters. For a few decades, agro-tourism its orbital path with respect to the earth. In
has become popular in India. Agro-tourism this position the moon is at its farthest distance
Development Corporation works for the from the earth.
spread of this form of tourism. By 2014, y
Autumnal equinox : One of the positions of
around 214 centers for agro-tourism in rural the earth on the orbital path, relative to the
settlements have been started in Maharashtra. sun. This position occurs on 23rd September.
y
Air pressure: Air has weight and any object In this position both the poles of the earth are
or material having weight exerts pressure on equidistant from the sun and the sunrays are
the thing / material that lies below it. Air perpendicular at the equator. The duration of
exerts pressure on the lower of layers of nighttime and daytime are equal all over the
atmosphere and the earth’s surface. Air earth.
pressure is measured in millibars. The air y
Barometer: An instrument used to measure
pressure at the sea level is 1013.2 mb. air pressure. Air pressure is measured in
millibars. There are different types of
y
Annular eclipse: The sun disc does not get
barometers in use. In some barometers,
totally covered by the moon if the moon is in
vaccum boxes called aneroids are used. Air
its apogee position (at the farthest distance pressure suppresses the aneroids and this
from the earth). Moon’s shadow does not pressure is expressed on a plate with markings
reach up to the earth. As a result in such a by an indicator.
situation only the rim of the sun disc remains
y
Bedouin People: A nomadic tribe from the
visible from a very narrow portion of the
Arabian Desert.
earth. This illuminated rim appears like a
ring. Hence this type of solar eclipse is called y
Catchment area: Area of a river basin. The
annular solar eclipse. area from where the water gets collected into
a river is called the catchment area of the
75
river. This term is also used with reference to sun appears to be moving towards north or
a dam or a bund indicating the area from south.
which water gets collected in the reservoirs.
Doldrums: The belt extending from 5a N to
y
y
Centrifugal force: A force that leads to the 5a S parallels. As the temperatures in this belt
movement away from the center. The particles are high, the heated air starts ascent. This
in rotating objects develop a tendency to move gives rise to a low pressure belt. Winds in this
away from the centre. Such a force which zone are not very effective and hence this
leads to outward motion in an object is called region becomes a region of calm and it is
centrifugal force. called doldrums.
y
Circle of illumination: Sunlight divides the y
Easterlies: Winds arriving from the east.
Globe into an illuminated and a dark part. These are the planetary winds blowing
The line separating the two parts is the circle towards the equatorial low pressure belt from
of illumination. This is not an imaginary line, the mid-latitudinal high pressure belts in both
it exists on the surface of the earth all the time. the hemispheres.
The circle of illumination is a great circle.
y
Eclipse: A condition of the sun disc getting
Due to the rotation of the earth, its position
covered by the moon OR the moon disc getting
seems to change all the time.
shadowed by the earth. Solar eclipse occurs
y
Contour line: These are isolines of height. when the moon is positioned between the
These are drawn by joining the places of earth and the sun and covers the sun disc.
equal altitude. These help in identification of Lunar eclipse occurs when the moon passes
landforms, determine the amount of slope and through the shadow of the earth. This situation
help us understand the type and direction of becomes possible if the sun, the moon and the
slope. They also help in the analysis of earth come in one straight line. Such a
intervisiblity between any two points on the situation occurs only on the full moon or new
map. moon days. However as the planes of the
y
Contour trench: In order to reduce the orbits of the moon and the earth intersect each
erosion of soil, trenches are dug out in the other at an angle of 5a, the eclipses do not
direction perpendicular to the slope of the occur on every full moon or every new moon
land and trees are planted along such trenches. day.
While digging out such trenches care needs to y
Economics: the science of financial
be taken to maintain the level. management. It is needed at all levels - from
y
Cyclone: A condition of lowering of air individual to national.
pressure in a region. Under such a condition, y
Equinox: Specific situation of the earth’s
the air from the surrounding regions rushes to location on its orbital path with respect to the
the central low pressure area in a circular sun. In this situation, both the ends of the
manner. This leads to the formation of a earth’s axis face the sun and are equidistant
system of whirling winds that moves from one from the sun. This situation is observed on
