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Solutions for Geography, Class 9, ICSE
Assertion (A): In the upper course the dominant activity of a river is erosion.
Reason (R): The river flows swiftly as the gradient is steep.
Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
Explanation — The upper course of a river generally lies in a hilly area and the river flows a considerable distance over a steep slope. Along its course, it erodes its bed and banks; and carries large boulders of rock with it. Under the impact of rush of water and the load the river carries, erosion action is swift and effective.
Assertion (A): River meanders are bends of longitudinal courses.
Reason (R): Meanders are the result of both erosion and deposition under conditions of a gentle slope and sufficient water in rivers.
Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
Explanation — Meanders are the result of both erosion and deposition work of rivers. Meanders generally form under conditions of a gentle slope and sufficient water in rivers. The river flow is diverted by an obstruction allowing the river to do lateral erosion work.
Assertion (A): In the lower course of the river all the ideal conditions for depositional landforms exist.
Reason (R): The load-transporting capacity is drastically reduced due to sluggish flow as well as division of a river into many distributaries.
Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
Explanation — The load-transporting capacity is drastically reduced due to sluggish flow as well as division of a river into many distributaries. This is why deposition becomes dominant in the lower course of the river.
Assertion (A): Barchan are moon-shaped live dunes.
Reason (R): The migration of the barchans is a threat to desert life.
Both A and R are true but R does not explain A.
Explanation — Barchans are moon-shaped live dunes which advance steadily before winds that blow from a particular direction. The migration of the barchans is a threat to desert life as they sometimes encroach on an oasis, burying palm trees or houses.
Complete the following table:
Stages | Effect on the river | Work of the river | Effect on land |
---|---|---|---|
Young Stage (Upper Course) | Formation of gorge, rapids and waterfalls. | Mainly erosion. | Formation of V-shaped valleys. |
Maturity Stage (Middle Course) | ............... | ............... | ............... |
Old Stage (Lower Course) | ............... | ............... | ............... |
Stages | Effect on the river | Work of the river | Effect on land |
---|---|---|---|
Young Stage (Upper Course) | Formation of gorge, rapids and waterfalls. | Mainly erosion. | Formation of V-shaped valleys and I-shaped valleys. |
Maturity Stage (Middle Course) | River gets widened due to volume of water and load | Erosion and transportation | Formation of meanders, oxbow lakes and floodplains. |
Old Stage (Lower Course) | River flow is sluggish and load-transporting capacity is drastically reduced | Mainly deposition | Formation of deltas. |
Some activities that could prevent and reverse desertification are:
The main function of a river in its upper course is erosion. It erodes its bed and banks and carries large boulders of rock with it.
The landforms formed in the upper course of a river are V-shaped valley and waterfall.
A waterfall is generally formed due to large differences in the rate of erosion. The water that falls down the edge of a hard resistant rock may have at the bottom a soft rock. It is this soft rock that gets eroded fast and creates a hollow basin called plunge pool.
Meanders generally form under conditions of a gentle slope and sufficient water in rivers. The river flow is diverted by an obstruction allowing the river to do lateral erosion work.
The Ganga in India is famous for its meanders.
Two characteristics of barchans are-
Weathering | Denudation |
---|---|
Weathering is the process of breaking down of rocks but not its removal. | Denudation is the process of breaking and removing the rocks from the surface of the earth. |
It is only a part of denudation cycle. | It includes weathering, erosion, mass movement and transportation. |
Weathering is a short-term process. | Denudation is a long-term process. |
The main agents of weathering are temperature, moisture, frost action, wind, oxygen, organic acids etc. | The four active agents of denudation are water, wind, waves and glacial ice. |
The various processes involved in denudation are-
The results of denudation are the formation of erosional or depositional landforms on the surface of the earth.
(i) Erosion is the dominant activity of a river in its upper course because at this stage, the river flows swiftly, for the gradients are steep. Under the impact of rush of water and the load the river carries, erosion action is swift and effective.
(ii) Landforms of deposition are more prominent in the middle course of a river because at this stage, the gradient is reduced and the river flows more slowly. The energy required to transport the materials is just enough to drag large particles and the lateral cutting is more active than down cutting.
