6. Physical Geography of Tamil Nadu
I. Choose the correct answer.
1. The latitudinal extent of Tamil Nadu is ________.
a) 8°5′N to 13°35′N
b) 8°5′S to 13°35′S
c) 8°0′N to 13°5′N
d) 8°0′S to 13°05′S
Answer:a)8°5′Nto13°35′N
2. The longitudinal extent of Tamil Nadu is ________.
a) 76°18′ E to 80°20′E
b) 76°18′ W to 80°20′W
c) 86°18′ E to 10°20′E
d) 86°18′ W to 10°20′W
Answer:a)76°18′Eto80°20′E
3. The highest peak in Tamil Nadu is ________.
a) Anaimudi
b) Doddabetta
c) Mahendragiri
d) Servarayan
Answer: b) Doddabetta
4. Which of the following passes is not located in the Western Ghats of Tamil Nadu?
a) Palghat
b) Shencottah
c) Bhorghat
d) Achankoil
Answer: c) Bhorghat
5.Which one of the following rivers is flow into the Arabian sea?
a) Periyar
b) Cauvery
c) Chittar
d) Bhavani
Answer: b) Cauvery
6. The district with largest mangrove forest cover in Tamil Nadu is ________.
a) Ramanathapuram
b) Nagapattinam
c) Cuddalore
d) Theni
Answer: c) Cuddalore
7. Retreating monsoon wind picks up moisture from ________.
a) Arabian sea
b) Bay of Bengal
c) Indian Ocean
d) Timor sea
Answer: b) Bay of Bengal
8. Which of the following district is affected by sand dunes to a large extent?
a) Theni
b) Madurai
c) Thanjavur
d) Ramanathapuram
Answer: d) Ramanathapuram
9. The district which has the largest forest cover in Tamil Nadu is ________.
a) Dharmapuri
b) Vellore
c) Dindigul
d) Erode
Answer: a) Dharmapuri
II. Fill in the blanks.
1. The plateau which lies between the Nilgiris and Dharmapuri districts is ________.
Answer: Coimbatore Plageau
2. ________ is the highest peak in the southern most part of the Eastern Ghats.
Answer: Solaikaradu
3. The riverine Island of Srirangam is located between ________ and ________ branches of cauvery.
Answer: Cauvery and Kollidam
4. ________ is the Tamil Nadu state animal.
Answer: Tahr goat
III. Match the following.
1. Winter season – a) Pre-monsoon
2. Summer season – b) June to September
3. Southwest monsoon – c) March to May
4. North east monsoon – d) January and February
5. Mango Shower – e) October to December
Answer: 1.d 2.c 3.b 4.e 5. a
IV. Assertion type question.
1. Assertion (A) : Tamil Nadu does not receive much rainfall from southwest monsoon.
Reason (R) : It is situated in the rain shadow area of the Western Ghats.
a) Both (A) and (R) are true and (R) explains (A).
b) Both (A) and (R) are true but, (R) does not explain (A).
c) (A) is true but, (R) is false.
d) (R) is true but, (A) is false.
Answer: a) Both (A) and (R) are true and (R) explains (A).
V. Answer the following in brief.
1. State the boundaries of Tamil Nadu.
Tamil Nadu is bounded by-
.Bay of Bengal in the east,
.Kerala in the west,
.Andhra Pradesh in the north,
.Karnataka in the northwest and
.Indian Ocean in the south.
2. What is ‘Teri’?
The sand dunes formed along the coast of Ramanathapuram and Thoothukudi districts are called Teri.
3. How is coastal plain formed?
.Coastal plains of Tami Nadu are called Coromandel or Cholamandalam plain.
. It is formed by the rivers that flow towards East drain in the Bay of Bengal.
4. Name the major islands of Tamil Nadu.
The major islands of Tamil Nadu are
. Pamban
.Hare
. Krusadai
. Nallathanni Theevu
. Pullivasal
. Srirangam
. Upputanni
. Island Grounds
. Kattupalli Island
.Quibble Island and
.Vivekananda Rock Memorial
5. Name the tributaries of river Thamirabarani
The tributaries of river Thamirabarani are
.Karaiyar
.Servalar
. Manimuthar
. Gadananathi
.Pachaiyar
. Chittar and
. Ramanathi
6.Define:Disaster risk reduction.
