Question 1

Consider the following statements regarding extratropical cyclones: I. They usually develop in the mid and high latitudes. II. They affect a much larger area as compared to tropical cyclone. III. They

Accepted Answer

Extratropical cyclones develop in the mid and high latitudes, beyond the tropics. Hence, statement I is correct. They have a clear frontal system and cover a much larger area compared to tropical cyclones. Hence, statement II is correct. Extratropical cyclones move from west to east under the influence of westerly winds, whereas tropical cyclones generally move from east to west. Hence, statement III is incorrect. Therefore, only statements I and II are correct. Answer: I and II only

Question 2

Loose sediments are transformed into sedimentary rocks by the process of

Accepted Answer

Lithification is the process by which loose, unconsolidated sediments are transformed into solid sedimentary rocks. This occurs through compaction, where the weight of overlying materials compresses the sediments, and cementation, where minerals precipitate from groundwater and bind the sediment particles together. Weathering is the breakdown of rocks into smaller particles. Mass wasting is the downward movement of rock and soil under gravity. Solifluction is a specific type of mass wasting comm

Question 3

Consider the following statements: I. Earthquake waves are basically of two types, namely body waves and surface waves. II. The body waves interact with the surface rocks and generate surface waves. W

Accepted Answer

Earthquake waves are broadly classified into two types: body waves and surface waves. Body waves are generated due to the release of energy at the focus and move in all directions travelling through the body of the Earth. When these body waves interact with the surface rocks, they generate a new set of waves called surface waves, which move along the surface. Thus, both statements I and II are correct. Answer: Both I and II

Question 4

Which one of the following is not a strategy in the Rainfed Area Development (RAD) scheme of India?

Accepted Answer

Rainfed Area Development (RAD) is a component of the National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA). The primary objective of RAD is to make rainfed agriculture more productive, sustainable, remunerative, and climate-resilient. Key strategies of the RAD scheme include promoting Integrated Farming Systems (diversified farming), soil health management, and adopting a cluster-based approach to maximize the impact of interventions. Since rainfed areas primarily depend on rainfall and lack assur

Question 5

As per the land-use categories in the Land Revenue Records of India, 'a cultivable land which is left uncultivated for more than a year but less than 5 years' is called

Accepted Answer

According to the land-use categories in the Land Revenue Records of India: Current fallow is the land left uncultivated for one agricultural year or less. Fallow other than current fallow is the cultivable land which is left uncultivated for more than a year but less than 5 years. Culturable wasteland is the land left uncultivated for more than 5 years. Barren and unculturable land is the land which cannot be brought under cultivation except at an exorbitant cost. Therefore, the given descriptio

Question 6

Consider the following statements about temperature inversion: I. This happens when normal lapse rate gets inverted. II. Winter nights with cloudy skies are conducive for temperature inversion. III. P

Accepted Answer

Temperature inversion is a reversal of the normal behavior of temperature in the troposphere, where a layer of cool air at the surface is overlain by a layer of warmer air. Under normal conditions, temperature usually decreases with height, which is known as the normal lapse rate. When this is reversed, the normal lapse rate gets inverted. Thus, Statement I is correct. Ideal conditions for temperature inversion include long winter nights, clear skies, calm air, and dry air. Cloudy skies prevent

Question 7

Consider the following pairs: Types of Chemical Weathering Characteristics I. Solution Results in leaching of minerals II. Carbonation Helps in breaking down feldspars III. Hydration Causes an increas

Accepted Answer

Chemical weathering processes include solution, carbonation, hydration, and oxidation. I. Solution involves the dissolution of soluble minerals in water or weak acids, leading to the leaching of minerals from rocks. This pair is correctly matched. II. Carbonation is the reaction of carbonates and bicarbonates with minerals. It is a common process that helps in the breaking down of feldspars and carbonate minerals. This pair is correctly matched. III. Hydration is the chemical addition of water.

