WBBSE Class 6 Geography Solutions Chapter 11 Maps

Detailed explanations in West Bengal Board Class 6 Geography Book Solutions Chapter 11 Maps offer valuable context and analysis.

WBBSE Class 6 Geography Chapter 11 Question Answer – Maps

Look above that there is a scale drawn on the right side of the map. One can get answers to all questions from this scale. How?

Question 1.
What is the distance of the school from Subho’s house?
Answer:
Measure the distances in centimetre PQ, QR and RS by scale. The total distance is 8cm. The scale of the map is given as 1cm to 100 metre. Then the actual distance is 8 x 100 or 800 metre. So the distance between ‘A’ and ‘B’ is 1cm, then actual distance between them is (1 x 100 x m)=100m.

Now distance between B to C=5 cm, then actual distance between them is (5 x 100m) = m. and distance on map between C to D is 2 cm and then actual distance between them (2 x 100x m)=200 x m. The total distance from Subho’s house to school is (100 m+500 m+200 m) = 800 metre.

Question 2.
Try to understand and solve the following chart’s question marked.

Distance on map	Distance on ground	Scale = \(\frac{map distance}{ground distance}\)
5cm	25km	1cm=5 km
10cm	100 km	(a) ?
2cm	(b) ?	1cm=30m

Answer:

Give a single technical term for the following : (1 mark each)

Question 1.
The science of map making.
Answer:
Cartography

Question 2.
Numbers and letters given to the network of lines on a map.
Answer:
Grid

Question 3.
The four directions of the compass – north, south, east and west.
Answer:
Cardinal directions

Question 4.
A straight line, drawn to scale, divided in terms of distances on the earth.
Answer:
Linear Scale

Question 5.
Map showing mountains, plateaus, plains, rivers etc, of an area.
Answer:
Physical Map

Question 6.
A collection of maps bound into a book.
Answer:
Atlas

Question 7.
The most important tool in the study of geography.
Answer:
Map

Question 8.
The instrument used to find directions on the earth.
Answer:
Compass

Answer the following questions briefly: (2 mark each)

Question 1.
What are the five components of a map?
Answer:
Title, Direction, Scale, Legend or Key and Grid Systems are the five components of a map.

Question 2.
What are the four cardinal directions ?
Answer:
North, South, East and West.

Question 3.
What is map?
Answer:
Map is a flat, symbolic representation of the earth or a part of the earth’s surface.

Question 4.
What is cartography?
Answer:
The science of map making is called cartography.

Question 5.
What is globe?
Answer:
Globe is a very small, but true model of our earth. Earth is really 30 to 40 million times bigger than the globe in your classroom. Globe is shaped exactly like the earth-like a ball or sphere.

Question 6.
What do you mean by political map?
Answer:
Political map gives information about country, state, country boundaries etc.

Question 7.
What is sketch?
Answer:
A sketch is a rough drawing based on memory and spot observation and not to scale.

Question 8.
What is a plan?
Answer:
A drawing of a small area on a large scale is called a plan.

Answer the following questions briefly: (3 mark each)

Question 1.
Why are maps more useful than a globe?
Or
what are the advantages of maps?
Answer:

• The whole earth cannot be studied at a time from a globe.
• Globes do not show a large number of details, which can be shown on maps.
• Distance cannot be measured on a globe because it is a curved surface.
• A comparative study of two areas is not possible on a globe.
• Maps can easily be handled.
• Maps can easily be incorporated in books or bound in Atlases.
• Maps can be drawn to any scale.

Question 2.
Define the term ‘scale’.
Answer:
Scale is a map-land ratio. Map distance and ground distance always bear a ratio. Scale is a ratio in which distance between two points on a map bears the actual distance between the corresponding (same) points on the ground.

Question 3.
What is the necessity of ‘scale’?
Answer:

• Scale is the most important and essential thing of a map. Without a scale, we have only a sketch or a diagram and not a geographic map.
• It is necessary to draw a scale to show the relative position of different places on the map.
• Every map has a definite ratio to the Earth. It is not possible to make the map of the same size because 25,000 miles or 40,000 km of paper will be required to draw the equator.
• Maps are generally reduced in size. They are said to be drawn to scale. Thus, scale is a necessity in drawing a map.

Question 4.
Distinguish between a map and a plan.
Answer:
Plans are drawn on large scale. Plan shows details of a small area. It is true to scale and shows correct direction. Whereas a map is drawn on a small scale. It shows important features of a large area. A map shows continents or countries, while a plan is used for showing buildings, schools, play grounds etc.