place to other under the influence of prevailing two days in a year. On these two days, the
regional winds. circle of illumination coincides with the
y
Dakshinayan : March of the sun towards the meridonial great circles. This situation is
south. This starts from 21st June and every day observed on 22nd March and 23rd September.
the sun appears to be moving southwards On these days, sun rays are perpendicular at
slowly. The southward march of the sun the equator. The duration of daytime and
comes to an end on 22nd December when it nighttime is the same and it is of 12 hours.
starts moving towards the north. In reality, the y
Fortnight: A period of 15 days from new
sun does not move but due to the revolution of moon day to full moon day (and from full
the earth and the inclination of its axis, the moon day to new moon day).
76
y
Gravitational force: In any two objects, there at various places on the earth. As a result, the
exists an attraction towards each other. This values of temperature, air pressure, rainfall
is called gravitational force. The gravitational etc. differ from place to place near the earth’s
force depends on the mass of the two objects surface. This distribution of climate elements
and the distance that separates them. The in a horizontal direction is called horizontal
planets revolving around the sun along their distribution.
specific orbits is the combined effect of the y
Horse latitudes: A region in both the
gravitational force of the sun and the hemispheres between 25a and 35a parallels.
centrifugal force associated with the planets. This is the region of high pressure belt from
The value of gravitational force is computed which the air moves outwards. The region is
as M1 M2/ D2, where M1 and M2 represent the generally quiet. Due to historical reasons it is
mass of object 1 and 2 and D represents the called horse latitudes.
distance between them. y
Humus: Organic substances in the soil.
Residues of plants, litter, roots etc. get
y
Greenhouse: This is a house constructed
decomposed and mixed in the soil. Such
using sophisticated technology for the growing
decayed organic material increases the
of vegetables and flowers. The walls and roof
fertility of soils.
of this house are made up of transparent
materials-mostly glass. Conditions conducive y
Irrigation: Making water available for the
for the growth of plants are controlled under crops, besides the rains, is called irrigation.
such structures. The temperature inside the Water is essential for the crops. At times, it
greenhouse is considerably higher than the becomes difficult to depend on rains for the
temperature outside during the day. With the crops. Under such situations, the water from
help of various instruments the temperature, canals, lakes, wells, reservoirs is supplied to
relative humidity, air pressure etc. are the crops. This is called irrigation.
controlled in greenhouses. y
Isobars: Lines joining the places of equal air
y
Height above sea-level (ASL): Height above pressure on the map. Isobars show the
mean sea-level. This is known as altitude. distribution of air pressure in the atmosphere.
Considering the mean sea-level to have zero y
Khubz: It is a staple dietary item of Arabian
height, the heights of all other locations is people. It is in the form of thick flat bread like
measured as above or below sea-level. roti.
y
High tide and low tide: The rise or fall in the y
Knots: A unit used to express the wind
level of sea waters caused by the combined velocity. When the wind is blowing at a
effect of centrifugal force associated with sea velocity of 1 nautical mile (1.853 km) per
water and the gravitational pull of the moon
hour, it is said to have velocity of one knot. (
and the sun. The rise in the level is called high
1 statute mile = 1.609 km). The word knot
tide and the fall is called low tide.
also indicates 1 minute arc distance along
y
Horizon: A line where it appears that the sky equatorial circumference.
and the land are meeting. In reality, it is the
y
Land use: Land as a natural resource is used
plane of a tangent line assumed to be drawn
at a given place. ‘N’ number of such tangents for different purposes. The analysis of the
to the earth surface can be assumed. When the purposes for which the land from a region is
celestial objects like the sun become visible used is the subject matter of land use studies.
above this line, we say it is a sunrise. When it Forest, agriculture and settlements etc. are the
moves below this tangent line it is said to be purposes for which the land is used. Land use
Sunset. in a region gives rise to particular patterns.
y
Horizontal distribution: The values of y
Leaching: It is a type of chemical weathering.
different elements of climate are not the same This process is dominant in the areas of high
77
rainfall and humid climate. The salts and settlement such a settlement is called nucleated
other soluble minerals as washed out of the settlement. There can be different reasons for
