Chapter
- 8
Journey to the End of the Earth Tishani
Doshi
Short Question Answers
Q. 1. What is phytoplankton?
Ans – Microscopic grasses of the sea that nourish and sustain
the entire southern ocean food chain is called phytoplankton.
Q. 2. How were the Himalayas formed according to the
author?
Ans –The Himalayas were formed by a break in the Gondwana
supercontinent.
Q. 3. What does the author compare stretching and sunning
of crab eater seals too?
Ans – Author compares stretching and sunning of crab of
eater seals to stray dogs.
Q. 4. Why is phytoplankton necessary for the survival of
biodiversity in Antarctica?
Ans – Phytoplankton necessary for the survival of biodiversity
in Antarctica because it nourishes and sustains the entire southern food chain.
It is responsible for the lives of water animals, birds of the region and
global carbon cycle.
Q 5. What was the author’s first reaction on reaching
Antarctica and why?
Ans – on reaching Antarctica the author’s first reaction was
this it is like walking into a ping pong ball. Because there are no trees,
humans, or buildings, etc.
Q 6. Which program was the author a part of on his
expedition to Antarctica? Why was the program successful?
Ans – On his expedition to Antarctica the author was a part
of the program “students on ice”.
It is successful because it is a life-changing experience.
Journey to the end of the earth question answers (long)
Q 7. Why does the author think that Antarctica is the
right place to study the human race past the present and future?
Ans – The author thinks that Antarctica is the right place
to study the human race past the present and future because there is no human
population that’s why it is completely pure. World geological history is
trapped here. There are no trees and human markers.
Q 8. Describe the Antarctica atmosphere as experienced by
the author.
Ans – Antarctica is the coldest, driest and windiest in the
world. About 90 percent of the earth’s total ice is here. A little change in
the environment here can have a big effect. Here the ecosystem is very simple.
In Antarctica no human markers, no trees, no buildings, etc.
Q 9. “The world geological history is trapped in
Antarctica”. How the study of this region useful to us?
Ans – The study of Antarctica is useful to us. It holds in
its ice cores half million-year-old carbon records trapped in its layer of ice.
It existed when there were no human beings. Thousand of species flora and fauna
flourished here. It was the center of the Gondwana Supercontinent.
Long Question Answers
Q.1. What
are Geoff Green’s reasons for including high school students on Ice Expedition?
- Ans: A visit to Antarctica
makes it quite clear and there one can see the ice shelves melting.
‘Students on Ice’ is a programme headed by Canadian Geoff Green.
He aims at organizing this programme by taking high school
students to the ends of the world. He thinks it most
essential to provide the students with inspiring educational
opportunities to know more about the Antarctica. Through this they will
generate a new understanding and respect for our planet. Earlier Geoff
Green had organized programme with celebrities and
rich people which gave him back only in a limited way. Since the
students are young minds and full of adventurous activities they can
learn, act and absorb much by visiting the Antarctica. They can see
through their own eyes glaciers retreating and ice-shelves collapsing.
They can realize the future dangers, catastrophic effect of climatic
changes and the global warming. The Antarctica provides the young students
a perfect place to study the varied changes occurring in the environment.
These little changes can have significant consequences. The students can
see those grasses of the sea that flourish, nourish and sustain the entire
Southern Ocean’s food chain. Thus the programme provides a
lively study of changes and the realities going on the Antarctica.
Q2. ‘Take
care of small things and big things will take care of themselves.’
What is the relevance of this statement in the context of the Antarctica’s
Environment ?
- Ans : Antarctica has
a simple ecosystem and lacks biodiversity ,it is the best
place to
study how little changes in the environment can have big consequences.
The author
gives the example of very small single celled plants called phytoplankton
which nourish and sustain the entire southern ocean‘s food chain. The
phytoplankton uses the energy to absorb carbon and also synthesize various
organic compounds through photosynthesis. Scientists have forewarned that
if Ozone layer depletes any further it will have a direct impact on
the activities of the phytoplankton this will lead to a chain reaction
adversely affecting the lives of marine animals and birds of the region which
will further result in the disturbance global carbon cycle .
So, it is
expected of man to pay special attention to tiny forms of animal and plant life
and prevent the depletion of ozone layer by reducing carbon dioxide
emissions.If we take care of small things big things will automatically fall
into place
Q3. Why is
Antarctica a place to go to ,to understand Earth’s present ,past
and future?
Ans.
Antarctica is a place to go to ,to understand Earth’s
present ,past and future.
Six hundred and fifty million years ago , the present day Antarctica was surrounded by a giant amalgamated Southern supercontinent called Gondwana. Thus Antarctica belongs to ancient geological era when human beings had not yet evolved ,the climate was warm in the continent and supported a huge variety of flora and fauna. Later ,the dinosaurs were wiped out and mammals began to evolve . At this juncture Gondwana got separated into countries.So to visit Antarctica is now to be a part of that history.It is to understand the significance of Cordilleran folds and pre-Cambrian granite shields; ozone and carbon; evolution and extinction.
Since the
planet is unravaged by human population and civilization ,it
remains relatively pristine. Its ice cores hold more than half –million-year
old carbon records which are useful for the study of past ,present
and future of our planet.
We can
realize the threat of global warming by seeing glaciars melting and
ice shelves collapsing.
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