World and Physical Geography Archives

211. Which one among the following plains is associated with Limestone Topo

Which one among the following plains is associated with Limestone Topography ?

[amp_mcq option1=”Bajada plain” option2=”Alluvial plain” option3=”Karst plain” option4=”Pene plain” correct=”option3″]

This question was previously asked in

UPSC CAPF – 2015

Limestone topography is also known as Karst topography. It is a landscape formed from the dissolution of soluble rocks, such as limestone, dolomite, and gypsum. Characteristics of karst topography include sinkholes (dolines), caves, underground drainage systems, and the absence of surface rivers or lakes over large areas. A plain developed in such a region would be termed a Karst plain, often featuring numerous sinkholes or other dissolution features.

Karst landscapes are specifically associated with the chemical weathering (dissolution) of soluble bedrock, most commonly limestone.

Bajada plains are formed by the coalescing of several alluvial fans along the base of a mountain front in arid or semi-arid regions. Alluvial plains are level landform areas built by deposition of sediment by rivers. Peneplains are low-relief plains that form over long periods as a result of erosion wearing down highlands, often approaching a base level. None of these are primarily defined by limestone dissolution processes.

212. The following item consists of two statements, Statement I and Stateme

The following item consists of two statements, Statement I and Statement II. Examine these two statements carefully and select the correct answer using the code given below :
Statement I : All the energy received by the earth is from the Sun through electro-magnetic radiation
Statement II : The earth also radiates back all the received energy through various ways to maintain the heat budget of the planet

[amp_mcq option1=”Both the statements are individually true and Statement II is the correct explanation of Statement I” option2=”Both the statements are individually true but Statement II is NOT the correct explanation of Statement I” option3=”Statement I is true but Statement II is false” option4=”Statement I is false but Statement II is true” correct=”option3″]

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UPSC CAPF – 2015

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The correct answer is C. Statement I is true, but Statement II is false based on a strict interpretation.

Statement I: All the energy received by the earth is from the Sun through electro-magnetic radiation. This statement is true. The Sun is Earth’s primary energy source, and solar energy reaches Earth as electromagnetic radiation (visible light, infrared, UV, etc.). Internal heat and tidal energy sources are negligible in comparison to the solar input in the context of the overall energy budget driving climate.
Statement II: The earth also radiates back all the received energy through various ways to maintain the heat budget of the planet. This statement is false as worded. The Earth does radiate energy back into space (primarily infrared radiation) to maintain a thermal balance. However, it does not radiate *all* the received energy. A significant portion of incoming solar radiation (about 30%) is reflected back to space by clouds, aerosols, and the Earth’s surface (this is known as albedo). The Earth absorbs the remaining energy (about 70%) and then radiates an equivalent amount of energy as infrared radiation on average to achieve radiative equilibrium. The statement “all the received energy” is inaccurate because it ignores the reflected portion. Furthermore, the current climate change indicates that the heat budget is currently not perfectly maintained; the Earth is absorbing slightly more energy than it radiates back due to the greenhouse effect.

The concept described in Statement II is related to Earth’s energy balance and radiative equilibrium. For a stable temperature, the energy absorbed by Earth must equal the energy radiated back into space. However, Statement II incorrectly states that “all the received energy” is radiated back, neglecting the reflected portion of solar radiation which is also part of balancing the energy budget. The primary way Earth radiates energy is through longwave (infrared) electromagnetic radiation. While Statement II captures the general idea of radiative balance, its specific wording makes it false.

213. Which one among the following is NOT a minor plate ?

Which one among the following is NOT a minor plate ?

[amp_mcq option1=”Nazca” option2=”Arabia” option3=”Philippines” option4=”Antarctica” correct=”option4″]

This question was previously asked in

UPSC CAPF – 2015

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The correct answer is D. Antarctica is considered a major tectonic plate, while Nazca, Arabia, and Philippines (Philippine Sea Plate) are generally classified as minor tectonic plates.