(iii) All the rivers do not form deltas because there are certain conditions for the formation of deltas, which include nearly calm sheltered sea, large amount of sediment supply and a reasonable size of the river.
Wind picks up loose debris like sand and pebbles and transports as well as deposits them in another location. Wind can lift and carry sand grains away. When the speed of wind slows down, the sediments brought by the wind begin to drop on the ground. This process continues and forms various landforms on the surface of the earth.
Two important landforms of wind erosion are deflation hollows and sand dunes.
The factors which affect the work of a river are-
1. Velocity of water — Erosion and transportation are both maximum when the velocity of water is high. Deposition takes place when the velocity of water is low.
2. Volume of water — The larger the volume of water, the greater is the power of erosion and transportation. Deposition takes place better when there is reduced volume of water and when the load is greater.
3. Load — The load of the river does all the work of erosion and deposition. Mass wasting, deepening of river valleys and formation of landforms depend on the load a river carries.
The three stages of a river are-
(i) The effects of wind erosion are more pronounced in desert areas since there is little vegetation or moisture to bind the loose surface materials.
(ii) Migratory sand dunes are uncertain and dangerous because when they migrate with the wind, they damage towns and villages.
(iii) Long rooted trees and sand holding grasses are grown bordering fields near deserts to halt the advance of the dunes in order to prevent the fertile land from being devastated.
The factors on which the shape and size of dunes depend are:
Given below is a photograph of Purwa Waterfall on the River Tamsa in Madhya Pradesh. Answer the following questions:
(a) What stage is the River Tamsa to cause formation of this waterfall? Give reasons to support your answer.
(b) What other landforms would a river make in this stage?
(c) What landforms would the River Tamsa make in the next stage of its flow?
(d) Besides being a tourist attraction waterfalls are important sources of energy. Elucidate.
The River Tamsa in Madhya Pradesh is in its youthful stage (also called the upper course). This is due to following reasons:
Presence of Waterfalls (like Purva Falls): Waterfalls are classic features of a youthful river stage, where the river flows over a steep slope or escarpment. The Purva Falls are formed as the River Tamsa descends over the Rewa Plateau, which is an elevated region.
Steep Gradient: In the upper course, rivers have a high gradient, causing rapid flow and vertical erosion, which leads to the formation of waterfalls and gorges.
Vertical Erosion Dominates: The river cuts downwards more than sideways, creating sharp features like rapids and waterfalls.
Therefore, the formation of Purva Falls by Tamsa river is a characteristic of its youthful stage, marked by steep gradients, vertical erosion, and the presence of waterfalls.
(b) Other landforms (apart from Waterfalls) formed during the youthful stage are —
(c) River Tamsa would form the following landforms in the next stage, i.e., mature stage (or middle course) —
(d) Waterfalls are important sources of energy because the falling water possesses great potential and kinetic energy, which can be harnessed to generate hydroelectric power (HEP). When water falls from a height, it drives turbines connected to generators, producing clean and renewable electricity. This makes waterfalls valuable for sustainable energy production, especially in hilly and mountainous regions.
Denudation, weathering, and erosion are three processes that work together to shape the Earth's surface. Weathering refers to the disintegration of rocks by atmospheric agents at or near the surface of the earth. It prepares them for further erosion. For example, in mechanical weathering rocks are disintegrated into blocks, pieces or fragments which can be eroded easily.
Erosion is the displacement of rock and soil from one place to another by natural agents such as wind, water, and ice. For example, water erosion can create channels and gullies in the landscape, carrying sediment downstream and depositing it in new locations to form deltas.
Denudation is the process of breaking and removing the rocks from the surface of the earth, which includes both weathering and erosion. It can lead to the formation of new landscapes and landforms, such as canyons and valleys. For example, the Grand Canyon in the United States was formed over millions of years through the combined processes of weathering and erosion. Together, these processes shape the Earth's surface over time.
While travelling from Haridwar to Prayagraj, I followed the course of Ganga river.
The landform associated with Ganga river along the course I followed are meanders.