Question 5.
Which map provides detail information?
Answer:
Large scale maps are larger in size. Small areas are shown on large maps. The scale is generally 6: 1 mile. These show man made and natural features with the help of symbols.

Identify the correct answers (MCQ): (1 mark each)

Question 1.
An accurate representation of the earth as a whole is made by……..
a. a map
b. a globe
c. a plan
d. a sketch
Answer:
b. a globe

Question 2.
The drawing of the whole or part of the earth’s surface on a sheet of paper is called a ……..
a. globe
b. sketch
c. painting
d. map
Answer:
d. map

Question 3.
Maps showing different states and countries of the world with their boundaries are called ……..
a. Physical Map
b. Relief Map
c. Political Map
d. Thematic Map
Answer:
c. Political Map

Question 4.
Which of the following is not drawn to scale?
a. a sketch
b. a plan
c. a map
d. a globe
Answer:
a. a sketch

Question 5.
The Latin word ‘mappa’ means ……………
a. cloth or napkin
b. book or paper weight
c. pencil or scale
d. paper or ink
Answer:
a. cloth or napkin

Question 6.
The science of map making is called ……………..
a. Geography
b. Cartography
c. Oceanography
d. Calligraphy
Answer:
b. Cartography

Fill in the blanks with the correct words: (1 mark each)

1. A …………. is a person who draws maps.
Answer: Cartographer

2. The map projection that is chiefly used for maps of the world, was first made in 1569 by a Dutchman called………….
Answer: Gerardus Mercator

3. If the north line is not shown, north is usually is the …………. of the map.
Answer: Top

4. …………. scale maps show the countries of the world.
Answer: Small

5. The blue colour is used in map for showing ………….
Answer: water bodies

6. A …………. is an approximate representation of the earth.
Answer: globe

If the sentence is true, write ‘T’ and if false write ‘F’ against the following. (1 mark each)

1. Distances are measured from a map using the scale of the map.
Answer: True

2. Plans are drawn on a smaller scale than maps.
Answer: False

3. Maps of the world are more accurate than globes.
Answer: False

4. Maps are more commonly used than globes.
Answer: True

5. An ‘Atlas’ is a book that contains maps of different parts of the world.
Answer: True

6. A sketch is always drawn with the help of a scale.
Answer: False

7. The science of map making is called topography.
Answer: False

8. The bottom of the map is taken as the west.
Answer False

9. A small-scale map represents small areas of the earth.
Answer: False

10. The larger area covered by a map, may distorted also.
Answer: True

11. The meaning of the symbols used on a map is called legend.
Answer: True

Maps Class 9 WBBSE Notes

Map : A map is a representation or a drawing of the earth’s surface or a part of it drawn on a flat surface according to scale.

Types of Map : Maps are of various types. Some of them are the following

• Physical Maps-These maps focus on natural features of the earth such as mountains, plateaus, plains, oceans, forest, rivers etc.
• Political Maps-Maps focusing on villages, towns and cities and different countries and states of the world with their boundaries are known as political maps.
• Thematic Maps-Thematic maps are of various types such as road maps, rainfall maps, maps showing distribution of forests, industries etc. These maps focus on some specific information.

Components of Maps : Distance, direction and symbol scale, are the three components of maps.

Scale of Maps : On most maps, everything is shrunk, or scaled down. To understand a map. There are three common types of scales-

• Verbal statement,
• Linear scale and
• Representative Fraction (R. F.).

Maps according to scale : Small scale Map and Large Scale Map.

Introduction: The Earth is a sphere, rather like a ball, but flattened at the poles. The most accurate model of the Earth is a globe. However, the earliest maps were drawn on flat surfaces because people then thought that the earth was flat, with sides and corners.

The word ‘map’ comes from the Latin word ‘mappa’ meaning cloth as many of the earliest maps were drawn on skins, parchment and cloth. The globes are not so easy to carry. Moreover, landforms, roads, railways, towns and villages etc. cannot be properly drawn.

Definition of Map :

A map is a flat, symbolic representation of the earth or a part of the earth’s surface according to the scale. Maps represent the whole or part of the earth’s surface on flat surface according to the scale. As it is quite impossible to flatten a round shape completely, so the northern and southern portions of the earth are stretched which results in distortion in representing large areas on maps.

