World and Physical Geography

321. Sentosa island, which was in news recently, is located in

Sentosa island, which was in news recently, is located in

[amp_mcq option1=”Singapore” option2=”China” option3=”Australia” option4=”Sri Lanka” correct=”option1″]

This question was previously asked in
UPSC NDA-2 – 2018
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Sentosa island, which was in news recently (in 2018, due to the Trump-Kim summit), is located in Singapore.
Sentosa is a resort island off the southern coast of Singapore. It is known for its beaches, resorts, attractions like Universal Studios Singapore, and the S.E.A. Aquarium. In June 2018, it gained significant global attention as the venue for the historic summit between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
The summit took place at the Capella Hotel on Sentosa island. The island was formerly a British military base and was renamed “Sentosa” (meaning “peace and tranquility” in Malay) after being redeveloped as a tourist destination.

322. Which one of the following is not a process of chemical weathering?

Which one of the following is not a process of chemical weathering?

[amp_mcq option1=”Solution” option2=”Carbonation” option3=”Oxidation” option4=”Exfoliation” correct=”option4″]

This question was previously asked in
UPSC NDA-2 – 2018
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The correct answer is D) Exfoliation.
Exfoliation is a type of physical weathering process, not chemical weathering. Chemical weathering involves the decomposition of rocks through chemical reactions, such as solution, carbonation, and oxidation.
Chemical weathering processes include Solution (minerals dissolving in water), Carbonation (reaction with carbonic acid, often formed from CO2 in water), Oxidation (reaction with oxygen, e.g., rusting), Hydration (addition of water to mineral structures), and Hydrolysis (reaction of water with minerals to form new compounds). Physical weathering processes, like exfoliation, involve the breakdown of rocks into smaller pieces without changing their chemical composition. Exfoliation is the process where outer layers of rock peel off due to pressure release or thermal expansion/contraction.

323. Steppe (temperate continental) climate is not experienced in which one

Steppe (temperate continental) climate is not experienced in which one of the following places?

[amp_mcq option1=”Pretoria” option2=”Saskatchewan” option3=”Perth” option4=”Buenos Aires” correct=”option3″]

This question was previously asked in
UPSC NDA-2 – 2018
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Steppe (temperate continental) climate is not experienced in Perth.
– Steppe climate (often classified as BSk or BSh in Koppen depending on temperature, but the question specifies “temperate continental”) is a semi-arid climate characterized by grasslands, intermediate in precipitation between desert and humid climates. It is typically found in continental interiors or rain shadow areas of mid-latitudes.
– Saskatchewan, Canada, is part of the Great Plains/Prairies and experiences significant areas with Cold Semi-arid (BSk) or Humid Continental (Dfb) climates, including vast grasslands indicative of steppe conditions.
– Buenos Aires, Argentina, is in the Pampas region, which predominantly has a Humid Subtropical climate (Cfa), although some western parts border on semi-arid conditions.
– Pretoria, South Africa, located on the Highveld, has a subtropical highland climate (Cwb or Cwa) or a high-altitude semi-arid climate (BShw), characterized by dry winters and wet summers. While bordering on semi-arid conditions, it is not a classic mid-latitude continental steppe.
– Perth, Western Australia, has a Mediterranean climate (Cs), characterized by hot, dry summers and mild, wet winters. This distinct seasonal rainfall pattern is different from the less extreme seasonal precipitation typical of steppe climates.
– Among the given options, Perth’s climate is the most distinctly different from a steppe climate.
– Classic examples of temperate steppe regions include the Great Plains of North America, the Eurasian Steppe, and the Pampas of Argentina.
– Mediterranean climates (Cs) are typically found on the western sides of continents between roughly 30° and 45° latitude.