The Earth’s lithosphere is broken into several large plates (major plates) and many smaller ones (minor plates) that float on the asthenosphere. There are typically identified as 7 major plates: African, Antarctic, Eurasian, Indo-Australian, North American, Pacific, and South American plates. Minor plates include the Arabian Plate, Caribbean Plate, Cocos Plate, Juan de Fuca Plate, Nazca Plate, Philippine Sea Plate, Scotia Plate, etc.

Major plates are the largest rigid slabs of the lithosphere. Minor plates are smaller sections, often situated between major plates or in complex tectonic regions. The interaction between these plates at their boundaries is the cause of most seismic and volcanic activity on Earth. The Antarctica plate covers the continent of Antarctica and surrounding oceans and is a significant part of the global plate system.

214. Which of the following statements with regard to the continental shelf

Which of the following statements with regard to the continental shelf is NOT correct ?

[amp_mcq option1=”Shelves are absent close to plate boundaries” option2=”They are highly sedimented” option3=”They have abrupt falls towards the continental slopes” option4=”They are rich fishing areas” correct=”option1″]

This question was previously asked in

UPSC CAPF – 2015

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The statement that is NOT correct with regard to the continental shelf is “Shelves are absent close to plate boundaries”.

– Continental shelves are the extended perimeter of each continent, associated with relatively shallow water compared to the open ocean.
– Statement B is correct: Continental shelves receive large amounts of sediment from rivers and coastal erosion, making them highly sedimented environments.
– Statement C is correct: The continental shelf ends at the shelf break, where there is a relatively abrupt increase in slope leading down to the continental slope and then the abyssal plain.
– Statement D is correct: Due to shallow waters, sunlight penetration, and nutrient-rich upwellings, continental shelves are highly productive ecosystems supporting abundant marine life, making them important fishing areas.
– Statement A is incorrect: While continental shelves are often narrower or even largely absent at active plate boundaries (like convergent or transform margins, e.g., along the west coast of South America or parts of California) compared to passive margins (e.g., along the east coast of North America), they are not universally absent at all plate boundaries. Some types of plate boundaries or specific locations on active margins can still have continental shelves, although perhaps limited in width. Saying they are “absent” is too strong a generalization and therefore incorrect.

Passive continental margins are created by rifting and continental breakup, leading to wide, stable shelves. Active continental margins, associated with plate boundaries, are tectonically active and can have narrow or non-existent shelves depending on the specific geological processes occurring (like subduction, collision, or transform faulting).

215. 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 (Tropical Cyclone)	List-II (Location)
A. Cyclones	1. USA
B. Hurricanes	2. East Asia
C. Typhoons	3. Australia
D. Willy-willies	4. India

Code :

	A	B	C	D
(a)	4	2	1	3
(b)	4	1	2	3
(c)	3	1	2	4
(d)	3	2	1	4

[amp_mcq option1=”A-4, B-2, C-1, D-3″ option2=”A-4, B-1, C-2, D-3″ option3=”A-3, B-1, C-2, D-4″ option4=”A-3, B-2, C-1, D-4″ correct=”option2″]

This question was previously asked in

UPSC CAPF – 2015

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The correct matching is A-4, B-1, C-2, D-3.

– Tropical cyclones are known by different regional names.
– Cyclones is the term commonly used for tropical cyclones in the Indian Ocean region, including areas around India.
– Hurricanes is the term used in the Atlantic Ocean and the northeastern Pacific Ocean, affecting areas like the USA.
– Typhoons is the term used in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, affecting East Asia.
– Willy-willies is an informal term sometimes used for tropical cyclones in the Australian region.

These tropical storms are essentially the same phenomenon – intense low-pressure systems that form over warm tropical waters – but their nomenclature varies depending on the geographical basin where they originate. Other regional names include Bagyo (Philippines) and Severe Cyclonic Storm (India Meteorological Department classification).