.Disaster Risk Reduction is the concept and practice of reducing disaster risks through systematic efforts to analyse and reduce the causal factors of disasters.
.This includes reducing exposure to hazards, lessening the vulnerability of people and property, wise management of land and environment and improving preparedness and early warning for adverse events.
7.During cyclone,how does the Meteorological department warn the fishermen?
.During cyclone, the meter logical department warns the fishermen through mobile phone, radio, T.V and news paper not to go into sea.
.They also warns the fishermen to keep boats and rafts tied up safety and have a radio to get the information about the situation.
VII. Give Reasons for the following.
1. Eastern Ghats are not a continuous range.
It main tributaries are Karaiyar, Chittar, Servalar, Manimuthar, Gadananathi, Pachaiyar and Ramanathi. Eastern Ghats is a discontinuous and irregular one because it is dissected at many places by the rivers.
2. Tamil Nadu receives low rainfall during southwest monsoon.
. During the season of South-west monsoon, Tamil Nadu is located in the rain shadow region for the wind which blows from the Arabian Sea.
. As a result, Tamil Nadu receives only a meagre rainfall from this monsoon.
3. Cuddalore is a multiprone disaster zone.
. A sudden natural catastrophe that causes great damage or loss to lives and properties is called as disaster.
.Cuddalore is often affected by flood, cyclone earth quakes, tremors and tidal waves. So, it is a multiprone disaster zone.
VIII. Answer the following in a paragraph.
1. Describe the nature of the plateau region of Tamil Nadu.
Plateaus of Tamil Nadu are located between the Western Ghats and the Eastern Ghats. It is roughly Triangular in shape. Its height increases from East to West. This plateau is broader in the North and very narrow in the South.
Bharamahal Plateau:
. Brahmahal plateau is a part of the Mysore plateau situated in the North-western part of Tamil Nadu.
. Its height ranges from 350 to 710 metres.
. Dharmapuri and Krishnagiri district are located in this region.
Coimbatore Plateau:
. It lies between the Nilgiris and Dharmapuri districts.
.Its height varies from 150 to 450 metres.
. This region includes Salem, Coimbatore and Erode Districts.
. Moyar River separates this plateau from the Mysore plateau.
. Rivers like Bhavani, Noyyal and Amaravathi originate from Western Ghats and form valleys in this region.
Madurai Plateau:
. This plateau found in Madurai district and extends up to the foot hills of the Western Ghats.
. Vaigai and Thamirabarai basins are located in this zone.
2. Write an account on river Cauvery.
. The river Cauvery originates at Talacauvery in the Brahmagiri hills of Kodagu(coorg) district of Karnataka in the Western Ghats. It serves as the boundary between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu for a distance of 64 km.
. About 416 km of its course falls in Tamil Nadu. It forms Hogenakkal waterfalls in Dharmapuri district.
. Mettur Dam, also called as the Stanley Reservoir, is located across this river in Salem district.
.A tributary called Bhavani joins Cauvery on the right bank about 45 km from the Mettur Reservoir. Thereafter, it takes easterly course to enter into the plains of Tamil Nadu.
.Two more tributaries, Noyyal and Amaravathi, confluence the river on the right bank at Thirumukkudal, 10 km from Karur. The river is wider in this region where it is called as ‘Agandra Cauvery’.
. In Tiruchirappalli district, the river branches into two parts. The northern branch is called Coleroon or Kollidam and the southern branch remains Cauvery
. After flowing for about 16 km, the two branches join again to form the ‘Srirangam Island’.
. The Grand Anaicut, also called as Kallanai was built across the river Cauvery.
.After Kallanai, the river breaks into a large number of distributaries and forms a network all over the delta.
. The network of distributaries within the delta of Cauvery in the coast is called as the ‘Garden of Southern India’. It merges into Bay of Bengal to the south of Cuddalore.
3. Explain the characteristic features of summer and winter seasons of Tamil Nadu.
The state Tamil Nadu lies to the South of Tropic of Cancer which is near the Equator. The temperature of the state is relatively high throughout the year. The annual temperate ranges from 18°C to 43°C. The four seasons of Tamil Nadu are winter season, summer season, South-west monsoon and North-east monsoon.
