NCERT Solutions for Class 7 Social Science (Geography) – Our Environment Chapter-1

Chapter 1 – Our Environment discusses the ecosystem and natural environment and its components. Everything that surrounds us, whether alive or not, is called the environment. It includes chemical, physical, and other forces of nature. Land, water, air, plants, and animals are all part of the natural environment. 

The chapter has practise exercises at the end so that students can revise all the concepts  about the environment and ecosystem. The questions in these exercises are also important from an exam perspective. To help students answer these questions accurately, Extramarks provides NCERT Solutions for Class 7 Social Science Geography.

The solutions are prepared by a team of subject matter experts who have ensured that every answer is accurate, easy to understand, and as per the latest guidelines by CBSE.

NCERT Solutions for Class 7 Social Science Chapter 1 – Our Environment 

Access NCERT Solutions for Class 7 Social Science (Geography) Chapter -1 Our Environment

Introduction to The Ecosystem

The ecosystem comprises various environmental elements, such as plants, animals, and humans. For their survival, all of these elements are interconnected. The ecosystem refers to the interactions between these biological elements of the environment. It isn’t easy to thrive without relying on the natural environment’s other elements. The environment has a significant impact on our ability to survive.

Because humans are consumers in the food chain, we rely on the ecosystem. External and internal factors influence ecosystems. Climate, parent material that creates soil, and topography are all external variables that influence the general structure of an ecosystem. Internal variables are influenced by decomposition, root competition, shade, disturbance, succession, and the types of species present.While external processes primarily regulate resource inputs, internal forces access  the availability of these materials within the ecosystem. As a result, interior components are not only controlled but also regulated by ecosystem processes.

Lithosphere is the hard layer on the top of the earth. It is made up of minerals and rocks. A thin layer of soil covers the Lithosphere. Plains, valleys, mountains, plateaus etc. form the Lithosphere, and it is this layer that provides us grasslands, agricultural land, minerals, forests, and land for human settlements.

Hydrosphere is the domain of water and comprises sources of water and water bodies like seas, rivers, lakes, and oceans. 

Biosphere is made by both plants and animal kingdoms. It is the zone on the earth where land, air, and water interact with each other to support life.

Difference Between Natural and Human Environment

Natural Environment: Water, land, animals, air, and other natural elements make up the natural environment. The atmosphere, lithosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere are the various natural habitats.

Human-Environment: Human-made components are included in the human environment, also known as the artificial environment. Humans can alter their surroundings to fit their needs. It has resulted in environmental depletion since the human habitat destroys the natural environment and replaces it with an artificial one. Humans must learn to employ both of these in a balanced manner.

Related Questions

  1. What exactly do you mean when you say “ecosystem”?

Ans. Plants, animals, and humans are all dependent on each other. They also depend on their immediate surroundings for survival. It is the relationship between them and the interdependence that makes up an ecosystem. There can not be life on earth without an ecosystem.

  1. What exactly is the lithosphere?

The topmost layer of the earth’s crust, the lithosphere, is the domain of land. It is the thick crust of the earth’s surface. A layer of soil protects the Earth’s surface, composed of rocks, and minerals. Its irregular surface comprises landforms such as plateaus, mountains, valleys, hills, and plains. Although lithosphere rocks are still termed “elastic”, they are not sticky. 

At a look, the most critical points

Let’s take a glance at some of the essential topics covered in this chapter.

  • The term “environment” encompasses all living and non-living elements and their effects on human life.
  • An ecosystem is a system formed by the connections of all living organisms with one another and the physical or chemical characteristics of the environment in which they reside, all of which are connected by energy and resources.
  • The natural environment is made up of air, land, water, plants, and animals. As a result, both biotic (plants and animals) and abiotic (non-living substances) influences occur in the natural environment.
  • The environment is made up of artificial, natural, and human-made elements.
  • An ecosystem is made up of a group of species and their physical surroundings.
  • Ecosystems come in all shapes and sizes, and they might be marine, freshwater, or terrestrial. Biomes are broad classifications of terrestrial ecosystems.
  • Both matter and energy are retained in ecosystems. While the matter is regenerated, energy travels through the system, mainly from light to heat.
  • Ecosystems with more biodiversity are more stable, with more resistance and resilience to disturbances and disruptive events.

