Goenka & Associates Educational Trust

Vasant Vihar High School & Junior College

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I. Multiple Choice Questions:
1. Favourable conditions for the formation of laterite soil are:
(a) High temperature and heavy rainfall (b) Low temperature and heavy rainfall
(c) Low temperature and low rainfall (d) High temperature and low rainfall
2. There are two statements marked as Assertion (A) and Reason (R ).
Mark your answer as per the code given below.
(a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
(b) Both A and R are true, and R is not the correct explanation of A.
(c) A is true, and R is false.
(d) A is false, and R is true.
Assertion: In India we find a variety of soil.
Reason: India is a country of varied physical features. The factors responsible for soil formation include
parental material, climatic condition, the ,most important aspect of which is weathering, living organisms,
plants animals, surface relief and drainage.
3. Which of the following is not a cause of soil erosion?
(a)Overgrazing. (b)Drainage. (c) Deforestation. (d) Weathering.
4. Feel and consistency of the soil is called ___________ of the soil.
(a) Profile (b) Parent Rock (c) Texture (d) Density
5. Parent rocks of which type of soil are granite and gneisses?
(a) Red soil. (b) Regur soil. (c) Laterite soil. (d) Black soil.
6. Which of the following statements regarding Khadar is not correct?
(a)It is younger alluvium. (b) It is full of lime nodules.
(c ) It is formed of fine silt and clay. (d) It is very fertile and ideal for intensive cultivation.
7. Why are black soils ideal for growing cotton?
(a) They made of lava. (b) They are found in the plateau region.
(c) They are black in colour. (d) They can retain moisture for a long a long duration.
8. Which soils retains maximum water?
(a) Sandy soil (b) Clayey soil. (c) Loamy soil. (d) Mountain soil.
9. Which of the following is a technique of soil conservation?
(a) Contour ploughing. (b) Terrace farming. (c) Crop Rotation. (d)
All of these.
II. On an outline map of India.
(a) Mark one major area for each of the
following soils: alluvial soil, black soil,
laterite soil and red soil.
(b) A region rich in alluvial soil.
(c) Shade the area having black soil is the
western Madhya Pradesh.
(d) Mark a region having red soil in eastern
Rajasthan.
(e) Mark the type of soil found on the coastal
strip of Eastern Coast.
(f) Mark an area on the Western Coast having
laterite soil.
 III. i. Nathu, a farmer from Bihar, does not get good yields as the soil he tills is coarse and had a fair
proportion of kankars. Motilal, on the other hand, has his field closer to the river and gets better yields.
a. Identify the two soils that are being discussed in the above-mentioned paragraph. Ans. Bhangar and Khadar
respectively.
b. Give a possible reason why Motilal benefits from having his field along the riverbanks.
Ans. The Khada soil gets replenished every year and gets more fertile.
2. With reference to soil erosion on India answer the following questions.
a. State any two activities that have led to soil erosion in India.
Ans. Deforestation/mining/overgrazing/urbanisation/industrailisation/shifiting agriculture.
b. Mention any two innovative techniques that can help prevent soil erosion.
Ans. Crop rotation/ contour ploughing/strip cropping/ shelter belts.
3. With refence to Red soil answer the following questions.
a. How is it formed? Ans. Erosion and weathering of crystalline igneous and metamorphic rocks
b. Why is it good for Dry Farming? Ans. Porous/cannot hold moisture.
c. Name any two areas where it is found.
Ans. Parts of Odisha/Madhya Pradesh/Chhattisgarh /Jharkhand /Tamil Nadu/ Karnataka/ Meghalaya/
Manipur/ Nagaland/Mizoram.
4. Give reasons for the following statements:
a. Black Soil has self-ploughing properties.
Ans. Black Soil hardens and cracks when dry and helps in aeration of the soil naturally.
b. Laterite Soil is not suitable for cultivation.
Ans. Due to leaching, essential minerals of the topsoil percolates down the soil profile, making the top layer
infertile
c. Alluvial soils are extensively found in the northern plains.
Ans. The numerous rivers bring large amount of sediments and deposit them to form fertile plains.
IV. Name the following:
1. This soil is sticky when wet and cracks when dried. Ans. Black Soil
2. Soil mainly used for making bricks. Ans. Clayey Soil
3. This soil is classified into khadar and bhangra Ans. Alluvial soil
4. When heavy rainfall washes away the topmost layer of the soil Ans. Soil Erosion
5. Soil suitable for growing coffee in Karnataka. Ans. Laterite Soil
6. What is Paedogenesis? Ans. The process of soil formation.
7. Name the type of soil which is :
(i) Formed due to volcanic activity. (ii) Formed by decomposition of metamorphic rocks.
(iii) Formed as a result of leaching. (iv) Agriculturally most important.
Ans: (i) Black soil. (ii) Red soil (iii) Laterite soil. (iv) Alluvial soil.
8. Name the soil abundantly found in the following regions: (i) Chotta Nagpur Plateau (ii) Hills of Meghalaya
and Assam (iii) Delta of Godavari (iv) Deccan Plateau Area
Ans: (i) Red soil (ii) Laterite soil. (III) Alluvial soil (iv) Black soil
9. Name the soil which: (i) covers the summits of the Eastern Ghats. (ii) makes up the delta of the River
Ganga. (iii) is sticky when wet and cracks when dry.
Ans: (i) laterite (ii) alluvial (iii) black
10. Give a single word for each of the following:
(i) The loose rock material, together with humus, forming the uppermost layer of the earth’s crust and serving
a source of food and moisture for plants.
(ii) The process of percolation by which valuable mineral nutrients are washed down from the top layer of the
Soil only to deposit them in the lower layers, making the top Soil infertile.
Ans: (i) Soil (ii) Leaching
11. Name the transported Soil most widely found in India. State the two sub-categories into which it is
generally divided. What are their local names and which one of them is superior to the other.
Answer: Alluvial Soil; Older alluvium—Bhangar, Newer alluvium—Khadar. Khadar is superior to Bhangar.

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