UPSC CDS-1 Archives

1. Which one of the following ports is located on estuary?

Which one of the following ports is located on estuary?

[amp_mcq option1=”Kandala” option2=”Marmagao” option3=”Kolkata-Haldia” option4=”Tuticorin” correct=”option3″]

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The port located on an estuary among the given options is Kolkata-Haldia.

The Port of Kolkata, including its downstream dock complex at Haldia, is located on the Hooghly River, which is a tidal distributary of the Ganges and acts as an estuarine system. Marmagao is located on the estuary of the Zuari River, making it also an estuarine port. However, Kolkata is a major riverine port situated far inland, relying on the tidal Hooghly, and is often cited as a prominent example of an estuarine port in India. Kandla is on the Gulf of Kutch, and Tuticorin is an artificial deep-sea harbour.

Estuarine ports are often susceptible to silting and require constant dredging. Kolkata Port faces this challenge due to its location on the Hooghly estuary. Both Marmagao and Kolkata are technically estuarine ports, but Kolkata’s position on a large tidal river system makes it a more characteristic example often highlighted in geographical texts.

2. ‘Rand/ZAR’ is the currency of

‘Rand/ZAR’ is the currency of

[amp_mcq option1=”Burundi” option2=”Libya” option3=”Sudan” option4=”South Africa” correct=”option4″]

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The currency ‘Rand/ZAR’ is the currency of South Africa.

ZAR stands for Zuid-Afrikaanse Rand. It is the official currency of the Republic of South Africa.

The South African Rand is also used as the currency in the Common Monetary Area, which links South Africa, Lesotho, Namibia, and Eswatini (formerly Swaziland).

3. Which one of the following about sugar industry of Peninsular India is

Which one of the following about sugar industry of Peninsular India is not correct?

[amp_mcq option1=”High yield per hectare of sugarcane” option2=”Higher sucrose content” option3=”Long crushing season” option4=”Most of the mills are located mainly along the east coast” correct=”option4″]

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The statement “Most of the mills are located mainly along the east coast” about the sugar industry of Peninsular India is not correct.

Sugar mills in Peninsular India are predominantly located in Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Andhra Pradesh. While Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu have eastern coastlines, a significant concentration of mills is in the Deccan plateau region (Maharashtra, Karnataka) which is not primarily along the east coast. Peninsular India generally benefits from a tropical climate, leading to higher yield per hectare, higher sucrose content, and a longer crushing season compared to Northern India.

The tropical climate in Peninsular India is more conducive to sugarcane cultivation with higher sugar recovery rates. The longer crushing season allows mills to operate for a greater part of the year, making them economically more viable.

4. The Gulf Stream is a poleward flowing current in the Atlantic Ocean. W

The Gulf Stream is a poleward flowing current in the Atlantic Ocean. Which one of the following statements with regard to this is not correct?

[amp_mcq option1=”It is similar to the Kuroshio current in the North Pacific Ocean.” option2=”It transports warm, tropical water towards polar region.” option3=”This current is a major factor in weather along the east coast of the USA.” option4=”The warm water of the Gulf Stream sustains the coral reefs of West Pacific Coast.” correct=”option4″]

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Statement D is incorrect. The Gulf Stream is a major ocean current in the Atlantic Ocean. Coral reefs on the West Pacific Coast are influenced by currents in the Pacific Ocean, such as the Kuroshio Current, not the Gulf Stream. The Gulf Stream’s warm waters significantly influence the climate and ecosystems of the North Atlantic, including contributing to the relatively mild climate of Western Europe and influencing the marine life along the eastern coast of North America.

The Gulf Stream is a warm, poleward-flowing western boundary current in the North Atlantic (Statement B). It is dynamically similar to the Kuroshio Current in the North Pacific, which is also a warm, western boundary current transporting tropical water poleward (Statement A). The Gulf Stream has a significant impact on the weather and climate along the east coast of the USA and contributes to the climate of northwestern Europe (Statement C).

Warm ocean currents like the Gulf Stream play a vital role in global heat distribution, transferring heat from tropical regions towards higher latitudes and significantly influencing regional climates and marine ecosystems.

5. Which one of the following statements with regard to Jet stream, an up

Which one of the following statements with regard to Jet stream, an upper level tropospheric wave, is not correct?

[amp_mcq option1=”It is a narrow band of high-velocity wind.” option2=”It follows the wave path near the tropopause at elevations of 8 km to 15 km.” option3=”Jet streams are typically continuous over long distances.” option4=”In summer, the polar front jet achieves its maximum force.” correct=”option4″]

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Statement D is incorrect. The polar front jet stream is strongest during the winter season in each hemisphere. This is because the temperature gradient between the polar regions and the mid-latitudes is steepest in winter, providing the maximum energy difference to drive the high-velocity winds of the jet stream. In summer, the temperature gradient weakens, and the jet stream becomes weaker and typically shifts poleward.

Jet streams are fast-flowing, narrow air currents found in the upper atmosphere (tropopause and lower stratosphere) at altitudes of 8 to 15 kilometers (Statement B). They are characterized as narrow bands of high-velocity winds (Statement A) and extend continuously over long distances around the globe, although their path meanders in wavelike patterns (Statement C).

The polar front jet stream is a major factor influencing weather patterns in the mid-latitudes, guiding the path of storm systems. The other major jet stream is the subtropical jet, found closer to the tropics, which is also stronger in winter.

6. The molecular mass of sulphuric acid is 98. If 49 g of the acid is dis

The molecular mass of sulphuric acid is 98. If 49 g of the acid is dissolved in water to make one litre of solution, what will be the strength of the acid?

