WBBSE Solutions For Class 7 Geography Chapter 4 Landforms Topic B Plateaus

WBBSE Class 7 Geography Chapter 4 Landforms Topic B Plateaus Long Question And Answers

Question 1. Classify plateaus with examples.
Answer:

Classification of plateaus:

Based on their origin, plateaus can be classified into three categories. These are-

1. Tectonic plateau:

Tectonic plateaus are formed as a result of tectonic movements that cause an uplift of the crust.

Example: Bolivian Plateau.

2. Volcanic plateau:

Volcanic plateaus are formed due to the solidification of lava which emerges from fissures in the Earth’s crust.

Example: Deccan Plateau of India.

Read And Learn Also WBBSE Solutions For Class 7 Geography

3. Dissected plateau:

Dissected plateaus are formed due to the continuous process of weathering and erosion.

Example: Chhotanagpur Plateau of India.

Based on their location, plateaus can be classified into three types.

These are-

1. Intermontane plateau:

An intermontane plateau lies between mountain ranges. This type of plateau extends alongside the mountains and are generally among the highest plateaus of the world.

Example: Tibet Plateau.

2. Piedmont plateau:

A Piedmont plateau lies at the foot of a mountain and is generally bounded on other sides by a plain or an ocean.

Example: Colorado Plateau.

3. Continental plateau:

A continental plateau rises abruptly from the plains. It is formed either by an extensive continental uplift or by the spread of less viscous lava that covers the primary topography entirely to a great depth.

Example: Plateau of Africa.

Question 2. Discuss the influence of plateaus on human life.
Answer:

Influence of plateaus on human life:

Plateaus greatly influence human life in various observable ways. Some of them are discussed below-

• Source of minerals: As the plateaus are made up of igneous rocks, they are rich in minerals. So, the plateau regions act as an important natural source of raw materials for different industries.
• Generation of hydroelectricity: Rivers while flowing over plateau regions are quite swift and for this reason, hydroelectricity can be generated from these rivers.
•  Difficulty in cultivation: As the surface of the plateau regions is rugged and stony, cultivation of crops is difficult in these areas. Agricultural activities are carried out only near the banks of the rivers.
• Moderate population density: The transport system is more developed and life is much easier in plateau regions than in mountainous regions. So, the population density in these regions is moderate.
• Development of metal-based industries: As minerals are abundantly found in plateau regions, metal-based industries have extensively developed in these regions.
• Development of tourist spots: The natural beauty of areas around plateaus helps these to be recognised as famous tourist spots.

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Question 3. What are the causes of the origin of a plateau?
Answer:

Plateaus originate mainly due to three reasons. They are as follows-

1. Tectonic movement:

Due to tectonic movement, the old landmasses on the Earth’s surface get separated from each other and increase in height, forming a plateau.

Example: Deccan Plateau, Arabian Plateau.

2. Natural erosional forces:

The natural erosional forces or exogenic forces like the Sun’s heat, wind, river, glacier, etc. gradually erode the surface of a mountainous region or any other highland to form a flat-topped region resulting in a plateau.

Example: Chhotanagpur Plateau.

3. Deposition of lava:

The magma that comes out from the Earth’s interior is gradually deposited as lava on its surface forming a plateau.

Example: The north-western part of the Deccan Plateau in India is a lava plateau and is known as the Deccan Trap.

Understanding Plateaus

Question 4. What are the characteristics of a plateau?
Answer:

The characteristics of a plateau are as follows-

• Height: The average height of a plateau is generally 300-600 metres above sea level. However, some plateaus also have higher elevations.
• Expanse: Plateaus generally extend over large areas.
• Flat top: The top of a plateau is somewhat wavy or flat. It looks mostly like a table i.e. vertical slopes all around with a flat top.

Formation of a dissected plateau:

• Sometimes a large plateau gets eroded by natural forces like rain, river water, etc.
• And is divided into several smaller plateaus forming a dissected Plateau.

Presence of hills:

There are many small hills on top of a plateau.

Example:

Rajmahal Hills on Chhotanagpur Plateau.

Question 5. What is an intermontane plateau?
Answer:

Intermontane plateau:

• During the formation of fold mountains due to tectonic movement, the region between parallel mountain ranges rises to form a plateau as a result of the lateral pressure.
• This type of plateau surrounded by mountains on all sides is called an intermontane plateau.

Example:

Tibetan Plateau (between the Himalayan and Kunlun mountain ranges), Anatolian Plateau (between the Pontic and Taurus mountain ranges), Iranian Plateau (between the Elbrus and Zagros mountain ranges), etc.

Question 6. What are the characteristics of a laya plateau?
Answer:

The characteristics of a lava plateau are as follows-

1. Type of rock: A lava plateau is generally formed of black basaltic rocks.
2. Upper surface: The upper surface or the top of this plateau tends to be plain or a little wavy.
3. Nature of erosion: These plateaus get less eroded as they are formed by hard igneous rocks.
4. Associated feature: The margins of a lava plateau gradually descend in the form of steps or stairs. So, the other name of the north-western part of the Deccan Plateau is Deccan Trap. (Here the word ‘trap’ means step or stair).

Question 7. What is a dissected plateau?
Answer:

Dissected plateau:

• Different exogenic forces like rivers, wind, glaciers etc. gradually erode the surface of old plateaus resulting in a decrease in their heights.
• The rivers, their tributaries and distributaries erode the plateau region along their valleys and divide it into many smaller parts.
• Thus, when an extensive plateau region gets divided into many narrow valleys, the whole plateau is called a dissected plateau.

Example: Chhotanagpur Plateau, Mysore Plateau of Karnataka etc.