NCERT Class 7 Social Science Our Environment Chapter-wise Solutions

Extramarks provides NCERT Solutions for all the chapters of Social Science to help students in their learning process.

  • (Chapter 2) Our Planet’s Interior
  • (Chapter 3) Our Changing Planet 
  • (Chapter 4) Air
  • (Chapter 5) Water
  • (Chapter 6) Organic Vegetation and Wildlife 
  • (Chapter 7) Human Environment 
  • (Chapter 8) Human-Environment Interactions 
  • (Chapter 9) Living in the Temperate Zones 

NCERT Solutions for Class 7 Social Science

All of the NCERT Class 7 Social Science textbook questions are included in the NCERT Solutions for Class 7 Social Science by Extramarks. The solutions prove to be very beneficial for the students in completing their syllabus with utmost efficiency and getting in-depth knowledge of the concepts.

Q.1 Answer the following questions.
(i) What is an ecosystem?
(ii) What do you mean by natural environment?
(iii) Which are the major components of the environment?
(iv) Give four examples of human made environment.
(v) What is lithosphere?
(vi) Which are the two major components of biotic environment?
(vii) What is biosphere?

Ans-

(i) The relations between living organisms with each other, as well as with their surroundings form an ecosystem. An ecosystem can be as large as a rainforest or as small as a pond.

(ii) Natural environment includes all the living and non-living things that are naturally present on the earth. Land, water, air, plants, and animals comprise the natural environment.

(iii) The major components of environment are:
Natural Environment
Human Environment, and
Human made Environment

(iv) Examples of human made environment are:
Buildings
Bridges
Industries, and
Parks

(v) The solid crust or the hard top layer of the earth is known as lithosphere. It is made up of rocks and minerals and covered by a thin layer of soil.

(vi) The two major components of biotic environment are:
Plants, and
Animals

(vii) The narrow zone of the earth, where land, water, and air interact with each other to support life is known as biosphere.

Q.2 Tick the correct answer.
(i) Which is not a natural ecosystem?
(a) Desert (b) Aquarium (c) Forest
(ii) Which is not a component of human environment?
(a) Land (b) Religion (c) Community
(iii) Which is a human made environment?
(a)Mountain (b) Sea (c) Road
(iv) Which is a threat to environment?
(a) Growing plant (b) Growing population (c) Growing crops

Ans-

(i) (b) Aquarium ✓
(ii) (a) Land ✓
(iii) (c) Road ✓
(iv) (b) Growing population ✓

Q.3 Match the following.

(i) Biosphere (a) blanket of air, which surrounds the earth
(ii) Atmosphere (b) domain of water
(iii) Hydrosphere (c) gravitational force of the earth
(iv) Environment (d) our surroundings
(e) narrow zone where land, water, and air interact
(f) relation between the organisms and their surroundings

Ans-

(i) Biosphere (e) narrow zone where land, water, and air interact
(ii) Atmosphere (a) blanket of air, which surrounds the earth
(iii) Hydrosphere (b) domain of water
(iv) Environment (d) our surroundings

Q.4 Give reasons.
(i) Man modifies his environment
(ii) Plants and animals depend on each other

Ans-

(i) Earlier, human beings led a simple life and fulfilled their requirements from the nature around them. As time passed, our needs grew and to fulfill our needs, we started to modify our environment. For examples, the car fumes pollute the air, water is collected in a pot, food is served in vessels and land is used to build factories.

(ii) Plants and animals depend on each other to fulfill their needs. Plants take in carbon dioxide and release oxygen necessary for the survival of animals. They are also the primary source of food for all the animals. On the other hand, animals release carbon dioxide, which are used by the plants to prepare their food through the process of photosynthesis. The dead and decaying animals also provide nutrition to many plants.

Please register to view this section