Give geographical reasons for the following
Most of the Himalayan rivers are perennial in nature.
Most of the Himalayan rivers are perennial in nature.
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Solution and Explanation
Step 1: Perennial Rivers
A perennial river is one that flows continuously throughout the year. Himalayan rivers such as the Ganga, Yamuna, and Brahmaputra are perennial because their discharge is sustained by multiple sources, ensuring a steady flow even during dry seasons.
Term note: “Perennial discharge” means that the river has water all year round, though the flow volume may vary seasonally — it never runs completely dry.
Step 2: Sources of Water
Himalayan rivers are fed by a combination of glaciers, snowmelt, and rainfall. In summer, melting glaciers and snow from the high Himalayas maintain their flow. During the monsoon season, heavy rainfall further increases their volume, while in the dry season, baseflow from groundwater in the alluvial plains keeps the rivers running.
Extra point: Groundwater seepage from alluvium sustains lean-season runoff, preventing the rivers from drying up.
Step 3: Importance of Perennial Rivers
These rivers are crucial for agriculture, drinking water, transportation, and hydroelectric power generation. Because they provide a reliable and consistent water supply, they support dense populations and fertile river valleys. However, management challenges such as flooding during monsoons and sediment accumulation must be addressed to maintain long-term benefits.
\[ \textbf{Himalayan rivers are perennial because they are fed by glaciers, snowmelt, and rainfall throughout the year.} \]
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Questions Asked in Maharashtra Class X Board exam
Complete the following activity to prove that the sum of squares of diagonals of a rhombus is equal to the sum of the squares of the sides.
Given: PQRS is a rhombus. Diagonals PR and SQ intersect each other at point T.
To prove: PS\(^2\) + SR\(^2\) + QR\(^2\) + PQ\(^2\) = PR\(^2\) + QS\(^2\)
Activity: Diagonals of a rhombus bisect each other.
In \(\triangle\)PQS, PT is the median and in \(\triangle\)QRS, RT is the median.
\(\therefore\) by Apollonius theorem,
\[\begin{aligned} PQ^2 + PS^2 &= \boxed{\phantom{X}} + 2QT^2 \quad \dots \text{(I)} \\ QR^2 + SR^2 &= \boxed{\phantom{X}} + 2QT^2 \quad \dots \text{(II)} \\ \text{Adding (I) and (II),} \quad PQ^2 + PS^2 + QR^2 + SR^2 &= 2(PT^2 + \boxed{\phantom{X}}) + 4QT^2 \\ &= 2(PT^2 + \boxed{\phantom{X}}) + 4QT^2 \quad (\text{RT = PT}) \\ &= 4PT^2 + 4QT^2 \\ &= (\boxed{\phantom{X}})^2 + (2QT)^2 \\ \therefore \quad PQ^2 + PS^2 + QR^2 + SR^2 &= PR^2 + \boxed{\phantom{X}} \\ \end{aligned}\]
- Maharashtra Class X Board - 2025
- Quadrilaterals
- Prove that tangent segments drawn from an external point to a circle are congruent.
- Draw a circle with radius 4.1 cm. Construct tangents to the circle from a point at a distance 7.3 cm from the centre.
- Maharashtra Class X Board - 2025
- Constructions
- \(\triangle\)ABC \(\sim\) \(\triangle\)PQR. In \(\triangle\)ABC, AB = 3.6 cm, BC = 4 cm and AC = 4.2 cm. The corresponding sides of \(\triangle\)ABC and \(\triangle\)PQR are in the ratio 2 : 3, construct \(\triangle\)ABC and \(\triangle\)PQR.
- Maharashtra Class X Board - 2025
- Constructions
- \(\square\)ABCD is a rectangle. Taking AD as a diameter, a semicircle AXD is drawn which intersects the diagonal BD at X. If AB = 12 cm, AD = 9 cm, then find the values of BD and BX.