[amp_mcq option1=”Two normal” option2=”One normal” option3=”0·5 normal” option4=”Four normal” correct=”option2″]

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The molecular mass of sulfuric acid (H₂SO₄) is 98 g/mol. 49 g of H₂SO₄ is dissolved in water to make 1 litre of solution.
Number of moles of H₂SO₄ = Mass / Molar mass = 49 g / 98 g/mol = 0.5 mol.
The molarity of the solution is Moles / Volume (L) = 0.5 mol / 1 L = 0.5 M.
Normality (N) is defined as Molarity (M) multiplied by the n-factor (equivalents per mole). For sulfuric acid acting as an acid, it has two acidic protons (H⁺) that can be donated, so its n-factor is 2.
Normality = Molarity × n-factor = 0.5 M × 2 = 1 N.
The strength of the acid solution is one normal.

Normality is a measure of concentration defined as the number of gram equivalents of solute per litre of solution. For acids, the gram equivalent weight is the molecular weight divided by the number of acidic protons per molecule.

Sulfuric acid is a strong diprotic acid, meaning it can donate two protons in acid-base reactions. Its equivalent weight for neutralization reactions is Molecular Weight / 2 = 98 / 2 = 49 g/equivalent. Therefore, 49 g of H₂SO₄ in 1 litre is 1 Normal.

7. Which one of the following statements is not correct?

Which one of the following statements is not correct?

[amp_mcq option1=”The cathode rays originate from cathode and proceed towards the anode in a cathode-ray discharge tube.” option2=”The television picture tubes are nothing but cathode-ray tubes.” option3=”The cathode rays themselves are not visible.” option4=”The characteristics of cathode rays depend upon the nature of the gas present in the cathode-ray tube.” correct=”option4″]

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Statement D is incorrect. Cathode rays are streams of electrons emitted from the cathode in a discharge tube. The properties of electrons, such as charge and mass, are fundamental constants and do not depend on the material of the cathode or the type of residual gas present in the tube. J.J. Thomson’s experiments showed that the charge-to-mass ratio of cathode rays was always the same, regardless of the source material.

Statements A, B, and C are correct. Cathode rays originate from the negatively charged cathode and travel towards the positively charged anode (A). Older television and computer monitors used Cathode Ray Tubes (CRTs) to produce images (B). The beam of electrons itself is not visible to the naked eye; the light is produced when the electrons strike a fluorescent screen (C).

The discovery and study of cathode rays were crucial in the development of the understanding of the electron as a fundamental particle of matter.

8. The chemical properties of an element depend upon

The chemical properties of an element depend upon

[amp_mcq option1=”the number of isotopes of the element” option2=”the mass number of the element” option3=”the total number of neutrons in the element” option4=”the number of electrons in the outermost shell of the element” correct=”option4″]

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The chemical properties of an element are determined by its electronic configuration, specifically the number and arrangement of electrons in the outermost shell (valence shell). These valence electrons are involved in chemical bonding and reactions.

Statements A, B, and C relate to the nucleus and mass of the atom. The number of isotopes (A), mass number (B), and number of neutrons (C) affect the physical properties (like density, melting point, boiling point, radioactive decay) but generally do not significantly alter the chemical behavior of an element.

Elements in the same group of the periodic table have similar chemical properties because they have the same number of valence electrons. This highlights the fundamental role of the outermost electrons in determining chemical behavior.

9. What is the maximum number of states of matter?

What is the maximum number of states of matter?

[amp_mcq option1=”Three” option2=”Four” option3=”Five” option4=”Variable” correct=”option3″]

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The maximum number of states of matter is variable. While the most commonly known states are solid, liquid, gas, plasma, and Bose-Einstein condensate, the concept of “state of matter” or “phase” is broad. Under different conditions of temperature, pressure, magnetic field, etc., substances can exist in numerous distinct phases (e.g., superfluids, superconductors, various crystalline structures, liquid crystals, fermionic condensates, etc.). The number of possible states depends on the substance and the range of conditions considered, making it a variable quantity rather than a fixed small number.

Beyond the classical solid, liquid, gas, and plasma states, physics recognizes many other distinct states (phases) of matter. The number of these states is not fixed and can vary depending on the substance and the environmental conditions, as well as how a “state” is defined.

Phase diagrams illustrate the different phases of a substance under varying temperature and pressure. These diagrams can show multiple solid phases, indicating that even within one traditional state (solid), there can be different distinct states depending on the conditions.

10. Which one of the following with regard to Aridisol, one of the soil or

Which one of the following with regard to Aridisol, one of the soil orders, is not correct?

[amp_mcq option1=”Lack of water for plants during most part of the year” option2=”High organic matter” option3=”Large accumulation of carbonates at depth” option4=”Absence of deep wide cracks” correct=”option2″]

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Statement B is incorrect. Aridisols are soils found in arid and semi-arid climates. These environments typically have low biological productivity due to lack of water, resulting in low amounts of organic matter in the soil profiles.

Aridisols are characterized by low water availability for plants for extended periods during the year (Statement A). Due to limited leaching in dry conditions, they often show accumulation of soluble salts and carbonates in lower horizons (Statement C). They generally do not exhibit the deep, wide cracks characteristic of soils with high swelling clay content like Vertisols (Statement D).

Aridisols cover a significant portion of the Earth’s land surface, found in deserts and dry grasslands. Despite low organic matter, some Aridisols can be productive if irrigated and managed appropriately.