UPSC Essentials | Daily subject-wise quiz : Environment and Geography MCQs on aurora light, Point Nemo and more (Week 107)

QUESTION 1

With reference to the aurora light, consider the following statements:

1. The sun raises solar activity, which causes auroras that dance around Earth’s poles, known as northern lights.

2. The strength of the aurora light depends on how Earth’s magnetic field interacts with the solar bursts.

3. Aurora lights are visible only around the North Poles and do not appear at the South Poles.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) All three

(d) None

Explanation

— According to the National Weather Service’s Space Weather Prediction Centre, a powerful solar storm approaching Earth could cause spectacular auroras in the United States.

— The sun, which is in the peak phase of its 11-year cycle, increases solar activity, resulting in auroras that dance around Earth’s poles, known as the northern lights, or aurora borealis, and the southern lights, or aurora australis. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— When energised particles from coronal mass ejection reach the Earth’s magnetic field, they mix with gases in the atmosphere, creating colourful lights in the sky. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

— Aurora displays are frequently seen in the North and South poles, where charged particles from the sun interact with the Earth’s atmosphere. Hence, statement 3 is not correct.

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 2

Consider the following pairs:

1. Bab el-Mandeb – It connects the Gulf of Oman with the Persian Gulf.

2. Strait of Hormuz – It connects the Red Sea (northwest) with the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean (southeast).

Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly marked?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Explanation

— Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Saudi Arabia is significant not only for its timing — just weeks before US President Donald Trump’s planned visit — but also for the region’s expectations of India to play a more active role in promoting stability and securing vital maritime trade routes such as the Strait of Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb.

— Bab el Mandeb strait between Arabia (northeast) and Africa (southwest) connects the Red Sea (northwest) to the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean (southeast). Hence, pair 1 is not correct.

— The Strait of Hormuz connects the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf. The strait also separates the Middle Eastern republic of Iran from the Arabian Peninsula states of Oman, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar. Hence, pair 2 is not correct.

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

(Other Source: http://www.nasa.gov, archive.unescwa.org)

QUESTION 3

With reference to the Jal Jeevan Mission, consider the following statements:

1. It aims to provide potable water to urban households.

2. The scheme was launched in 2016.

3. The fund sharing pattern was fixed at 90:10 for all the states and union territories.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) All three

(d) None

Explanation

— The Expenditure Finance Committee of the Ministry of Finance, which evaluates government initiatives, has suggested Rs 1.51 lakh crore as the Centre’s share of the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) until 2028. This is approximately 46 percent less than what the Ministry of Jal Shakti requested.

— In his 2019 Independence Day speech, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), which will supply potable water to rural homes. The Union Cabinet has authorised the JJM, which aims to offer functional household tap connections to all rural households by 2024. Hence, statements 1 and 2 are not correct.

— The fund-sharing ratio was set at 90:10 for Himalayan and North-Eastern states and 50:50 for other states. Hence, statement 3 is not correct.

— The goal was to deliver drinkable water in sufficient amount, i.e. 55 litres per capita per day (lpcd), of required quality, i.e. BIS Standard IS: 10500, on a regular basis.

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 4

With reference to the Cloudbursts, consider the following statements:

1. Cloudbursts are short-lived extreme weather events in which heavy rainfall occurs over very small areas.

2. They are more common in hilly areas because of a phenomenon called ‘orographic lift’.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Explanation

— Cloudbursts are brief extreme weather phenomena in which heavy rain falls over relatively small regions (20-30 sq.km.) at a very quick rate (100mm/hr). Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— Cloudbursts are more common in mountainous places due to a phenomena known as ‘orographic lift’, which is simply warm air rising up the side of a mountain. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

— During the monsoon season in India, cloudbursts occur across orographically prominent regions such as the Himalayas, northeastern states, and Western Ghats.

— A cloudburst can swiftly overwhelm drainage systems, resulting in flash floods and landslides.

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 5

Point Nemo, a location in the ocean that is farthest from land, was in the news. It is situated in:

(a) Indian Ocean

(b) Southern Ocean

(c) Atlantic Ocean

(d) Pacific Ocean

Explanation

— The Indian Naval Sailing Vessel (INSV) Tarini completed the third and most difficult phase of Navika Sagar Parikrama II, a pioneering expedition that demonstrated the resilience, fortitude, and expertise of the Indian Navy’s female officers.

— During the period, the vessel encountered three cyclones while going past Point Nemo, also known as the Oceanic Pole of Inaccessibility. They also navigated the dangerous Drake Passage before passing the Cape Horn.

— This remote oceanic location is located at 48°52.6′S 123°23.6′W, approximately 2,688 kilometres from the nearest land—Ducie Island, part of the Pitcairn Islands, to the north; Motu Nui, one of the Easter Islands, to the northeast; and Maher Island, part of Antarctica, to the south in the southern Pacific Ocean.

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

(Other Source: oceanservice.noaa.gov, pib.gov.in)

Previous Daily Subject-Wise-Quiz

Daily Subject-wise quiz — History, Culture, and Social Issues (Week 107)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Polity and Governance (Week 107)

Daily subject-wise quiz —  Science and Technology (Week 107)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Economy (Week 107)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Environment and Geography (Week 106)

Daily subject-wise quiz – International Relations (Week 106)

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