324. 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
(Koppen’s Climatic Type)		 List-II
(Letter Code)
A. Tropical wet 1. Af
B. Mid-latitude desert 2. Cs
C. Mediterranean 3. Df
D. Humid continental 4. BWk

Code :

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

This question was previously asked in
UPSC NDA-2 – 2018
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The correct match between List-I (Koppen’s Climatic Type) and List-II (Letter Code) is A-1, B-4, C-2, D-3.
– Koppen’s climate classification uses letter codes to represent different climate types based primarily on temperature and precipitation characteristics.
– A. Tropical wet climate is characterized by consistently high temperatures and heavy rainfall throughout the year, designated by the code Af (A: Tropical, f: fully humid).
– B. Mid-latitude desert is an arid climate type found in mid-latitudes, often experiencing cold winters. The code BWk represents Arid (B), Desert (W), and Cold (k).
– C. Mediterranean climate is characterized by hot, dry summers and mild, wet winters. The code is Cs (C: Temperate, s: dry summer).
– D. Humid continental climate is found in mid-latitudes of continents, characterized by large seasonal temperature variations with warm to hot summers and cold winters, and precipitation throughout the year. The code is Df (D: Continental, f: fully humid).
– Matching the types to codes gives: A-1 (Af), B-4 (BWk), C-2 (Cs), D-3 (Df).
– The first letter of the Koppen code usually indicates the main climate group (A: Tropical, B: Arid, C: Temperate, D: Continental, E: Polar).
– Subsequent letters denote precipitation patterns (f: fully humid, w: dry winter, s: dry summer, m: monsoon) and temperature characteristics (a: hot summer, b: warm summer, c: cool summer, d: extremely cold winter, h: hot arid, k: cold arid).

325. Which one of the following is not an agent of metamorphism?

Which one of the following is not an agent of metamorphism?

[amp_mcq option1=”Heat” option2=”Compression” option3=”Decomposition” option4=”Solution” correct=”option3″]

This question was previously asked in
UPSC NDA-2 – 2018
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Metamorphism is the process by which existing rocks are transformed into new types of rock by high temperature, high pressure, and/or chemically active fluids. Heat, pressure (often resulting in compression), and chemically active fluids (which can involve solution and redeposition of minerals) are the primary agents of metamorphism. Decomposition, which is the breakdown of substances, typically organic matter, is not a process that drives the transformation of rocks under metamorphic conditions.
The three main agents of metamorphism are heat, pressure, and chemically active fluids. These agents cause mineralogical, textural, and/or chemical changes in the parent rock without complete melting.
Heat can be provided by geothermal gradient, contact with magma, or friction along faults. Pressure can be lithostatic (confining pressure from overlying rocks) or directed pressure (differential stress). Chemically active fluids are typically hot water or gas mixtures that circulate through the rock, dissolving and transporting ions, leading to the formation of new minerals. Decomposition is a biological and chemical process associated with weathering and breakdown, distinct from the high-energy transformations of metamorphism.

326. Which one of the following types of cloud is characterized by continuo

Which one of the following types of cloud is characterized by continuous precipitation?

[amp_mcq option1=”Cirrocumulus” option2=”Cumulus” option3=”Nimbostratus” option4=”Cumulonimbus” correct=”option3″]

This question was previously asked in
UPSC NDA-2 – 2018
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Nimbostratus clouds are low-to-mid-level clouds that are dark, diffuse, and shapeless, and are characterized by continuous precipitation (rain, snow, or sleet) that is typically light to moderate but widespread and persistent.
Different cloud types are associated with different forms and intensities of precipitation. Cumulonimbus clouds produce heavy, showery precipitation often accompanied by thunderstorms, while nimbostratus clouds are associated with steady, prolonged precipitation. Cirrocumulus are high-altitude clouds producing no precipitation, and Cumulus are fair-weather clouds, though larger cumulus congestus can produce light showers.
The prefix “nimbo-” indicates a cloud that produces precipitation. Thus, Nimbostratus (layered rain cloud) and Cumulonimbus (convective rain cloud) are the primary precipitation-producing cloud types. However, Nimbostratus is specifically linked with *continuous* precipitation.

327. 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
(Local Wind)		 List-II
(Place)
A. Yamo 1. Sudan
B. Black Roller 2. France
C. Bise 3. Japan
D. Haboob 4. North America

Code :

[amp_mcq option1=”A-1, B-4, C-2, D-3″ option2=”A-1, B-4, C-2, D-3 (Repeated option – listing once)” option3=”A-3, B-4, C-2, D-1″ option4=”A-3, B-2, C-4, D-1″ correct=”option3″]

This question was previously asked in
UPSC NDA-2 – 2018
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The correct match is A-3, B-4, C-2, D-1.
This question tests knowledge of various local winds around the world and the regions where they occur.
– Yamo is a local wind associated with Japan. (A-3)
– Black Roller is a severe dust storm that occurs in the Great Plains region of North America. (B-4)
– Bise is a cold, dry northerly or northeasterly wind that blows in the Alpine regions, including parts of France. (C-2)
– Haboob is an intense dust storm or sandstorm common in arid and semi-arid regions, particularly noted in the Sahara Desert and the Arabian Peninsula (e.g., Sudan). (D-1)
Matching these correctly gives the combination A-3, B-4, C-2, D-1, which corresponds to Option C.