Summer season:
. The apparent migration of the sun towards north during March, April and May results in the reception of vertical sun’s rays by South India. Thus, there is a steady rise in temperature from the equator.
. Tamil Nadu located to the south of Tropic of Cancer, experiences high temperature. Generally the temperature varies from 30°C to more than 40°C.
. During this season particularly in the month of May, southern part of the state receives some rainfall from pre-monsoon showers (Mango/Blossom showers) and some parts experience convectional rainfall.
Winter season:
. During January and February, the vertical rays of the sun fall between the Tropic of Capricorn and the Equator. Hence, Tamil Nadu and India on the whole receive slanting rays from the sun.
.The weather is slightly cooler during these months. Winter temperature in Tamil Nadu varies from 15°C to 25°C.
. In the hill stations, the winter temperature drops below 5°C occasionally. This drop in temperature leads to the formation of thick mist and frost. This season is practically dry.
4. Bring out the types and distribution of soils in Tamil Nadu.
Soil is the loose material mainly formed by the weathering and erosion of rocks. It forms an important element of agriculture. It provides essential minerals and nutrients for the growth of vegetation. Soil is one of the important non-renewable resources in the world. The soils in Tamil Nadu are broadly classified into five types according to their characteristics.
Alluvial soil:
. Alluvial soils are formed by the deposition of silt by the rivers.
. Paddy, sugarcane, banana and turmeric are cultivated in this soil.
.It is found in the river valley regions and the coastal plains of Tamil Nadu.
. Generally this type of soil is found in the districts of Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam, Villupuram, Cuddalore, Tirunelveli and Kanniyakumari.
Black Soil
.It is formed by the weathering of igneous rocks. It is also known as regur soil.
. Cotton, sorghum, cumbu and fodder crops are the major crops cultivated in the black soil regions of Tamil Nadu.
.Black soils are found extensively in the districts of Coimbatore, Madurai, Virudhunagar, Tirunelveli and Thoothukudi.
Red Soil
. Red soils cover over two-thirds of the total area of Tamil Nadu. They are found particularly in the central districts of the state.
.This soil is sandy and loamy in texture. The colour of the soil is due to the presence of high content of iron oxides.
. Paddy, ragi, tobacco and vegetables are the chief crops grown in this soil. Almost all types of crops can be grown in this soil.
.It is dominantly found in Sivagangai and Ramanathapuram districts.
Laterite Soil
.Laterite soils are found in some parts of Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur and Thanjavur districts and some patches over the mountainous region in the Nilgiris.
. Crops grown in this soil are paddy, ginger, pepper and plantains.
. It is also suitable for the cultivation of tea and coffee plants.
Saline Soil
.Saline soils in Tamil Nadu are confined to the Coromandel coast. Vedaranyam has a pocket of saline soil.
.The tsunami of 2004 brought a lot of sand and deposited it all along the East coast of Tamil Nadu. The tsunami made the coastal areas unsuitable for cultivation to a considerable extent.
5. What are the Risk reduction measures taken before and after cyclone.
The coastal regions of Tamil Nadu are often hit by the tropical cyclones formed in Bay of Bengal during North-east monsoon. Based on the cyclone hit areas, the state of Tamil Nadu can be divided into five zones namely very high, high medium, low and very low cyclone prone zones. We can see the risk reductions measures that are to be taken before and the after cyclone.
They are Before:
. Ignore rumours, stay calm, don’t be panic, keep you mobile phones charged to ensure connectivity, use sms, listen to radio, watch TV and read newspapers for weather updates.
. Keep your documents and valuables in water proof containers, prepare an emergency kit with essential items for survival, secure your house, carry out repairs, and don’t leave sharp objects loose.
. Untie cattle/animals for their safety.
. Fishermen should keep a radio set with extra batteries handy; keep boats and rafts tied up safely and don’t venture out in the sea.
After:
. Those who shifted to the cyclone centre must remain there till instructions are received: strictly avoid loose electrical wires after the cyclone
. Beware of snakes and other insects immediately after the cyclone,
. Clear debris and carcasses from/near the premise after the cyclone and
. Report losses truthfully and accurately to the authorities.
0 Comments