Therefore, maps do not represent the earth’s surface as accurately as globes but they cannot replace maps, because maps show selected features such as landforms, railways, roadways, etc., clearly. Moreover, a map is a pictorial representation of a small or big area on a plane surface.

Advantages of Maps :

Maps have special advantages of their own. Advantages of maps are-

• They can be carried and handled easily.
• Such features as landforms, roads, railways, towns and villages, etc. can better be shown on maps as compared to a globe.
• A map is a pictorial representation of a small or big area on a plane “surface”.
• Only a map is an accurate representation or a drawing of the earth’s surface or a part of it.

Types of maps : There are several types of maps.

1. Political Maps : Maps showing different states and countries of the world with their boundaries are called Political Maps.

2. Physical Maps : Maps showing mountains, plains, plateaus, rivers and oceans etc., are called Physical Maps.

3. Thematic Mans Maps showing selected features of an area such as weather conditions, density of population, vegetation, roads and railways, etc., are called Thematic Maps.

Facts about Map:

The word ‘Map’ has come from the Latin word mappa meaning cloth as many of the earliest maps were drawn on skins, parchment and cloth. The most ancient map of earth was discovered in Babylon. This map was drawn on a terracotta plaque in 5th century BCE.

The most famous ancient maps of the world were made in the second century A.D. by the Greek scholar, Claudius Ptolemy. He based his drawings on mathematical calculations, along with information provided by sailors and explorers. In the 16th century (1578) geographer Mercator published the first book on maps. He titled it ‘Atlas’ after the Greek God ‘Atlas’. In present times too, a book of various maps is known as ‘Atlas’.

Globe and Map are keys in learning geography. Even though the globe is a small model of the earth, it is not possible to get much information about any country or continent and it is difficult to carry a globe to all places. An easier way to get information about the earth is the map. But it is difficult to draw a curved surface or round earth on a flat surface of a paper.

Maps represent the whole or part of the earth’s surface on a flat surface according to the scale.

1. The science of map-making is called cartography. A map projection is the way in which cartographers show the curved surface of the earth on a flat map. One of the projection we see very often is that mode in 1569 by the Dutchman Gerardus Mercator.

However, it is impossible to draw a round earth on a flat surface. Reproducing the spherical surface on a flat piece of paper is a major challenge for cartographers. Every map has some distortion. A map can retain either the correct size of the countries or the correct shapes of very small areas, but not both at the same time. The larger area covered by a map may distorted also.

Basic Elements of a Map

The five basic parts or elements of a map which form important sources of information are the title, directions, scale, legend and grid system.

1. Title : All maps should have a title which tells the reader what the map is about.
Example : Physical map of India.

2. Direction :
Most maps show direction with an arrow that points to the direction of the north called a north line. Directions are always measured from North. The four directions such as North, South, East, West are called Cardinal directions.

They are shown on the maps by arrows with letters N,S,E,W etc. Generally the top of the map shows the North. Besides these, we also have intermediate directions such as North-East, North-West, South-East and South-West which is indicated by the north-south line on the map. If the north line is not shown, we presume that north is in the top of the map.

3. Scale: Maps represent the part of the earth’s surface according to the scale which represents the ratio or proportion between the distances on the map and the actual distances on the ground. The scale of a map may be indicated by a simple statement method such as 1 Centimetre to 1 Kilometre. The scale may be shown by a straight line, This is called the linear scale.

Another method of representing a scale on a map is by a Representation Fraction, e.g. 1 : 10,00,000 or \(\frac{1}{10,00,000}\) which means 1cm on a map indicates 10,00,000cm on the ground.

4. Conventional signs or symbols or Legend :
Conventional signs or symbols in different colours are used to indicate a lot of information about physical and cultural features of the area. The use of symbols makes the map clearer and easier to read. Sometimes, colours are also used to show certain physical features in Atlas Maps. It is called Layer colouring Method.

5. Grid System : A grid is a set of lines used to find the exact locations of places on a map. Most maps use the latitude and longitude system, called the geographic grid to find places. Some signs and symbols are used when we draw a big area in a small space in the map.

Small Scale Map : Maps that represent large regions or areas (e.g. Earth, Continents and Countries) of the earth are called small scale maps. An atlas is an example of a small scale map as it shows large areas like continents and countries. Here 1cm in the map distance =250km on the ground distance. One does not get much information from a small scale map.

Large scale map : Maps which show small regions or areas (village or city maps) are called large scale maps. Here 1cm in the map distance = 2km on the ground distance. One gets detailed information from a large scale map.