328. Which one of the following is known as a zone of sharp salinity change

Which one of the following is known as a zone of sharp salinity change in the vertical section of ocean?

[amp_mcq option1=”Thermocline” option2=”Halocline” option3=”Photic zone” option4=”Pycnocline” correct=”option2″]

This question was previously asked in
UPSC NDA-2 – 2018
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A halocline is a layer of water in which the salinity changes significantly with depth. This zone represents a strong vertical salinity gradient.
This question tests specific oceanographic terminology used to describe vertical gradients of physical properties in the ocean.
A thermocline is a layer where temperature changes rapidly with depth. A pycnocline is a layer where density changes rapidly with depth (density is influenced by both temperature and salinity). The photic zone (or euphotic zone) is the upper layer of a body of water where sunlight penetrates and photosynthesis occurs; it is defined by light penetration, not by a gradient of a physical property.

329. Which one of the following statements about temperature is correct?

Which one of the following statements about temperature is correct?

[amp_mcq option1=”Temperature decreases with height in the stratosphere.” option2=”Temperature is constant at different heights in the stratosphere.” option3=”Temperature increases with height in the troposphere at an average rate of 6.5 °C per kilometre.” option4=”Temperature decreases with height in the troposphere at an average rate of 6.4 °C per kilometre.” correct=”option4″]

This question was previously asked in
UPSC NDA-2 – 2018
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Statement A is incorrect; temperature generally increases with height in the stratosphere due to the absorption of UV radiation by the ozone layer. Statement B is incorrect; temperature varies with height in the stratosphere, generally increasing. Statement C is incorrect; temperature decreases, not increases, with height in the troposphere. Statement D is correct; temperature decreases with height in the troposphere at an average rate, known as the lapse rate, which is approximately 6.5 °C per kilometer. The value 6.4 °C per kilometer is very close to this average rate and within acceptable variations.
This question tests knowledge of the temperature profiles in the different layers of the Earth’s atmosphere, specifically the troposphere and the stratosphere.
The troposphere is the lowest layer where most weather phenomena occur. The decrease in temperature with height is due to the fact that the troposphere is primarily heated by the Earth’s surface. The stratosphere lies above the troposphere, separated by the tropopause. The increase in temperature in the stratosphere is most pronounced in its upper part where ozone concentration is highest.

330. The following six (6) items consist of two statements, Statement I and

The following six (6) items consist 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 :
Geostrophic wind blows above a height of 600 metres, parallel to the isobars.
Statement II :
Geostrophic wind is the horizontal wind velocity, in which the Coriolis force balances the horizontal pressure force.

[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=”option1″]

This question was previously asked in
UPSC NDA-2 – 2018
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Statement I is true: The geostrophic wind is a theoretical horizontal wind that flows parallel to the isobars. It is typically a good approximation of the wind speed and direction in the atmosphere above the friction layer (usually considered to be above 600-1000 meters), where the effects of surface friction are negligible. Statement II is true: The geostrophic wind occurs when the pressure gradient force (air moves from high to low pressure) is exactly balanced by the Coriolis force (deflection due to Earth’s rotation). This balance is the fundamental definition of geostrophic flow. Statement II provides the physical principle that explains why the geostrophic wind (as described in Statement I) blows parallel to the isobars above the friction layer.
– Pressure Gradient Force (PGF) drives air from high pressure to low pressure.
– Coriolis Force (CF) acts perpendicular to the wind direction, to the right in the Northern Hemisphere and to the left in the Southern Hemisphere.
– In geostrophic balance, PGF and CF are equal in magnitude and opposite in direction (acting on the wind vector).
– Friction is negligible above the boundary layer, allowing geostrophic balance to be achieved.
Below the friction layer (in the atmospheric boundary layer), friction acts to slow down the wind, which reduces the Coriolis force. This imbalance causes the wind to blow across the isobars towards lower pressure, not parallel to them.
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