Test: Physical Geography - 2 - UPSC MCQ

From electromagnetic radiation to revolution of the earth, everything is responsible for bringing dynamic changes on the surface of the earth. For example: Electromagnetic radiation brings changes in the field of microwaves, wavelengths of radio, UV rays, infra red rays, X rays and gamma rays. Geothermal energy is the heat received from the earth’s core. This heat continuously flows outward. It transfers to the surrounding layers of rock, the mantle. When temperature and pressure becomes very high some mantle rocks melt becoming magma. It then either comes out as lava or heat up the nearby rocks and water which comes out as hot springs or geysers. Gravitational force is constantly working on all physical bodies. It is giving weights to objects with mass and causes them to fall to the ground when dropped. Plate movement is a dynamic change on the surface of the earth. It explains many aspects of the interrelationship of volcanoes, earthquakes, climate change, and the evolution of life itself. Everything about our planet is related either directly or indirectly to plate tectonic.
Rotation causes day and night. Revolution causes seasons, change in the length of day and night.

Out of all the water on Earth, Saline water in oceans, seas and saline groundwater make up about 97% of it. Only 2.5 - 2.75% is fresh water, including 1.75-2%  frozen in glaciers, ice and snow, 0.5 - 0.75% as fresh groundwater and soil moisture and less than 0.01%  of it as surface water in lakes, Swamps and rivers.

Variations in the length of daytime and night is on from season to season are due to the revolution of the earth on a tilted axis.

Atlas mountain ranges are situated in the north western part of Africa. They extend almost 2000 km. They pass through Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia.

Savannah covers approximately 20% of the Earth's land area. The largest area of Savannah is in Africa. The tropical Savannah region has a definite dry and wet season. Savannah grasslands are much richer in humus than the equatorial forests.

Atmosphere is heated by infrared radiation, Moisture is more in lower atmosphere. In the upper atmosphere Air is less dense which hold less heat thus temperature is low.

1. Rotation of the Earth
2. Air pressure and wind
3. Density of ocean water. Revolution has no impact on ocean currents.

The cosmic microwave background (CMB) is the thermal radiation left over from the "Big Bang".
The CMB is well explained as radiation left over from an early stage in the development of the universe and its discovery is considered a landmarks test of the Big Bang model of the universe.
Red shift and Blueshift describes how light changes as objects in space (such as stars or galaxies) move closer or farther away from us. The concept is key to charting the universe's expansion.

Jet fly in the lower stratosphere to avoid the turbulence. There are no clouds and the air is dry with little water vapour. There are no vertical winds in the lower stratosphere.

It is under the influence of cold ocean current. So given second statement is wrong.

The speed of these winds are higher and persistence in southern hemisphere. The land mass in southern hemisphere is lesser in comparison to northern hemisphere.
As these winds crosses the landmass its velocity decreases.
Thus the effect of westerlies is less over northern hemisphere than in southern hemisphere.

Comets found beyond Nepture i.e. Kupier belt.
Asteroids are tiny planetary bodies revolving around the sun between the orbits of Jupiter and Mars. While comets are mode up of small icy particles and Neteoric fragments.

Statement 1 is wrong, ionosphere contains charged particles due to which electromagnetic radio waves gets reflected and communication becomes possible. Ozone is found mainly in stratosphere and in traces in troposphere.
Its main function is absorption of UV rays. While the ions give the ionosphere its name, it is the free electrons that effect the radio waves and radio communications. Also Radio waves have the longest wave length in the EM spectrum.

The soils of tropical rainforest are relatively poor in nutrients. Due to torrential rains most of the nutrients washed out of the soil and the soils contain less organic matter than the tropical deciduous forests. Nutrients in the soil are often in forms that are not accessible by plants, unlike tropical deciduous forests where major nutrients remain in the soil. Thus if a tropical rain forest is removed it does not regenerate quickly as compared to a tropical deciduous forest.

Rotation of the earth causes wind to deflect towards left in the Southern Hemisphere.

Mediterrian climate have mild, rainy winter and hot, dry summers and Evergreen, Oak trees.

The Albedo of Snow is highest.

Normal El Nino forms in south–eastern Pacific whereas as El Nino Modoki forms in central Pacific and causes greater number of hurricanes.

Tropical rainforests are warm and humid. The temperature ranges from 21 to 30 degree celsius (70 to 85°F) The average annual temperature of tropical rainforests is above 20°C.
The tropical rainforests receive annual precipitation amounts of 60 to 160 inches. (152 to 406 cm). Some rainforests in the world experiences annual rainfall amounts of almost 400 inches.