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Students who are looking to revise the NCERT solutions for Class 11 Geography Chapter 2: Structure and Physiography can use this guide to revise the questions and answers. These solutions provide clear answers to all questions from this chapter from the textbook India Physical Environment. This chapter explores India’s geological structure, major physiographic divisions including the Himalayas and other mountains, the Peninsular Plateau, the Indo-Gangetic Plain, the coastal plains, and the island groups, highlighting their formation, features, and significance. You can also download the free PDF to revise the key concepts of this chapter anytime.
Explore Notes of Class 11 India Physical Environment
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NCERT Solutions Class 11 Geography India Physical Environment Chapter 2: Structure and Physiography
These NCERT solutions for Class 11 Geography Chapter 2 will help you understand the questions and answers. Regular revision of these concepts will boost your preparation for the exam.
1. Multiple Choice Questions
(i) Which one of the water bodies separates the Andaman from the Nicobar?
(a) 11° Channel
(b) Gulf of Mannar
(c) 10° Channel
(d) Andaman Sea
Answer:
(c) 10° Channel: The 10° Channel, also known as the Ten Degree Channel, separates the Andaman Islands in the north from the Nicobar Islands in the south in the Bay of Bengal island group.
(ii) On which of the following hill range is the ‘Dodabeta’ peak situated?
(a) Nilgiri hills
(b) Anaimalai hills
(c) Cardamom hills
(d) Nallamala hills
Answer:
(a) Nilgiri hills: Dodabetta, at 2,637 meters, is the highest peak in the Nilgiri hills of the southern Peninsular Plateau, located in Tamil Nadu and known for its scenic views and biodiversity.
2. Answer the Following Questions in About 30 Words
(i) If a person is to travel to Lakshadweep, from which coastal plain does he prefer and why?
Solutions: A person would prefer the western coastal plain, specifically the Malabar coast in Kerala, as the Lakshadweep islands lie 280-480 km offshore from Kerala, offering the nearest ports like Cochin for ferry or air travel, making access convenient.
(ii) Where in India will you find a cold desert? Name some important ranges of this region.
Solutions: India’s cold desert is located in Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir. Important ranges in this region include the Karakoram, Ladakh, and Zaskar ranges, characterised by high altitudes, extreme cold, and sparse vegetation.
(iii) Why is the western coastal plain is devoid of any delta?
Solutions: The western coastal plain lacks deltas because the rivers originating from the Western Ghats are short, swift-flowing, and have steep gradients, leading to rapid erosion rather than sediment deposition needed for delta formation.
3. Answer the Following Questions in About 150 Words
(i) Make a comparison of the island groups of the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal.
Solutions: The island groups in the Arabian Sea (Lakshadweep) and the Bay of Bengal (Andaman and Nicobar) exhibit distinct differences in origin, size, location, and features. Lakshadweep, located between 8°N-12°N and 71°E-74°E, consists of 36 small coral atolls and islands, about 280-480 km off the Kerala coast, with a total area of around 32 sq km and Minicoy as the largest island (4.53 sq km). They are built entirely of coral deposits, divided by the Eleventh Degree Channel, and feature storm beaches with pebbles and boulders on the eastern side, supporting coconut cultivation and fishing.
In contrast, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, spanning 6°N-14°N and 92°E-94°E, comprise 572 larger islands and islets, representing elevated submarine mountains with some volcanic activity, such as Barren Island, India’s only active volcano. Separated by the Ten Degree Channel, they receive convectional rainfall, host equatorial vegetation, mangroves, and diverse biodiversity, and are strategically important for defence. While Lakshadweep is smaller, coral-dominated, and focused on marine resources, Andaman and Nicobar are geologically diverse, larger, and ecologically richer, influencing India’s maritime boundaries and trade routes.
(ii) What are the important geomorphological features found in the river valley plains?
Solutions: River valley plains, such as the Indo-Gangetic Plain, are characterised by depositional landforms created by alluvial sediments from rivers. Key features include the Bhabhar, a narrow 8-10 km belt of porous pebbles and boulders at the Himalayan foothills, where rivers disappear underground due to high permeability. Southwards lies the Tarai, a 10-20 km marshy, swampy zone with re-emerging streams, dense forests, and rich wildlife, ideal for agriculture but prone to floods.
The main alluvial plains are divided into Bhangar (older alluvium on higher ground, containing calcareous nodules called ‘kankar,’ less fertile but stable) and Khadar (newer alluvium in floodplains, annually renewed by floods, highly fertile for intensive cropping like rice and wheat). Other features encompass meandering rivers forming oxbow lakes, braided channels, levees, and floodplains. These plains, with alluvium depths of 1,000-2,000 m, support dense populations through agriculture, but face issues like flooding and soil erosion. Overall, these features result from the mature stage of rivers, promoting fertile soils and economic activities across northern India.
(iii) If you move from Badrinath to the Sunderbans delta along the course of the river Ganga, what major geomorphological features will you come across?
Solutions: Travelling along the Ganga from Badrinath to the Sunderbans delta reveals a progression of geomorphological features from erosional to depositional landscapes. At Badrinath in the Uttarakhand Himalayas, the river’s youthful stage features deep gorges, V-shaped valleys, rapids, and waterfalls carved into the young, folded mountains, with steep gradients causing vertical erosion.
Entering the Himachal-Uttarakhand Himalayas, one encounters longitudinal valleys (duns) like Dehra Dun, pilgrimage sites, and confluences (prayags) where tributaries join, forming broader valleys. Descending into the Indo-Gangetic Plain, depositional features dominate: the Bhabar belt with disappearing streams, the marshy Tarai with swamps and wildlife, and the vast alluvial plains comprising Bhangar (older, elevated alluvium with kankar) and Khadar (newer, fertile floodplains). Here, the river meanders, creates oxbow lakes, and forms braided channels across the flat terrain.
Approaching the Sunderbans in West Bengal, the deltaic region showcases extensive deltas with distributaries like the Hooghly, tidal mudflats, mangrove forests (the world’s largest), estuaries, and islands formed by sediment deposition at the Bay of Bengal. This journey highlights the Ganga’s transition from Himalayan erosion to plain deposition, influencing agriculture, biodiversity, and human settlements.
Download NCERT Solutions Class 11 Geography India Physical Environment Chapter 2: Structure and Physiography
Download the free PDF of these solutions to study key concepts in simple language and prepare effectively for your exams.
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