World and Physical Geography

391. While travelling to a hilly region, you notice a massive boulder, whic

While travelling to a hilly region, you notice a massive boulder, which was loosened by heavy rains and moved downhill. This has resulted due to which of the following processes?

  • Mass wasting
  • Erosion
  • Weathering

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

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

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The scenario describes a process involving multiple geological phenomena. Heavy rains contribute to weathering by saturating the ground and potentially expanding cracks, which helps *loosen* the boulder or the material supporting it. Heavy rains also act as a trigger for mass wasting by increasing the weight of the material, reducing friction (lubrication), and increasing pore water pressure. Erosion by the heavy rain could also potentially undercut the boulder’s support. The actual *movement* of the boulder downhill under the influence of gravity is a clear example of mass wasting (potentially a rockfall or part of a landslide). Thus, weathering contributed to the loosening, erosion by rain contributed to the triggering mechanism, and mass wasting is the process of movement.
Weathering weakens material, making it susceptible to movement. Mass wasting is the downslope movement under gravity. Erosion is the transport of material by agents like water. In this scenario, all three processes are likely involved or contribute to the event.
Mass wasting events like landslides or rockfalls are often preceded by weathering and triggered by events like heavy rainfall or earthquakes. Heavy rain can cause significant erosion, which further destabilizes slopes and contributes to the trigger.

392. While watching news, you hear about a place, of which you had never he

While watching news, you hear about a place, of which you had never heard earlier. You want to know more about the place and you want to locate it on the map. Which of the following is/are required for you to be able to locate the place on the map?

[amp_mcq option1=”Only latitude of the place” option2=”Only longitude of the place” option3=”Both longitude and latitude of the place” option4=”Latitude, longitude and altitude of the place” correct=”option3″]

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The correct answer is C) Both longitude and latitude of the place.
To precisely locate any point on the Earth’s surface on a 2D map, you need a system of coordinates. The most common system uses latitude and longitude. Latitude measures the angular distance north or south of the equator, and longitude measures the angular distance east or west of the Prime Meridian. The intersection of a specific latitude and a specific longitude provides a unique location on the map. Altitude (height above sea level) describes the vertical position and is not needed to locate a point horizontally on a standard map.
Latitude lines (parallels) run horizontally around the globe, parallel to the equator. Longitude lines (meridians) run vertically from the North Pole to the South Pole. Together, they form a grid system allowing for the precise identification of any location on Earth. GPS devices use latitude, longitude, and altitude data to determine a user’s position. However, for locating a place on a map, only latitude and longitude are required for the horizontal coordinates.

393. In a group discussion on shape and size of the Earth, three students s

In a group discussion on shape and size of the Earth, three students stated the following points :

  • 1. Student 1 : The shape of the Earth is basically an oblate spheroid.
  • 2. Student 2 : The polar diameter of the Earth is more than the equatorial diameter.
  • 3. Student 3 : Bulge along the equatorial region is due to revolution of the Earth.

Who among the above students is/are correct?

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

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The correct answer is A) Student 1 only.
Student 1: “The shape of the Earth is basically an oblate spheroid.” This is correct. The Earth is not a perfect sphere; it is slightly flattened at the poles and bulges at the equator. An oblate spheroid is a geometric shape that accurately represents this form.
Student 2: “The polar diameter of the Earth is more than the equatorial diameter.” This is incorrect. The equatorial diameter (approx. 12,756 km) is greater than the polar diameter (approx. 12,714 km) by about 42 km, due to the equatorial bulge.
Student 3: “Bulge along the equatorial region is due to revolution of the Earth.” This is incorrect. The equatorial bulge is primarily caused by the Earth’s *rotation* on its axis. The centrifugal force generated by rotation is strongest at the equator, leading to the outward bulge. Revolution refers to the Earth’s orbit around the Sun.
Therefore, only Student 1’s statement is correct.
The Earth’s actual shape is even more irregular than an oblate spheroid due to variations in gravity and topography; this complex shape is called a geoid. However, for general purposes, an oblate spheroid is a good approximation. The difference between the equatorial and polar diameters is a consequence of the Earth’s formation and ongoing rotation.

