All questions of Fundamentals of Physical Geography for UPSC CSE Exam

Arctic Ocean

The primary source of radiation that heats the Earth is the Sun. The Sun emits electromagnetic radiation, including visible light, ultraviolet radiation, and infrared radiation. As this radiation travels through space, it reaches the Earth's atmosphere and is absorbed, reflected, or scattered by various gases, particles, and surfaces.

The Earth's atmosphere also emits radiation, particularly in the form of infrared radiation, which is re-radiated back towards the Earth's surface. This process is known as the greenhouse effect, and it helps to trap heat in the Earth's atmosphere, making it possible for life to exist on the planet.

Other sources of radiation that contribute to the heating of the Earth include cosmic rays, which are high-energy particles that come from outer space and can penetrate the Earth's atmosphere, and radioactive decay, which generates heat within the Earth's core. However, these sources are much less significant than the Sun in terms of their contribution to the Earth's overall heat budget.

ATMOSPHERE is the correct answer.
The envelope of air around the earth is called ATMOSPHERE.
This is called atmosphere. The force of gravity holds this atmosphere near the earth.
I hope you got your answer

Carbon dioxide (a)

The upper most layer of the earth is exosphere. because it is the last layer and in this layer nitrogen present and no living beings can't be live

Ozone splits In to oxygen molecule and oxygen free radical. which is readily recombinable. Thus it's make cyclic process in presence of ultraviolet rays.

The answer is D. Because, 1. Forests are the sinks for the carbon dioxide. Forests use CO2 in their growth. So, deforestation due to changes in land increases concentration of CO2. 2. The time taken for atmospheric CO2 to adjust to changes in sources to sinks is 20-50 yrs. It is rising at about 0.5 percent annually. 3. In atmosphere CO2 comprises only 0.04 percent. All the above processes are causing the CO2 conc. to increase in atmosphere in small quantities. However, 4. The emission of CO2 comes mainly from fossil fuels combustion (oil, gas, coal). Which causes more and more pollution and led to global warming. (especially during to industrialization period).

Global warming

The Earth is absorbing more energy ( heat ) from the Sun than it is emitting to space..... I hope you got your answer...

Solar radiation is radiant energy emitted by the sun from a nuclear fusion reaction that creates electromagnetic energy. The spectrum of solar radiation is close to that of a black body with a temperature of about 5800 K. About half of the radiation is in the visible short-wave part of the electromagnetic spectrum.

Occluded Front

An occluded front occurs when a faster-moving cold front catches up and overtakes a slower-moving warm front. As a result, the warm air mass is lifted above the land surface, creating an occluded front. Let's explore this concept in detail.

Understanding Fronts
- Fronts are the boundaries where different air masses meet. There are four main types of fronts: warm fronts, cold fronts, stationary fronts, and occluded fronts.
- Warm fronts occur when warm air advances and replaces cooler air. They are characterized by a gradual increase in temperature and the formation of clouds and precipitation.
- Cold fronts, on the other hand, occur when cold air advances and replaces warmer air. They are associated with rapidly changing weather conditions, such as thunderstorms and heavy rainfall.
- Stationary fronts occur when neither warm nor cold air masses advance. They result in prolonged periods of cloudy and rainy weather.
- Occluded fronts are formed when a cold front overtakes a warm front. They are characterized by the lifting of the warm air mass above the land surface.

Formation of an Occluded Front
- When a cold front catches up to a warm front, it begins to lift the warm air mass above the land surface.
- This lifting occurs because the cold air is denser and more stable, causing it to slide underneath the warm air.
- As the warm air is lifted, it cools and condenses, leading to the formation of clouds and precipitation.
- The occluded front is represented on weather maps by a purple line with alternating triangles and semi-circles pointing in the direction of the cold air mass.

Effects of an Occluded Front
- Occluded fronts often bring significant changes in weather conditions.
- The lifting of the warm air mass can result in the dissipation of the warm sector's energy, leading to a decrease in precipitation intensity.
- The occluded front may also have a combination of characteristics from both warm and cold fronts, such as cloud formations and precipitation.
- The weather associated with occluded fronts can vary, but it often includes a mix of rain, snow, or a combination of both.

In conclusion, if an air mass is fully lifted above the land surface, it is called an occluded front. This occurs when a faster-moving cold front overtakes and lifts a slower-moving warm front, resulting in changes in weather conditions.

Dust is made of fine particles of solid matter. On Earth, it generally consists of particles in the atmosphere that come from various sources such as soil, dust lifted by wind (an aeolian process), volcanic eruptions, and pollution.Dust in homes, smoke,ash,offices, and other human environments contains small amounts of plant pollen, human and animal hairs, textile fibers, paper fibers, minerals from outdoor soil, human skin cells, burnt meteorite particles, and many other materials which may be found in the local environment.

A pyrheliometer is an instrument for measurement of direct beam solar irradiance. Sunlight enters the instrument through a window and is directed onto a thermopile which converts heat to an electrical signal that can be recorded. The signal voltage is converted via a formula to measure watts per square metre.

When two plates collide (happens when move towards each other) only then subduction (one goes under another) happens which is why the case is convergent. Option C

Ring of fire

Explanation:

The position of the sun in the sky changes throughout the year due to the tilt of the Earth's axis. On 21st June, the sun is directly overhead at noon at a specific location on Earth.

Equator:

At the equator, the sun is overhead twice a year, during the equinoxes. On 21st June, the sun is not directly overhead at the equator, but rather it is at its northernmost point in the sky.

23.5 degree S:

At 23.5 degrees south latitude, the sun is directly overhead at noon on 21st December, during the southern hemisphere's summer solstice. On 21st June, the sun is at its southernmost point in the sky.

66.5 degree N:

At 66.5 degrees north latitude, the sun is directly overhead at noon on 21st June, during the northern hemisphere's summer solstice. This is the point located within the Arctic Circle.

23.5 degree N:

At 23.5 degrees north latitude, the sun is directly overhead at noon on 21st June, during the northern hemisphere's summer solstice. This is the Tropic of Cancer, and it is the correct answer to the question.

In conclusion, the correct answer is option B, 23.5 degree N, as this is the Tropic of Cancer, where the sun is directly overhead at noon on 21st June, during the northern hemisphere's summer solstice.