Test: Physical Geography- 2 - UPSC MCQ

Answer:
The correct answer is B: An island.
Here is a detailed explanation:
Definition of an island:
- An island is a piece of land that is completely surrounded by water.
- It can be found in various bodies of water, such as oceans, seas, lakes, or rivers.
- Islands can vary in size, ranging from small islets to large landmasses.
Characteristics of an island:
- Islands are completely surrounded by water on all sides.
- They are separate landforms that are not connected to any other landmass.
- Islands can be formed through various processes, such as volcanic activity, erosion, or deposition of sediment.
Examples of islands:
- Some well-known examples of islands include:
- Hawaii, which is an archipelago consisting of several islands in the Pacific Ocean.
- Great Britain, which is the largest island in Europe, located in the Atlantic Ocean.
- Manhattan, which is an island in the Hudson River and part of New York City.
Other options:
- Estuary: An estuary is a partially enclosed coastal body of water where freshwater from rivers and streams mixes with saltwater from the ocean. It is not a piece of land surrounded by water.
- Peninsula: A peninsula is a piece of land that is almost completely surrounded by water but connected to the mainland by a narrow strip of land. It is not completely surrounded by water on all sides.
- None of these: This option does not accurately describe a piece of land surrounded by water, as an island fits this description.
Therefore, the correct answer is B: An island.

Explanation: High tide occurs when the moon is both unusually close to the Earth (at its closest perigee, called the proxigee) and in the New Moon phase (when the Moon is between the Sun and the Earth).

Explanation: Sedimentary rock turns into a different kind of metamorphic rock -limestone turns into travertine or marble, and shale turns into slate, and sandstone turns into quartzite. Even though slate is a metamorphic rock, it still looks a lot like a sedimentary rock - it is still in thin layers.

Explanation: For much of the last quarter century, the leading theory of the driving force behind tectonic plate motions envisaged large scale convection currents in the upper mantle which are transmitted through the asthenosphere. This theory was launched by Arthur Holmes

Explanation: The Pacific Plate is an oceanic tectonic plate that lies beneath the Pacific Ocean. At 103 million square kilometers, it is the largest tectonic plate.

Explanation: Subduction zone volcanism occurs where two plates are converging on one another. One plate containing oceanic lithosphere descends beneath the adjacent plate, thus consuming the oceanic lithosphere into the earth's mantle. This on-going process is called subduction. As the descending plate bends downward at the surface, it creates a large linear depression called an oceanic trench. 

The correct answer is C as Temperature increases in both 
a)Stratosphere
b)Thermosphere
 

Why the North Atlantic Sea route is regarded as an important international trade route:
There are several reasons why the North Atlantic Sea route is regarded as an important international trade route. These include:
1. Connects two industrially developed parts of the world: The North Atlantic Sea route connects North America and Europe, which are two of the most industrially developed parts of the world. This allows for the efficient transportation of goods and facilitates trade between these regions.
2. Shorter distance: The North Atlantic Sea route offers a shorter distance compared to other trade routes, such as the Cape of Good Hope route. This results in reduced shipping time and cost, making it an attractive choice for international trade.
3. Access to major ports: The North Atlantic Sea route provides access to major ports on both sides of the Atlantic, including ports in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and mainland Europe. These ports serve as important hubs for international trade and facilitate the movement of goods to and from various regions.
4. Trade winds: While not exclusive to the North Atlantic Sea route, trade winds can help shipping vessels navigate more efficiently. These winds blow consistently in certain directions, which can aid in propulsion and reduce fuel consumption, making the journey smoother and more cost-effective.
Overall, the North Atlantic Sea route's strategic location, shorter distance, access to major ports, and potential benefits from trade winds make it an important international trade route connecting two industrially developed regions of the world.

Explanation: An equinox is an astronomical event in which the plane of Earth's equator passes through the center of the Sun, which occurs twice each year, around 20 March and 23 September. On an equinox, day and night are of approximately equal duration all over the planet

Explanation: We know that 1⁰ longitude is equal to 4 minutes. Here, time given is 2 hr & 20 minutes which is equal to 140 minutes. On dividing 140 by 4 we get, 35.

It passes around the far east of Russia and other archipelagos in the Pacific. In the north the date line turns to the east through the Bering Strait and then west past the Aleutian Islands in order to keep Alaska and Russia on opposite sides of the line.

Latitude of a point on the earth is measured by the distance in angles from the equator. Latitude refers to the angle of a given point measured from the equator and with a vertex at or near the center of the earth (depending on the type of latitude measured). As you move north or south, the latitude will increase from 0° to 90.

Waves are actually the energy, not the water as such, which moves across the ocean surface. Water particles only travel in a small circle as a wave passes. Wind provides energy to the waves. Wind causes waves to travel in the ocean and the energy is released on shorelines. Thus, it is due to waves only that water moves horizontally over vast areas.

The phenomenon of an opening occurring in the earth's surface through which a jet of hot water and steam is forces out at irregular intervals is called geyser.

Explanation: The chemical composition of granite is typically 70-77%silica, 11-13% alumina, 3-5% potassium oxide, 3-5% soda, 1% lime, 2-3% total iron, and less than 1% magnesia and titania.

Here is an explanation of each option:

1. Tillite: This is a sedimentary rock formed from glacial till. It is composed of various sizes of clasts, including boulders, pebbles, and sand, which are cemented together.

2. Borax: This is a mineral and a salt of boric acid, typically found in evaporite deposits. While it is associated with sedimentary environments, it is not considered a sedimentary rock itself.

3. Breccia: This is a clastic sedimentary rock composed of angular fragments of other rocks that are cemented together. It forms through processes like landslides, volcanic activity, or faulting.

4. Marble: This is a metamorphic rock formed from the recrystallization of limestone under high pressure and temperature conditions. It is not a sedimentary rock.

So, the correct answer is:

        4. Marble

Explanation: Ridges or lapies form due to differential solution activity along parallel to sub-parallel joints. The lapie field may eventually turn into somewhat smooth limestone pavements.

Explanation: A deep, long and wide trough or basin with very steep concave high walls at its head as well as in sides is known as:

Explanation: Cirrus clouds are formed at high altitudes (8,000 - 12,000m). They are thin and detatched clouds having a feathery appearance. They are always white in colour.

Explanation: Salinity is the term used to define the total content of dissolved salts in sea water (Table 13.4). It is calculated as the amount of salt (in gm) dissolved in 1,000 gm (1 kg) of seawater. It is usually expressed as parts per thousand (o/oo) or ppt.

Explanation: When the earth is closest to the sun (perihelion), around 3rd January each year

Lower layers of atmosphere have high pressure because the density is greatest at lower layers and are compressed. Higher layers of atmosphere have low pressure because they are less compressed.

The process of formation of a front is known as Frontogenesis (war between two air masses), and dissipation of a front is known as Frontolysis (one of the air masses win against the other). Frontogenesis involves convergence of two distinct air masses. Frontolysis involves overriding of one of the air mass by another.

Explanation: Below-average sea surface temperatures across the east-central Equatorial Pacific is a characteristic of La Nina which is anti El-Nino.

Explanation: The Harmattan is a dry and dusty northeasterly trade wind which blows from the Sahara Desert over the West African subcontinent into the Gulf of Guinea between the end of November and the middle of March (winter)