NCERT Book Class 6 Social Science (Geography) Chapter 5 Major Domains of the Earth

5
MAJOR DOMAINS OF THE EARTH

As you have read in the first chapter, the earth is the
only planet which has life. Human beings can live here
because the life sustaining elements of land, water and
air are present on the earth.
The surface of the earth is a complex zone in which
three main components of the environment meet,
overlap and interact. The solid portion of the earth on
which we live is called the Lithosphere. The gaseous
layers that surround the earth, is the Atmosphere,
Word Origin where oxygen, nitrogen, carbondioxide and other gases
In the Greek are found. Water covers a very big area of the earth’s
language, Lithos surface and this area is called the Hydrosphere. The
means Stone; Atmos Hydrosphere comprises water in all its forms, that is,
means Vapour; ice, water and water vapour.
Hudor means Water; The Biosphere is the narrow zone where we find
and Bios means Life. land, water and air together, which contains all forms
Can you make words using of life.
the above?
LITHOSPHERE
The solid portion of the earth is called the Lithosphere.
It comprises the rocks of the earth’s crust and the thin
layers of soil that contain nutrient elements which
sustain organisms.
There are two main divisions of the earth’s surface.
The large landmasses are known as the continents
and the huge water bodies are called the ocean basins.
All the oceans of the world are connected with one
another. Look at the map of the world (Figure 5.1). Are
all the land masses connected with one another?
The level of seawater remains the same everywhere.
Elevation of land is measured from the level of the sea,
which is taken as zero.