UPSC CDS-2

31. Which of the following statements regarding soil is/are correct? 1.

Which of the following statements regarding soil is/are correct?

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  • 1. Alluvial soils are rich in nitrogen content.
  • 2. Black soils are rich in iron and lime but deficient in nitrogen.
  • 3. Laterite soils are rich in iron and aluminium but deficient in nitrogen and potassium.

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

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1 and 2 only
3 only
2 and 3 only
1, 2 and 3
This question was previously asked in
UPSC CDS-2 – 2016
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Statements 2 and 3 are correct, while statement 1 is incorrect.
– Alluvial soils are generally deficient in nitrogen and phosphorus, though rich in potash and lime.
– Black soils are rich in iron, lime, magnesium, and alumina, but are deficient in nitrogen, phosphorus, and humus.
– Laterite soils, formed by intense leaching, are rich in iron oxides and aluminium, but poor in nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus, lime, and magnesium.
Different soil types have varying nutrient profiles depending on the parent rock, climate, vegetation, and processes like weathering and leaching. Understanding these profiles is crucial for agriculture and land use planning.

32. Match List-I with List-II and select the correct answer using the code

Match List-I with List-II and select the correct answer using the code given below the Lists :

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List-I
(Power Plant)		 List-II
(State)
A. Satpura 1. Maharashtra
B. Dhuvaran 2. Uttarakhand
C. Tanakpur 3. Gujarat
D. Dabhol 4. Madhya Pradesh

Code :

A-4, B-3, C-2, D-1
A-1, B-3, C-2, D-4
A-1, B-2, C-3, D-4
A-4, B-2, C-3, D-1
This question was previously asked in
UPSC CDS-2 – 2016
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Matching the power plants with their respective states:
A. Satpura Thermal Power Station is located in Madhya Pradesh. (A-4)
B. Dhuvaran Thermal Power Station is located in Gujarat. (B-3)
C. Tanakpur Hydroelectric Plant is located in Uttarakhand. (C-2)
D. Dabhol Power Station is located in Maharashtra. (D-1)
The correct combination is A-4, B-3, C-2, D-1.
This question requires knowledge of the locations of significant power generation plants in India.
Satpura is a coal-based thermal power plant. Dhuvaran was an early gas-based plant and is now largely solar. Tanakpur is a run-of-river hydroelectric plant on the Mahakali River. Dabhol was initially a large gas-based plant that faced controversies and operational issues but is now managed as Ratnagiri Gas and Power Private Limited (RGPPL).

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33. Which one of the following fishing banks is located off the coast of t

Which one of the following fishing banks is located off the coast of the United Kingdom?

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Great Fisher Bank
Grand Banks
Dogger Bank
Reed Bank
This question was previously asked in
UPSC CDS-2 – 2016
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The Dogger Bank is a large sandbank located in the shallow part of the North Sea, approximately 100 kilometers (62 miles) off the east coast of England. It is historically and currently a significant fishing ground for various species.
Fishing banks are elevated areas of the seafloor, often shallow, which are biologically productive and serve as rich fishing grounds. Their location determines which coastal region they are off.
The Grand Banks of Newfoundland are famous fishing grounds off the coast of Newfoundland, Canada. The Great Fisher Bank is also in the North Sea but is located more towards the central/northern part, between Scotland, Norway, and Denmark. Reed Bank is located in the Spratly Islands area of the South China Sea.

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34. Match List-I with List-II and select the correct answer using the code

Match List-I with List-II and select the correct answer using the code given below the Lists :

List-I
(Ocean Current)		 List-II
(Country)
A. Agulhas Current 1. Peru
B. Humboldt Current 2. South Africa
C. Labrador Current 3. Argentina
D. Falkland Current 4. Canada

Code :

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A-3, B-4, C-1, D-2
A-2, B-1, C-4, D-3
A-3, B-1, C-4, D-2
A-2, B-4, C-1, D-3
This question was previously asked in
UPSC CDS-2 – 2016
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Matching the ocean currents with the coastlines they flow along:
A. Agulhas Current is a warm current flowing along the east coast of Africa, near South Africa. (A-2)
B. Humboldt Current (or Peru Current) is a cold current flowing along the west coast of South America, near Peru and Chile. (B-1)
C. Labrador Current is a cold current flowing along the east coast of Canada. (C-4)
D. Falkland Current is a cold current flowing along the coast of Argentina. (D-3)
The correct combination is A-2, B-1, C-4, D-3.
Ocean currents are large-scale movements of water in the oceans. Understanding the typical locations of major currents is necessary to match them with nearby countries or regions.
Ocean currents significantly influence regional climates and marine ecosystems. The cold Humboldt Current contributes to the arid climate of the Atacama Desert and supports a productive marine environment. The warm Agulhas Current affects the climate of South Africa’s east coast. The cold Labrador and Falkland currents transport icebergs and contribute to cooling the North Atlantic and South Atlantic, respectively.

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35. Match List-I with List-II and select the correct answer using the code

Match List-I with List-II and select the correct answer using the code given below the Lists :

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List-I
(Strait)		 List-II
(Water Body)
A. Strait of Hormuz 1. Java Sea
B. Strait of Bab-el-Mandeb 2. Andaman Sea
C. Strait of Malacca 3. Red Sea
D. Strait of Sunda 4. Gulf of Persia

Code :

A-4, B-2, C-3, D-1
A-1, B-3, C-2, D-4
A-1, B-2, C-3, D-4
A-4, B-3, C-2, D-1
This question was previously asked in
UPSC CDS-2 – 2016
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Matching the straits with the water bodies they connect:
A. Strait of Hormuz connects the Gulf of Persia (Persian Gulf) and the Gulf of Oman/Arabian Sea. (A-4)
B. Strait of Bab-el-Mandeb connects the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden/Arabian Sea. (B-3)
C. Strait of Malacca connects the Andaman Sea and the South China Sea. (C-2)
D. Strait of Sunda connects the Java Sea and the Indian Ocean. (D-1)
The correct combination is A-4, B-3, C-2, D-1.
Straits are narrow waterways connecting two larger bodies of water. Identifying the major water bodies connected by each strait is key to answering this question.
These straits are strategically important waterways for global shipping. The Strait of Hormuz is critical for oil transport from the Persian Gulf. Bab-el-Mandeb controls access to the Red Sea and the Suez Canal. Malacca is a major passage between the Indian and Pacific Oceans. Sunda Strait is another passage between Java and Sumatra, connecting the Java Sea and the Indian Ocean.