216. 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 (Landform feature)	List-II (Location)
A. Alluvial fans	1. Mountainous Areas
B. ‘V’-shaped valleys	2. Coasts
C. Deltas	3. Lower Reaches of the river
D. Ox-bow lakes	4. Mountain Foothills

Code :

	A	B	C	D
(a)	4	1	2	3
(b)	4	2	1	3
(c)	3	2	1	4
(d)	3	1	2	4

[amp_mcq option1=”A-4, B-1, C-2, D-3″ option2=”A-4, B-2, C-1, D-3″ option3=”A-3, B-2, C-1, D-4″ option4=”A-3, B-1, C-2, D-4″ correct=”option1″]

This question was previously asked in

UPSC CAPF – 2015

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The correct matching is A-4, B-1, C-2, D-3.

– Alluvial fans are fan-shaped deposits of sediment formed at the base of a mountain or at the mouth of a narrow valley where a stream flows onto a flatter surface, characteristic of mountain foothills.
– ‘V’-shaped valleys are formed by the erosional action of rivers in their upper course, typically found in mountainous areas where downcutting is dominant.
– Deltas are landforms created by deposition of sediment that is carried by a river as the flow leaves its mouth and enters slower-moving or standing water, usually the sea or a lake. They are characteristic features of the lower reaches of rivers, often found at coasts.
– Ox-bow lakes are crescent-shaped lakes formed in abandoned meander loops of a river, typically found in the flat, alluvial plains of the river’s lower course.

The lower reaches of a river are often characterized by meandering, the formation of ox-bow lakes, and ultimately the development of a delta at its mouth on the coast. V-shaped valleys are associated with the youthful stage and mountainous terrain, while alluvial fans form where mountain streams transition to flatter land.

217. 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 (Volcano type)
A. Shield Volcano
B. Composite Volcano
C. Caldera
D. Flood Basalt Provinces
List-II (Location)
1. Indonesia
2. India
3. Hawaii
4. Philippines
Code :

	A	B	C	D
(a)	2	4	1	3
(b)	2	1	4	3
(c)	3	1	4	2
(d)	3	4	1	2

[amp_mcq option1=”(a)” option2=”(b)” option3=”(c)” option4=”(d)” correct=”option4″]

This question was previously asked in

UPSC CAPF – 2015

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Matching the volcano types with characteristic locations: A. Shield Volcanoes are known for effusive eruptions and broad structures, exemplified by those in Hawaii (3). B. Composite Volcanoes (Stratovolcanoes) are known for explosive eruptions and steep profiles, common in volcanic arcs like the Philippines (4, e.g., Pinatubo). C. Calderas are large collapse depressions, often associated with explosive eruptions, like Krakatoa in Indonesia (1). D. Flood Basalt Provinces are vast areas covered by massive basalt flows, with the Deccan Traps in India (2) being a prime example. Thus, the correct match is A-3, B-4, C-1, D-2.

Different types of volcanoes are associated with distinct geological settings and eruptive styles, leading to characteristic landforms often found in specific regions globally.

Shield volcanoes are typical of hot spots or divergent boundaries with basaltic magma. Composite volcanoes are characteristic of convergent plate boundaries with subduction zones. Calderas form from the collapse of a volcano after a large eruption. Flood basalts are associated with mantle plumes or rifting events.

218. Which one of the following factors is NOT connected with planetary win

Which one of the following factors is NOT connected with planetary wind system ?

[amp_mcq option1=”Latitudinal variation of the atmospheric heating” option2=”Emergence of the pressure belt” option3=”Earth’s revolution around the Sun” option4=”Migration of the pressure belts due to apparent path of the Sun” correct=”option3″]

This question was previously asked in

UPSC CAPF – 2015

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The planetary wind system is primarily driven by differential heating of the Earth’s surface (A), leading to pressure gradients (B) and the formation of pressure belts, modified by the Earth’s rotation (Coriolis effect, not listed). The Earth’s revolution around the Sun (C), combined with axial tilt, causes seasons and the apparent migration of pressure belts (D), which significantly affects the seasonal patterns of planetary winds. However, options A, B, and D describe atmospheric or climatological conditions/effects directly linked to the *system’s operation and seasonal variation*. Option C, Earth’s revolution itself, is the astronomical cause *leading* to the effect described in D. While connected, it can be considered less directly connected to the *atmospheric dynamics* of the wind system compared to the atmospheric heating (A), pressure belts (B), and their migration (D).