rock water in a dissolved form by the such a concentration. The most important is
percolating. the source of water. Defense / protection is
y
Linear settlement: If the growth of settlement also one of the reasons for the settlement to
has taken place with respect to a linear get nucleated.
element, the houses in such a settlement also y
Parent rock: The major rock type in a region.
appear to have been arranged in a linear Soil forming processes start with the
manner. Settlements with such patterns are weathering of rock in the region. As a result
called linear settlements. Such settlements are of weathering, the rock is reduced to a
found along roads, canals, rivers or sea coast. powdery substance. The parent rock is the
y
Local winds: Winds which blow in some largest constituent of any soil by weight.
restricted areas in different parts of the earth. y
Partial eclipse: A type of solar or lunar
These are known by different names. eclipse when a part of the sun disc is covered
y
Marketing management: The finished by the moon or part of the moon disc is
products produced by the producers have to shadowed by the earth.
reach markets in order to be available to the y
Pattern: An arrangement of objects. The
consumers, clients, partners and the entire assembly of various factors that emerges in a
society. All the processes involved in taking space or over a time period forms a pattern.
the finished products from the production While such an arrangement is emerging, the
areas to the markets are covered under the factors individually or collectively are
term marketing management. Marketing is influenced by geographical conditions.
useful for generating clients, maintaining and Drainage pattern is an example of spatial
satisfying them. pattern whereas crop pattern is an example of
y
Measurement of time: A day, a month and a temporal pattern.
year are the basic units of the measurement of y
Perigee: A specific position of the moon on
time. A day and a year are the results of the its orbital path with respect to the earth. In
axial and the orbital motions of the earth this position, the moon is at its nearest distance
respectively. The month is a result of the from the earth.
revolution of the moon around the earth. y
Perihelion: A position of the earth on its
y
Mixed farming: A type of farming. This type elliptical orbital path at the minimum distance
of agriculture has a wide scope. It includes the from the sun. This position occurs in the
farming and allied occupations like dairy, month of January.
poultry etc. This term is also used for y
Period of waning moon: The fortnight from
inter-cropping. Allocation of land for different the full moon day to the new moon day. In this
crops in a season is also considered to be a period, the illuminated portion of the moon
form of mixed farming. appears to be getting progressively reduced as
y
Neap tide: The range of tides is lowest on the observed from the earth.
first and third quarter days. On these days the y
Period of waxing moon: The fortnight from
sun and the moon are positioned at right angle the new moon day to the full moon day. In this
to each other with respect to the earth and period the illuminated part of the moon keeps
hence the forces of their attraction do not on increasing every day as observed from the
complement each other. earth.
y
Nucleated settlement: The pattern of y
pH: The acidity or alkalinity of a substance is
settlements mostly depends on geographical determined with the help of pH value. This
factors. If the buildings / houses are scale ranges from ‘-1’ to 14. The pH value of
concentrated around a specific point in a
78
‘7’ indicates neutrality whereas the values Solar eclipse: If the moon gets positioned
lower than ‘7’ indicate acidity and if the value between the earth and the sun and if these
is more than ‘7’ the substance is considered to three are in a straight line, the shadow of the
be alkaline. For example, the lemon juice that moon falls on the earth. As a result the sun
contains citric acid has pH of 2. The seawater becomes totally or partially invisible in the
that tastes salty has an average pH value shadow zone. This condition is called solar
equal to 8. The water of Great Salt Lake has eclipse.
pH value of 10.
Solstices: Specific positions of the earth on its
Phases of the moon: The illuminated portion elliptical orbital path. These positions occur
of the moon disc observed from the earth that on two days- 21st June and 22nd December.
keeps on changing every day within a lunar These are the solstice days. On 21st June, the
month. north pole of the earth records maximum
Resources: The materials and energies inclination i.e., 23० 30', towards the sun. On
available in nature and the assets created by this day, the sunrays are perpendicular at the
man and used for making human life easier Tropic of Cancer. On 22nd December, the
and more comfortable are called resources. south pole of the earth records maximum
All the constituents in nature that are used by inclination, i.e., 23० 30', towards the sun. On
