Chapter 2 Oceans and Continents Class 6 Social Science Exploring Society: India and Beyond NCERT Solutions
Chapter 2 Oceans and Continents NCERT Solutions Class 6 Social Science
Page No. 27The Big Questions
1. What are oceans and continents? What are their names and their distribution?
Answer
The Earth’s surface is divided into oceans and continents of which almost three-fourths is covered with water and 1/4th with land. 97% of this water is in Oceans.
Oceans are large bodies of saltwater that cover about 71 % of the Earth’s surface. Their name and distribution are as follows:
- The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest ocean, located between Asia, Australia, and the Americas.
- The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest ocean, between the Americas to the west and Europe and Africa to the east.
- The Indian Ocean is located between Africa, Asia, Australia, and the Indian subcontinent.:
- The Arctic Ocean is the smallest and shallowest ocean, located around the Arctic region, north of Europe, Asia, and North America.
- The Southern Ocean surrounds Antarctica and is the smallest of the five oceans.
Continents are large landmasses on Earth, each made up of countries, cities, and various natural features. Their name and distribution are as follows:
- Asia: It occupies about 1/3 rd of the Earth land area. It is separated from Europe by the Ural Mountains. Asia and Europe together are known as Eurasia. Asia is surrounded on three sides by oceans- Arctic (N) Pacific (E) & Indian (S).
- Africa: Three important latitudes pass through it – Tropic of Cancer, the Equator and Tropic of Capricorn. The Prime Meridian too passes through this landmass. Like Asia it is bound on three sides by water bodies. The Suez Canal separates Asia and Africa today.
- North America: North America is bound by three oceans -the Arctic(N),the Atlantic (E) and the Pacific oceans While earlier the Panama Isthmus joined N & S Americas today it separates them.
- South America: It too is surrounded by oceans on almost all sides— e.g. Pacific Ocean on the west side and Atlantic Ocean on the east, the Southern Ocean in the South.
- Antarctica: This continent lies to the extreme end of the Southern Hemisphere. The South Pole is almost at the centre. Its other names are frozen continent or the white continent as it is permanently covered with ice. Out of all the continents here people do not live on a permanent basis.
- Europe: It is joined to the continent of Asia. In the north it is bound by the Arctic Ocean, west by the Atlantic Ocean and south by the Mediterranean Sea.
- Australia: It is the smallest of the seven continents. It is bound on all sides by seas and oceans and thus also known as island continent.
2. In what ways do oceans and continents impact life on Earth, including human life?
Answer
The oceans and continents has great impact on Earth as well as on human beings in the following ways:
- Oceans help control the climate by spreading heat around the planet, making coastal areas warmer in winter and cooler in summer.
- They also provide homes for many sea creatures, like fish and whales, and produce a lot of the Earth’s oxygen through tiny plants called phytoplankton.
- Oceans are important for food, as many people eat fish and seafood, and they are used for shipping goods between countries, which helps businesses trade with each other.
- On the other hand, continents provide the land where people live and build cities. They have important natural resources, like minerals and fossil fuels, and fertile land for growing crops.
- Each continent has its own unique animals and plants, which add to the Earth’s biodiversity.
- Continents also influence cultures and ways of life, as different landscapes and climates shape how people live and work.
Page No. 29
Let's Explore
→ What are the circular lines in each map called? And do you know what the lines radiating out of the two poles are called?
(Hint: you studied them in the previous chapter, but here they are presented differently.)
Answer
The circular lines on a map are called lines of latitude. They run parallel to the Equator and help us measure how far north or south a place is from the Equator. For example, the Equator is at 0° latitude, while the poles are at 90° N or 90° S.
The lines radiating out from the two poles are called lines of longitude. These lines run from the North Pole to the South Pole and help us measure how far east or west a place is from the Prime Meridian. Longitude lines are like slices of an orange, stretching from one pole to the other.
→ Which hemisphere holds more water?
Answer
The Southern Hemisphere holds more water compared to the Northern Hemisphere. This is because the Southern Hemisphere has more oceanic area, with the vast Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian Oceans covering a significant portion of it. In contrast, the Northern Hemisphere has more landmasses and continents, which means it has less oceanic coverage.
→ What do you think could be the approximate proportion of water to land in the Northern Hemisphere? And in the Southern Hemisphere? Discuss in groups.
