NCERT Solutions for Class 12 English - Vista Textbook- Chapter 3: Journey to the end of the Earth

Ques: How do geological phenomena help us to know about the history of humankind?

Answer: The geological trend of separating various continents and bodies of water from one compact landmass tells us about the age of the human race on earth. There was no human race on earth six hundred and fifty million years ago because the climate was not favorable. About the time the dinosaurs were wiped out, the Mammals started to live and the human race began to flourish on earth after the division of landmass.

Ques: What are the indications for the future of humankind?

Answer: Humanity's future can be endangered if carbon dioxide emissions and other poisonous gasses continue in the same way. Those gasses deplete the ozone layer and allow the sun's ultra-violet rays to penetrate the atmosphere of the earth. This causes the earth's temperature to increase and contributes to the phenomenon known as global warming. Increased temperature can melt the Antarctic ice and cause other environmental problems, thereby jeopardizing the human future.

Ques: ‘The world’s geological history is trapped in Antarctica.’ How is the study of this region useful to us?

Answer: The research of this Antarctic region gives us insight into the geological past of the planet. It gives an idea of how the world was before dividing into continents and nations. It shows how minor climate changes can change the shape of the region. It gives the reason how the earth's climatic conditions were previously unfavorable for life, and how gradually increasing temperature made the earth a place for sustaining life. All secrets are preserved in the ice layers in the form of carbon records which are half a million years old.

Ques: What are Geoff Green’s reasons for including high school students in the Students on Ice expedition?

Answer: Geoff Green brought students from high school to one end of the planet to give them the opportunity to gain appreciation and compassion for the environment. He decided to make potential policy-makers realize how hard it must have been for the planet to support life by increasing its temperature. He needed them to realize that any intrusion in nature could cause dramatic mishaps in the future when the students see the ice shelves melting and falling, they could predict the kinds of environmental disorders ahead of them.

Ques: ‘Take care of the small things and the big things will take care of themselves.’ What is the relevance of this statement in the context of the Antarctic environment?

Answer: This statement is of great relevance to the Antarctic environment. A minor environmental change may give rise to dramatic developments. Small biodiversity of Antarctica. In this context, the example of small grass named phytoplankton can be studied. These microscopic grasses undergo the photosynthesis process and function as food for numbers of sea birds and animals. The author says that if the ozone layer is further depleted it will affect the phytoplanktons and the globe's carbon cycle. The whole cycle will jeopardize the life of all aquatic birds and animals. Operably, the larger animals and birds will fall alone in the place. So if we take care that processes carried over by these small grasses are carried out properly, the bigger animals and birds will fall into the place on their own.

Ques: Why is Antarctica the place to go to, to understand the earth’s present, past, and future?

Answer: Antarctica gives us an idea of how the earth would have been like millions of years ago and how it divided into different masses of earth. The melting and colliding ice caps also give us a glimpse of how our future will be if we start interfering with nature 's working. In addition, Antarctica holds carbon records of half a million years old in the depths of its ice, which are useful in understanding the earth's past, present, and future. Antarctica is, therefore, the place where our past is revealed, our present is shown and our future is visualized.