man are resources. this day, the sunrays are perpendicular at the
Tropic of Capricorn. 21st June and 22nd
Sea-level: The level of sea waters keeps on December are summer and winter solstices
oscillating due to the tides, waves, etc. The respectively. 21st June is the longest day in the
mean of high and low tide determines the northern hemisphere whereas 22nd December
mean sea-level at a place in coastal area. All is the longest day in the southern hemisphere.
height values in the region are measured with
reference to the mean sea-level. As the tidal Spring or vernal equinox: One of the
range of different places can vary the mean positions of the earth on the orbital path
sea-level of a selected station is taken as the relative to the sun. This position occurs on
standard mean sea-level for the region. For 23rd March. In this position both the poles of
India mean sea-level at Chennai is considered the earth are equidistant from the sun and the
as the standard mean sea-level. sunrays are perpendicular at the equator. The
duration of night time and day time are equal
Seasonal winds: Winds which blow during all over the earth.
specific periods and in limited areas. For
example, the monsoon winds. Spring tide: The high or low tide occurring
on the full moon and the new moon days. As
Soil degradation: Lowering of the soil the sun and the moon are on the same side of
quality. This occurs due to the reduction of the earth on this (new moon) day, maximum
humus content of the soils. The mixing of tidal range is observed. The tidal range on full
unnecessary chemical substances in the soil moon day is also high but it is somewhat less
particularly as a result of excessive use of than that on new moon day.
chemical fertilizers leads to degradation of
soils. Use of chemical fertilizers, insecticides, Subcontinent: A part of a continent that is
pesticides, weedicide etc. causes the geographically and culturally different from
degradation of soils. the rest of the continent. The region in South
Asia that lies south of the Himalayan ranges
Soil erosion: Removal of the top layers of the is called the Indian Subcontinent. This
soils due to the work of the running water and includes countries like India, Pakistan,
the wind is called soil erosion. Top layers of Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan and Sri Lanka.
soil contain high proportion of humus. The
removal of top layer also causes loss of humus Total eclipse: A type of solar or lunar eclipse
that leads to lowering of fertility of soils. when the sun disc is completely covered by
79
the moon or the moon is completely shadowed
Reference Material:
by the earth.
Tsunami: Huge sea waves generated as a
Physical Geography- A. N. Strahler
result of earthquakes occurring below the sea Living in the Environment- G. T. Miller
bottom. Tsunami waves cause tremendous A Dictionary of Geography- Monkhouse
loss of life and property in the coastal region
where they strike. Physical Geography in Diagrams-
Tourism : A service occupation. Various R.B. Bunnett
services needed by the tourists in a region are Encyclopaedia Britannica Vol.- 5 and 21
provided as a part of this. These include
lodging facilities, hospitality, transport,
मराठी विशिकोश खंड- १,४,९,१७ ि १८
communication, etc. as also maintenance of प्ाकृविक भूगोल- प्ा. दािे ि सौ. दािे.
tourist places. इंग्रजी मराठी शबदकोश- J. T. Molesworth
Uttarayan: March of the sun towards the and T. Candy
north. This starts from 23rd December and
every day the sun appears to be moving
northwards slowly. The northward march of
the sun comes to an end on 21st June when it
starts moving towards the south. In reality, Websites for reference:
the sun does not move but due to the revolution
of the earth and the inclination of its axis, the http://www.kidsgeog.com
sun appears to be moving towards north or http://www.wikihow.com
south.
http://www.wikipedia.org
Vertical distribution: Distribution in vertical
direction. Temperature and air pressure vary http://www.latong.com
in horizontal as well as vertical direction. The http://www.ecokids.ca
variation caused due to height is called
http://www.ucar.edu
vertical distribution.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools
Westerlies: Winds arriving from the west.
These are the planetary winds blowing from http://www.globalsecurity.org
the mid-latitudinal high pressure belts towards http://www.nakedeyesplanets.com
the sub-polar low pressure belts in both the
hemispheres. http://science.nationalgeographic.com
Winter: A period of low temperature in a http://en.wikipedia.org
year. Due to decreasing duration of sun light http://geography.about.com
and also due to the slant nature of the sun
rays, the heat received is less during this http://earthguide.uced.edu
period and hence the temperatures are low.
The northern hemisphere experiences winter
from 23rd September to 22nd March while the
southern hemisphere experiences winter from
22nd March to 23rd September.
***
80