Answer
The Northern Hemisphere has a higher proportion Of land to water, while the Southern Hemisphere has a higher proportion of water to land.
Specifically,
- Northern Hemisphere: Approximately 61% water and 39% land.
- Southern Hemisphere: Approximately 81% water and 19% land.
→ Are all the oceans connected with one another, or are there separations between them?
Answer
Yes all the five Oceans are interconnected.
- Some are connected via the Arctic Ocean. Example: the narrow water body named. Berring Strait connects the Pacific and the Arctic Ocean.
- Still others are connected by the narrow gap between the land masses of South America and the Antarctica.
Page No. 31
→ If there is such abundance of water on the planet, why is there so much talk of 'water scarcity' or a 'water crisis'?
Answer
Despite the vast amount of water on Earth, most of it is in the oceans and is salty, making it unsuitable for drinking, agriculture, or most industrial uses. Only a small fraction of Earth's water is freshwater, which is found in glaciers, rivers, lakes, the atmosphere, and underground. This limited freshwater supply is unevenly distributed around the world, leading to water scarcity in many regions. Human activities, pollution, overuse, and climate change further exacerbate the availability of clean freshwater, causing water crises in various parts of the world.
→ What ways of saving water are you aware of? Which ones have you seen practised at home, at your school, and in your village, town or city?
Answer
Ways of Saving Water:
- Fixing Leaks
- Using Water-Efficient Fixture
- Rainwater Harvesting
- Watering Plants Wisely
- Shorter Showers
- Turning Off Taps
- Reusing Water
Practices Observed:
- At Home: Fixing leaks, using water-efficient fixtures, and turning off taps while not in use.
- At School: Educating students about water conservation, installing water-efficient fixtures, and using rainwater harvesting systems.
- In Town: Implementing water-saving regulations, promoting rainwater harvesting, and encouraging the use of water-efficient appliances and practices among residents.
Page No.32
→ Locate the five oceans and, in the table below, mark the hemisphere or hemispheres they belong to.
Answer
|
|
Northern Hemisphere |
Southern Hemisphere |
|
Pacific Ocean |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Atlantic Ocean |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Indian Ocean |
No |
Yes |
|
Southern Ocean |
No |
Yes |
|
Arctic Ocean |
Yes |
No |
Page No. 36
→ Counting the numbers of squares, name the largest continent and the smallest.
Answer
- Largest Continent: Asia
- Smallest Continent: Australia
→ Which one is larger — North America or South America? Africa or North America? Antarctica or Australia?
Answer
→ Re-colour the diagram by having a single colour for Europe and Asia and rename the result as ‘Eurasia’. Compare its size with South America’s.
Answer
- North America vs. South America: North America is larger.
- Africa vs. North America: Africa is larger.
- Antarctica vs. Australia: Antarctica is larger.
→ Write down the list of continents from the smallest to the largest.
Answer
The list of continents from the smallest to the largest:
- Australia
- Europe
- Antarctica
- South America
- North America
- Africa
- Asia
Page No. 39
Questions, activities and projects
1. Explain the following terms:
(a) Continent
(b) Ocean
(c) Island
Answer
(a) Continent: A continent is a large continuous expanse of land on Earth. There are seven commonly recognized continents: Africa, Antarctica, Asia, Australia, Europe, North America, and South America.
(b) Ocean: An ocean is a vast body of saltwater that covers almost three-fourths of the Earth's surface. The five major oceans are the Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, Arctic, and Southern Oceans.
(c) Island: An island is a smaller landmass completely surrounded by water. Islands can vary in size from small rocks to large landmasses like Greenland.
2. Let us draw – Without looking at the maps in this chapter, draw the continents free hand on a sheet of paper and colour them. Then compare your drawing with the map of oceans and continents in the chapter.
Answer
Free Hand-Drawn Map:
- Representation: Shows the seven continents with simple shapes and labels.
- Colours: Each continent is coloured differently.
- Detail: Basic and easy to understand.
3. Let us do – On the outline map of the world given below, label all the continents and oceans.
Answer
4. Solve this crossword
Across
1. Abundantly produced by the oceans
3. A large expanse of landmass
6. A large continent of which India is a part
8. A major source of pollution of the oceans
10. The coldest continent
Down
2. The largest island on Earth
4. A huge destructive wave from the ocean
5. The smallest continent
7. The largest body of water on the Earth
9. A landmass (but not a continent) surrounded by the sea or ocean
Answer