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36. Light travels in a straight line (rectilinear propagation of light). T

Light travels in a straight line (rectilinear propagation of light). This statement does hold if the medium of travel for light is

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of variable refractive index
made up of slabs of different refractive indices
homogeneous and transparent
inhomogeneous and transparent
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UPSC CDS-2 – 2016
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Light travels in a straight line in a homogeneous and transparent medium. A homogeneous medium is one where the refractive index is constant throughout. Transparency allows light to pass through.
Rectilinear propagation of light, or the principle that light travels in straight lines, is a fundamental concept in ray optics and holds true when the medium is uniform and has a constant optical density (homogeneous) and allows light to pass through (transparent).
If the medium has a variable refractive index (A) or is made of different slabs with different refractive indices (B), light will bend (refract) as it moves through the medium or crosses boundaries between regions. An inhomogeneous medium (D) also implies a varying refractive index, causing light to not travel in a straight line.

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37. Liquids and gases never show

Liquids and gases never show

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diamagnetic property
paramagnetic property
ferromagnetic property
electromagnetic property
This question was previously asked in
UPSC CDS-2 – 2016
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Ferromagnetism is a property of certain materials, like iron, nickel, and cobalt, where the magnetic moments of atoms are strongly aligned within domains, leading to a large, spontaneous magnetization. This domain structure and strong cooperative alignment are characteristic of solid states and do not occur in liquids or gases under normal conditions.
Ferromagnetism requires a specific long-range ordering of magnetic moments and formation of magnetic domains, which is typically a property of crystalline solids. Liquids and gases lack the necessary atomic structure for this phenomenon.
Liquids and gases can exhibit diamagnetic properties (weak repulsion from magnetic fields, present in all materials) and paramagnetic properties (weak attraction to magnetic fields due to unpaired electrons). Electromagnetic properties are general properties of matter involving interaction with electric and magnetic fields, which all materials possess. Ferromagnetism is a specific, strong magnetic property not found in liquid or gaseous states.

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38. The energy of a photon, whose momentum is 10 MeV/c, where c is the spe

The energy of a photon, whose momentum is 10 MeV/c, where c is the speed of light, is given by

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10 MeV
100 MeV
1 MeV
0·1 MeV
This question was previously asked in
UPSC CDS-2 – 2016
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For a photon, which is a massless particle, the relationship between energy (E) and momentum (p) is given by the equation E = pc, where c is the speed of light. Given the momentum p = 10 MeV/c, the energy E is calculated by multiplying the momentum by c.
The energy (E) and momentum (p) of a photon are related by the formula E = pc.
In this calculation, the unit of momentum is given in a form (MeV/c) that directly leads to the energy unit (MeV) when multiplied by c. The MeV unit (Mega-electron Volt) is a unit of energy commonly used in particle physics. 1 MeV = 1.602 x 10⁻¹³ Joules.

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39. In total internal reflection, the light travels from

In total internal reflection, the light travels from

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rarer to denser medium and it occurs with no loss of intensity
denser to rarer medium and it occurs with no loss of intensity
rarer to denser medium and it occurs with loss of intensity
denser to rarer medium and it occurs with loss of intensity
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UPSC CDS-2 – 2016
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Total internal reflection (TIR) is a phenomenon that occurs when light rays travel from a denser medium to a rarer medium and strike the boundary at an angle greater than the critical angle. At this angle, all the light is reflected back into the denser medium. This process is considered lossless because ideally, no light is transmitted or absorbed at the boundary.
For total internal reflection to occur, two conditions must be met: light must travel from a denser medium to a rarer medium, and the angle of incidence must exceed the critical angle. It is characterized by minimal to no loss of intensity upon reflection.
When light travels from a rarer to a denser medium, reflection and refraction occur, but total internal reflection is not possible. Reflection at an interface typically involves some loss of intensity due to absorption or incomplete reflection. Total internal reflection is used in technologies like fiber optics and prisms due to its high efficiency in reflecting light.

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40. Which one of the following pairs of lakes is connected by Soo Canal?

Which one of the following pairs of lakes is connected by Soo Canal?

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Superior and Michigan
Superior and Huron
Huron and Ontario
Huron and Erie
This question was previously asked in
UPSC CDS-2 – 2016
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The Soo Locks (or Sault Ste. Marie Locks) connect Lake Superior and Lake Huron, bypassing the rapids of the St. Marys River. The canal system facilitating navigation between these two lakes is commonly referred to as the Soo Canal.
The Soo Canal is a vital waterway connecting Lake Superior and Lake Huron, allowing ships to navigate the elevation difference caused by the St. Marys River rapids.
The Great Lakes are a series of interconnected freshwater lakes in North America. Lake Michigan is connected to Lake Huron by the Straits of Mackinac. Lake Huron is connected to Lake Erie via the Detroit River and Lake St. Clair. Lake Erie is connected to Lake Ontario via the Niagara River, with navigation bypassing Niagara Falls through the Welland Canal.

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