Conceptual Questions on Climate and Vegetation in Plateau Regions 

Question 8. Why are plateau regions rich in minerals?
Answer:

Plateau regions rich in minerals:

The plateau regions are rich in minerals, because of the following reasons-

1. Plateaus are mostly formed of old igneous and metamorphic rocks. These rocks are rich in minerals and so are the plateaus.
2. Due to intense pressure and temperature, similar types of minerals become recrystallised during metamorphosis and some commercially useful minerals are formed. As the Chhotanagpur Plateau is rich in minerals, it is called the ‘Storehouse of Minerals’ in India.

WBBSE Class 7 Geography Chapter 4 Landforms Topic B Plateaus True Or False

Question 1. A plateau is also referred to as a tableland.
Answer: True

Question 2. The highest plateau in India is the Pamir Plateau.
Answer: True

Question 3. The Tibetan Plateau is an example of an intermontane plateau.
Answer: True

Question 4. Deccan Trap is an example of a lava plateau.
Answer: True

Question 5. The Arabian Plateau is an example of a continental plateau.
Answer: True

Question 6. Mining activities have developed in the plateau regions.
Answer: True

Question 7. Plateaus are generally over 600m high.
Answer: False

Question 8. Dissected plateaus are formed due to the continuous process of weathering and erosion.
Answer: True

Question 9. The plateau region of West Bengal is a part of the Malwa Plateau.
Answer: False

WBBSE Class 7 Geography Chapter 4 Landforms Topic B Plateaus Very Short Question And Answers

Question 1. What is a flat-topped highland with a steep slope known as?
Answer: Plateau.

Question 2. What is a tabular landform surrounded by mountains on all sides known as?
Answer: Intermontane plateau.

Question 3. Name the tabular landform located between the Himalayan range in the south and the Kunlun range in the north.
Answer: Tibetan  Plateau.

Question 4. What is the name given to a tabular landform that undergoes severe erosional activity for a long time, resulting in sharp relief and transforming into several hills?
Answer: Dissected plateau.

Question 5 Which exogenetic force acts the most to form dissected plateaus?
Answer: River.

Question 6 Which type of plateau forms due to volcanic eruption?
Answer: Lava plateau or volcanic plateau.

Question 7. Which is the largest plateau in India?
Answer: Deccan Plateau.

Question 8. Which is the highest plateau in India?
Answer: Ladakh Plateau.

Question 9. Which highland is known as the ‘Roof of the World’?
Answer: Pamir Plateau.

Question 10. Why is a plateau also called ‘tableland’? Or What is a tableland?
Answer:

As the top of a plateau is flat-like or a little wavy with steep slopes and resembles the shape of a table, a plateau is also referred to as a tableland.

WBBSE Class 7 Geography Chapter 4 Landforms Topic B Plateaus Short Question And Answers

Question 1. What is a plateau?
Answer:

Plateau:

An extensive landform which is more than 300 metres high, has steep slopes on all sides and has a flat or slightly wavy plane at the top is called a plateau.

Examples: Tibetan Plateau, Brazilian Plateau, and Chhotanagpur Plateau.

Question 2. What is a lava plateau?
Answer:

Lava plateau:

• Often magma from the interior of the Earth, emitted from any fissure or weak zone in the crust as a lava flow, gets deposited in layers on the Earth’s surface.
• These lava flows gradually cool down, accumulate, solidify and rise in height to form a lava plateau.

Example: Deccan Trap (the north-western part of the Deccan Plateau in India).

Question 3. What is a continental plateau?
Answer:

Continental plateau:

Sometimes due to the tectonic movement, old landmasses on the Earth’s surface separate from each other forming a continental plateau.

Example: Canadian Shield, Arabian Plateau.

Question 4. Briefly describe the Tibetan Plateau.
Answer:

Tibetan Plateau:

• The Tibetan Plateau is the largest intermontane plateau in the world. Its average height is around 3655 metres.
• This plateau is located in China and lies between the Himalayan and Kunlun mountain ranges.
• The plateau extends over an area of about 25 lakh square km.

Real-Life Scenarios Involving Ecosystems on Plateaus

Question 5. Give a brief description of the Pamir Plateau.
Answer:

Pamir Plateau:

• The Pamir Plateau is mostly situated in Tajikistan in Central Asia. This plateau has approximately flat top and vertical slopes all around. (i.e. resembles the shape of the roof of a house).
• The average height of this plateau is nearly 4873 metres. Pamir Plateau is also known as the ‘Roof of the World’ because it is the highest plateau in the world.

WBBSE Class 7 Geography Chapter 4 Landforms Topic B Plateaus Fill In The Blanks

Question 1. A plateau is also known as a ________.
Answer: Tableland

Question 2. The top of a plateau is ________.
Answer: Flat

Question 3. The largest intermontane plateau in the world is the ________ Plateau.
Answer: Tibetan

Question 4. ________ plateau is situated between Kunlun and the Himalayan mountain range.
Answer: Tibetan

Question 5. Greenland is occupied by ________ plateaus.
Answer: Continental

Question 6. Lava plateau is formed due to ________ eruption.
Answer: Fissure

Question 7. Malwa Plateau is a type of ________ plateau.
Answer: Volcanic

Question 8. The plateau which has been divided by several river valleys is called a ________ plateau.
Answer: Dissected

Question 9. The world’s largest plateau is the ________ Plateau.
Answer: Tibetan

Question 10. The ________ Plateau is also known as the ‘Roof of the World’
Answer: Pamir

WBBSE Class 7 Geography Chapter 4 Landforms Topic B Plateaus Match The Columns

Question 1.

Answer: 1. D, 2. C, 3. B, 4. A