Planetary winds are driven by atmospheric pressure differences resulting from uneven heating and shaped by Earth’s rotation. Seasonal variations are caused by Earth’s revolution and tilt. Options A, B, and D are direct meteorological factors or features of the planetary wind system, while C is the astronomical cause of one of these factors (migration of belts).

The fundamental drivers of the general atmospheric circulation (planetary winds) are the unequal heating of the Earth’s surface between the equator and poles and the Earth’s rotation. Pressure belts form as a consequence of this heating distribution and the resulting air movements. The tilt of Earth’s axis and its revolution around the sun cause the seasons and the shifting of these belts and associated wind systems throughout the year.

219. Under which of the following condition(s) the occluded fronts are crea

Under which of the following condition(s) the occluded fronts are created ?

1. When the front remains stationary
2. When cold air mass moves to warm air mass
3. When warm air mass moves to cold air mass
4. When an air mass is fully lifted above the land surface

Select the correct answer using the code given below :

[amp_mcq option1=”1 and 2″ option2=”2 and 3″ option3=”3 and 4″ option4=”4 only” correct=”option4″]

This question was previously asked in

UPSC CAPF – 2015

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The correct answer is D, stating that occluded fronts are created when an air mass is fully lifted above the land surface.

– A front is a boundary between two different air masses.
– Occluded fronts typically form when a faster-moving cold front overtakes a warm front.
– As the cold front catches up to the warm front, the colder, denser air behind the cold front lifts the warmer, less dense air of the warm sector completely off the ground.
– The defining characteristic of an occluded front is that the warm air mass is no longer in contact with the surface; it has been lifted entirely aloft by the converging colder air masses (either cold occlusion where the air behind the cold front is colder than the air ahead of the warm front, or warm occlusion where the air behind the cold front is warmer than the air ahead of the warm front).
– Statement 4 accurately describes this condition of the warm air mass being lifted above the surface, which is central to the formation and nature of an occluded front.
– Statements 1, 2, and 3 describe conditions related to stationary fronts (1), cold fronts (2), and warm fronts (3), respectively, but not the specific mechanism or state characteristic of an occluded front.

Occluded fronts are often associated with mature low-pressure systems (cyclones) and can bring complex weather patterns, including precipitation and changes in wind direction and temperature. The process of occlusion marks the beginning of the dissipation of the cyclone as the warm air is lifted and separated from its source.

220. Various landforms observed on the surface of the earth are due to the:

Various landforms observed on the surface of the earth are due to the:

1. differences in the type and structure of the crustal material
2. differences in the land forming processes
3. differential rates of the processes at different places on the Earth’s surface

Select the correct answer using the code given below :

[amp_mcq option1=”1 only” option2=”1 and 2 only” option3=”2 and 3″ option4=”1, 2 and 3″ correct=”option4″]

This question was previously asked in

UPSC CAPF – 2015

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The correct answer is D, stating that various landforms are due to all three listed reasons.

– The surface of the Earth is constantly shaped and reshaped by various geological processes.
– **Statement 1 (differences in the type and structure of the crustal material):** Different rock types (e.g., hard granite vs. soft sedimentary rock) and their structure (e.g., folded, faulted, horizontal strata) respond differently to erosional and tectonic forces, leading to varied landforms (e.g., differential erosion creating mesas and buttes).
– **Statement 2 (differences in the land forming processes):** Both endogenic processes (like volcanism, earthquakes, plate movements causing uplift and faulting) and exogenic processes (like weathering, erosion, deposition by rivers, glaciers, wind, waves) create different types of landforms. The presence and dominance of these processes vary globally.
– **Statement 3 (differential rates of the processes at different places on the Earth’s surface):** Even the same processes operate at different intensities and speeds depending on factors like climate, topography, vegetation cover, etc. For example, river erosion rates vary with rainfall, slope, and rock type. These differential rates result in diverse landforms across the globe.

Landform development is a complex interplay of forces originating from within the Earth (endogenic) and those acting on the surface (exogenic). The nature of the material being acted upon and the varying intensity and type of processes across space and time are fundamental controls on landform diversity.