Water Bodies — Important Questions

It is the smallest ocean and has the lowest salinity

Step 1: Recall the characteristics of the Arctic Ocean from the chapter. Step 2: The Arctic Ocean is the smallest of all the five oceans. Step 3: It has the lowest salinity (saltiness) among all major oceans because of low evaporation and heavy freshwater inflow from rivers and streams. Step 4: Option A is wrong — the Pacific is the largest. Option B is wrong — the Atlantic is the saltiest. Option D is wrong — the Arctic Ocean is around the North Pole, not the South Pole (which is surrounded by the Southern Ocean). The correct answer is C.

Marginal sea

Step 1: The question describes a sea that lies between the open ocean and the coast — partially enclosed by land. Step 2: According to the textbook, a marginal sea is a partially enclosed body of water located between the open ocean and the coastal zone. Step 3: Examples of marginal seas include the Bering Sea, Caribbean Sea, North Sea, and Arabian Sea. Step 4: An inland sea is a large lake fully surrounded by land (like the Caspian Sea). A salt lake and bay are different types of water bodies. The correct answer is Marginal sea.

Caspian Sea

Step 1: We need to differentiate between marginal seas and inland seas. Step 2: The textbook classifies seas into two types — marginal and inland. Step 3: The list of inland seas includes: Black Sea, Caspian Sea, Aral Sea, Red Sea, and Dead Sea. These are large lakes in continental areas that are termed 'inland seas.' Step 4: The Arabian Sea, Bering Sea, and North Sea are all marginal seas — they are connected to open oceans. The Caspian Sea is completely surrounded by land (between Europe and Asia), making it an inland sea. Correct answer is Caspian Sea.

Asia

Step 1: Identify where Lake Baikal is located from your chapter knowledge. Step 2: Lake Baikal is located in Russia (Siberia), which is part of the continent of Asia. Step 3: It is known as the world's deepest freshwater lake and holds about 20% of the world's unfrozen surface fresh water. Step 4: The Five Great Lakes are in North America. Lake Victoria is in Africa. Lake Titicaca is in South America. Lake Baikal is in Asia (Russia). Correct answer is Asia.