394. In which one of the following countries is intensive subsistence agric

In which one of the following countries is intensive subsistence agriculture not predominantly practised ?

[amp_mcq option1=”India” option2=”Japan” option3=”Canada” option4=”Indonesia” correct=”option3″]

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Intensive subsistence agriculture is characterized by high labour input per unit of land, small farm sizes, cultivation primarily for self-consumption, and often multiple cropping in a year. This type of agriculture is predominantly practiced in densely populated regions with favourable climates, such as parts of South Asia, Southeast Asia, and East Asia. India, Japan, and Indonesia have historically significant areas where this is practiced, although mechanization and commercialization have increased, especially in Japan. Canada, in contrast, is a large country with a relatively low population density and its agriculture is predominantly extensive (large farms), highly mechanized, and commercial, focused on producing surpluses for domestic markets and export.
Intensive subsistence agriculture is typical in areas where land is scarce, population density is high, and the economy is largely agrarian. Farmers focus on maximizing yield from small plots using manual labour and simple tools.
Commercial agriculture, in contrast to subsistence agriculture, is practiced primarily for sale in the market. It often involves larger farms, specialized crops or livestock, high levels of mechanization and technology, and significant capital investment. Canada is a leading practitioner of various forms of commercial agriculture, such as extensive commercial grain farming and mixed farming.

395. Which one of the following clouds is a rain-bearing cloud ?

Which one of the following clouds is a rain-bearing cloud ?

[amp_mcq option1=”Cumulus cloud” option2=”Stratus cloud” option3=”Nimbus cloud” option4=”Cirrus cloud” correct=”option3″]

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The term “Nimbus” indicates a cloud that produces precipitation. Nimbostratus clouds are low to mid-level clouds that bring steady rain or snow, while Cumulonimbus clouds are large, towering clouds associated with thunderstorms, heavy rain, hail, and lightning. Therefore, Nimbus clouds (or clouds with the nimbus prefix/suffix) are the primary rain-bearing clouds.
Clouds are classified based on their form and altitude. Cumulus clouds are puffy, often fair-weather clouds but can develop into rain clouds. Stratus clouds are flat, layered clouds that can bring drizzle. Cirrus clouds are high, wispy clouds made of ice crystals, typically not associated with precipitation reaching the ground. The presence of “nimbus” in a cloud name signifies precipitation.
Cumulonimbus clouds are particularly noteworthy as they are associated with intense rainfall, thunderstorms, and other severe weather phenomena. Nimbostratus clouds, though less dramatic, can produce prolonged periods of light to moderate precipitation.

396. Which one of the following is not a form of condensation ?

Which one of the following is not a form of condensation ?

[amp_mcq option1=”Dew” option2=”Fog” option3=”Frost” option4=”Sleet” correct=”option4″]

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Sleet is a form of precipitation consisting of ice pellets, often formed when snowflakes melt partially as they fall through a layer of warm air and then refreeze in a sub-freezing layer near the surface. While it involves freezing water, it is primarily a form of precipitation resulting from the freezing of raindrops or melted snow, not directly from the condensation of water vapor into a liquid or solid form on a surface or within the air mass like dew, fog, or frost.
Condensation is the process by which water vapor in the air changes into liquid water or ice. Forms of condensation include dew (liquid water on surfaces), fog (liquid water droplets suspended in air), mist (similar to fog but less dense), frost (ice formed directly from vapor deposition on surfaces below freezing), and clouds (liquid water droplets or ice crystals suspended in the atmosphere).
Precipitation includes various forms of water falling from clouds to the ground, such as rain, snow, sleet, and hail. Condensation is a necessary precursor for cloud formation and precipitation, but sleet itself is classified as a type of precipitation, not a form of condensation like dew or fog.

