Chapter 2: ‘Oceans and Continents’ Questions and Answers – Class 6 NCERT Social Science

Ocean and Continents is chapter 2 in the NCERT class 6 social Science Textbook. Here you would get answers to various intext-questions and the chapter end exercises. Click here for more resources on Class 6 Social Science.

Intext-Questions & Answers

Intext questions are questions embedded within the text of a chapter or section, given in the NCERT textbooks. They are designed to test understanding and reinforce learning as you read through the material.

LET’S EXPLORE – (Page 29)

1. 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.)
2. Which hemisphere holds more water?
3. 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.
4. Are all the oceans connected with one another, or are there separations between them?

Answers:

Ans. 1: The circular lines are called latitude lines, which run parallel to the equator.
The lines radiating out from the poles are called longitude lines or meridians, which converge at the North and South Poles.

Ans.2. The Southern Hemisphere holds more water compared to the Northern Hemisphere. It has more oceans, while the Northern Hemisphere contains more landmasses.

Ans.3. In the Northern Hemisphere, the proportion of water to land is roughly 40% water and 60% land.
In the Southern Hemisphere, it is estimated to be 80% water and 20% land.

Ans.4. Yes, all the oceans are connected with one another. Although they have different names (Atlantic, Pacific, Indian, etc.), they form one continuous body of water.

THINK ABOUT IT (Page 31)

1. If there is such abundance of water on the planet, why is there so much talk of ‘water scarcity’ or a ‘water crisis’?

Ans. Although Earth has a vast amount of water, 97% of it is saline (saltwater), which is not drinkable by humans or suitable for agriculture. Only 3% of Earth’s water is freshwater, and even less is easily accessible for human use (rivers, lakes, groundwater). Increasing population, pollution, and unequal distribution of freshwater contribute to water scarcity.

2. What ways of saving water are you aware of? Which ones have you seen practiced at home, at your school, and in your village, town, or city?

Ans. I know about following ways of water saving:

• Fixing leaks in taps and pipes.
• Turning off taps while brushing teeth or washing dishes.
• Using buckets instead of hoses for washing cars or watering plants.
• Reusing water for gardening (greywater).
• Practicing rainwater harvesting in homes or schools.
• Educating others on water conservation techniques.

3. LET’S EXPLORE – (Page 32)

Answer: Locating the five oceans and marking whether each ocean belongs to the Northern Hemisphere, Southern Hemisphere, or both.

LET’S EXPLORE – Crossword Puzzle (Page 36)

1. Counting the numbers of squares, name the largest continent and the smallest.
2. Which one is larger — North America or South America? Africa or North America? Antarctica or Australia?
3. 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.
4. Write down the list of continents from the smallest to the largest.

Answer: Solving questions based on the diagram (Page 36):

1. Largest and Smallest Continent by Square Count:
   • Asia is the largest continent.
   • Australia is the smallest continent.
2. Comparison of Continent Sizes:
   • North America is larger than South America.
   • Africa is larger than North America.
   • Antarctica is larger than Australia.
3. Eurasia Size Comparison:
   • If Europe and Asia are combined into Eurasia, it becomes much larger than South America.
4. List of Continents by Size (Smallest to Largest):
   • Australia (smallest)
   • Europe
   • Antarctica
   • South America
   • North America
   • Africa
   • Asia (largest)

Textbook Questions and Answers to Chapter End Exercises

Questions, activities and projects

1. Explain the following terms:
   (a) Continent
   (b) Ocean
   (c) Island
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.
3. Let us do – On the outline map of the world given below, label all the continents and oceans.

Answers:

Ans. 1. Explanation of Terms:

(a) Continent:
A continent is a large, continuous mass of land. Earth is divided into seven major continents: Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Antarctica, Europe, and Australia. Each continent contains several countries and different types of landscapes such as mountains, rivers, and forests. Continents are separated by oceans and seas.

(b) Ocean:
An ocean is a vast body of saltwater that covers approximately 71% of Earth’s surface. There are five oceans on Earth: the Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, Southern (or Antarctic) Ocean, and Arctic Ocean. Oceans regulate Earth’s climate, produce oxygen, and are home to a rich diversity of marine life.

(c) Island:
An island is a small piece of land that is completely surrounded by water. Islands can vary in size from small, uninhabited pieces of land to larger regions with cities and towns. Greenland is the world’s largest island, while countries like Japan and the Philippines are made up of multiple islands.

Ans. 2. Attempt yourself

Ans.3. The world map labelled with continents is given below:

4. Solve this crossword

Answer.4: Solving the Crossword puzzle:

Across:

1. Salt (Abundantly produced by the oceans)
2. Continent (A large expanse of landmass)
3. Asia (A large continent of which India is a part)
4. Plastic (A major source of pollution of the oceans)
5. Antarctica (The coldest continent)

Down:

2. Greenland (The largest island on Earth)
3. Tsunami (A huge destructive wave from the ocean)
4. Australia (The smallest continent)
5. Pacific (The largest body of water on the Earth)
6. Island (A landmass surrounded by the sea or ocean)