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What are the key points discussed in the preamble of the Indian constitution?

What are the key points discussed in the preamble of the Indian constitution?

What are the factors responsible for the formation of seasons?

What are the factors responsible for the formation of seasons?

The Coordination Committee formed by GR No. Abhyas - 2116/(Pra.Kra.

Maharashtra State Bureau of Textbook Production and

WE, THE PEOPLE OF INDIA, having

• Identifying landforms in a region with the help of 07.73G.21 Draws contours.

1. How Seasons Occur - Part 1 General Geography 01 03

2. The Sun, the Moon and the Earth General Geography 03 09

3. Tides Physical Geography 09 10

4. Air Pressure Physical Geography 16 09

5. Winds Physical Geography 21 09

6. Natural Regions Physical Geography 30 13

7. Soils Physical Geography 39 09

8. How Seasons Occur - Part 2 General Geography 46 10

9. Agriculture Human Geography 52 12

10. Human Settlements Human Geography 62 07

11. Contour Maps and Landforms Practical Geography 69 07

¾ How did you find out the duration of the

Figure 1.1 Experiment of the shadow

Think about it.

The moon’s orbit

Geographical explanation F Fig. 2.2 shows the positions of the moon

Full Moon Day Moon ) Consider the relative positions of the

Annular solar eclipse

v Take a ball of clay or mud and

(a) (b) (c)

Can you tell ?

Figure 3.1 a Figure 3.1 b

¾ Do the above photographs show the same Try this.

Figure 3.12 : Beach

Q. 1. Prepare a chain by matching the following.

Take a flying lantern.

Can you tell ?

F Class Three- Environmental Studies.

Q. 1. Give reasons: (2) Air pressure is expressed in ................ .

Can you tell ?

(Get pairs of students to do this.)

Changed direction because of

Figure 5.2 : Change in direction of winds

Mid-latitudinal high pressure belt 25°

Winds in the southern hemisphere blow

Observe the diagrams given below. Answer the questions related

Warm air cools

Figure 5.5 a : Sea breeze

Figure 5.5 b : Land breeze

Low Pressure High Pressure

Figure 5.6 : Seasonal winds

Mid-latitudinal high pressure belt

unpredictable. See the image of a cyclone

Look for me elsewhere !

Figure 5.9 : Anticyclone

On the other hand, there are similarities of

Grasslands z Between 5a to 20a north and z Summer temperatures around

climate, vegetal litter decomposes

z Short grass, small shrubs,

l Rainfall 250 to 2500 mm. C. l Winter temperature

hamlets. l Considerable civilisations. l Main occupation people. l Have been mainly

Take a flying lantern.

Name of the country : _ __ Special features : _ _____________

Draw two circles, each going round the