397. A large body of magmatic material that cools in the deeper depth of th

A large body of magmatic material that cools in the deeper depth of the Earth’s crust and develops in the form of large domes is known as

[amp_mcq option1=”Batholiths.” option2=”Lacoliths.” option3=”Lopoliths.” option4=”Phacoliths.” correct=”option1″]

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A Batholith is a very large body of intrusive igneous rock (pluton) that forms when molten rock (magma) cools and solidifies beneath the Earth’s surface. Batholiths are the largest type of intrusive igneous features.
Batholiths are typically irregular in shape and can extend over vast areas (hundreds or thousands of square kilometers) and to significant depths. They are formed by multiple intrusions of magma over millions of years and are characteristic of convergent plate boundaries where mountain building occurs.
Laccoliths are mushroom-shaped or lens-shaped intrusions that have pushed overlying rock layers upwards into a dome. Lopoliths are basin-shaped or saucer-shaped intrusions. Phacoliths are lens-shaped intrusions parallel to the bedding planes in folded strata. While laccoliths form domes, batholiths fit the description of a “large body… cools in the deeper depth… develops in the form of large domes” (often exposed by erosion as large areas of igneous rock).

398. The maximum depth of Lithosphere is found in the

The maximum depth of Lithosphere is found in the

[amp_mcq option1=”Pacific Ocean.” option2=”Siberian Plain.” option3=”Patagonian Desert.” option4=”Himalayan Mountains.” correct=”option4″]

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The lithosphere, which comprises the Earth’s crust and the rigid upper part of the mantle, varies greatly in thickness. It is generally thinnest under oceanic ridges (around 10 km) and thickest under stable continental interiors (cratons) and mountain belts formed by continental collision, where it can exceed 150-200 km.
Continental lithosphere is generally much thicker than oceanic lithosphere. Major mountain ranges formed by collision, like the Himalayas, involve significant thickening of the crust and the underlying lithospheric mantle, leading to greater overall lithospheric depth compared to oceanic areas, plains, or deserts.
The Pacific Ocean is underlain by oceanic lithosphere, which is relatively thin compared to continental lithosphere. Siberian Plain and Patagonian Desert are continental regions, but the significant crustal root and thickened lithosphere associated with the collision forming the Himalayan mountains likely result in the maximum depth among the given options.

399. Point of Origin of Earthquake Wave is known as

Point of Origin of Earthquake Wave is known as

[amp_mcq option1=”Epicentre.” option2=”Focus.” option3=”Photosphere.” option4=”Seismic Zone.” correct=”option2″]

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The point of origin of an earthquake *inside* the Earth is known as the focus or hypocenter. Earthquake waves (seismic waves) radiate outwards from this point.
The Focus (or Hypocenter) is the actual point within the Earth’s crust where an earthquake originates, due to the rupture of rocks along a fault line. The energy released at the focus propagates as seismic waves.
The Epicentre is the point on the Earth’s surface located directly above the focus. It is usually where the earthquake shaking is strongest and damage is often greatest. A Seismic Zone is an area where earthquakes are known to occur frequently. Photosphere is the visible surface of the Sun.

400. Which one of the following planets has the highest density?

Which one of the following planets has the highest density?

[amp_mcq option1=”Mercury” option2=”Venus” option3=”Jupiter” option4=”Earth” correct=”option4″]

This question was previously asked in
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The correct answer is Earth.
Density is defined as mass per unit volume. The density of planets varies based on their composition. Terrestrial planets (Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars) are primarily composed of rock and metal, making them relatively dense. Gas giants (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune) are primarily composed of lighter elements like hydrogen and helium, resulting in much lower densities. Among the options provided, Earth is a terrestrial planet and has the highest average density (approximately 5.51 g/cm³).
Comparing the densities of the given options:
– Earth: ~5.51 g/cm³
– Mercury: ~5.43 g/cm³
– Venus: ~5.24 g/cm³
– Jupiter: ~1.33 g/cm³
Earth has the highest density among these four planets, and indeed, it has the highest density among all planets in our solar system.
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