Question 8

Consider the following statements: I. In a seismograph, P waves are recorded earlier than S waves. II. In P waves, the individual particles vibrate to and fro in the direction of wave propagation wher

Accepted Answer

P waves are primary waves and travel faster than S waves. Thus, they reach the seismograph first and are recorded earlier. Statement I is correct. P waves are longitudinal waves, meaning the particles of the medium vibrate to and fro parallel to the direction of wave propagation. S waves are transverse waves, meaning the particles vibrate perpendicular to the direction of wave propagation. Statement II is correct. Both statements I and II are correct. Answer: Both I and II

Question 9

Consider the following statements regarding hypocentre: I. It is the point where the energy is released and is called the focus of an earthquake. II. It is the point where the earthquake starts and ma

Accepted Answer

The hypocentre is the point within the Earth where an earthquake rupture starts. It is also commonly termed the focus. It is the exact location where the strain energy stored in the rock is first released, marking the origin of the seismic waves. This point can be located at various depths beneath the Earth's surface, ranging from near the surface to hundreds of kilometers deep. Thus, both statements I and II are correct. Answer: Both I and II

Question 10

Consider the following critical minerals: I. Neodymium II. Tellurium III. Dysprosium IV. Gallium Which of the above minerals are not used for the production of photovoltaic cells used in solar panels?

Accepted Answer

Neodymium (I) and Dysprosium (III) are rare earth elements primarily used in the manufacturing of strong permanent magnets, which are essential for wind turbines and electric vehicle motors. They are not used in the production of photovoltaic cells. Tellurium (II) is a key component in cadmium telluride (CdTe) thin-film solar cells. Gallium (IV) is used in the production of copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS) and gallium arsenide (GaAs) solar cells. Thus, Neodymium and Dysprosium are not used

Question 11

Which one of the following winds is responsible for wildfires in Southern California?

Accepted Answer

Santa Ana winds are strong, extremely dry down-slope winds that originate inland and affect coastal Southern California and northern Baja California. They are notorious for exacerbating regional wildfires due to their dry and warm nature. Diablo winds and Jarbo Gap winds affect Northern California, while Chinook winds occur in the interior West of North America (Rocky Mountains). Answer: Santa Ana wind

Question 12

Mount Ibu, which recently erupted in Indonesia, is a

Accepted Answer

Mount Ibu is a stratovolcano, which is also known as a composite volcano. It is located on the northwest coast of Halmahera island in Indonesia. Composite volcanoes are conical volcanoes built up by many layers (strata) of hardened lava, tephra, pumice, and volcanic ash. Answer: composite volcano

Question 13

Consider the following statements in case of terrestrial planets: I. Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars are terrestrial planets having low densities as compared to other planets. II. They lie between the

Accepted Answer

Statement I is incorrect because terrestrial planets (Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars) are primarily composed of rock and metal and have high densities compared to the Jovian planets (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune), which are gas giants with much lower densities. Statement II is correct. The terrestrial planets are the inner planets, and their orbits lie between the Sun and the asteroid belt. Statement III is correct. Because the terrestrial planets are smaller, they have lower gravity co

Question 14

Consider the following pairs: Layers of Atmosphere Characteristics I. Troposphere Absorbs ultraviolet radiation II. Stratosphere Changes in weather and climate III. Mesosphere Reflects radio waves bac

Accepted Answer

The troposphere is the lowest layer of the atmosphere where all changes in weather and climate take place. The given characteristic for the troposphere is incorrect. The stratosphere contains the ozone layer, which absorbs harmful ultraviolet radiation from the sun. The given characteristic for the stratosphere is incorrect. The ionosphere (a part of the thermosphere) contains electrically charged particles called ions, which reflect radio waves back to the Earth. The mesosphere is the layer whe

Question 15

Consider the following pairs: Books Authors I. Dayabhaga Jimutavahana II. Prithviraj Raso Chandbardai III. Lilavati Bhaskaracharya IV. Mitakshara Vijnaneshvara How many pairs given above are correctly

Accepted Answer

Dayabhaga is a Hindu law treatise written by Jimutavahana. Prithviraj Raso is an epic poem about the life of Prithviraj Chauhan, written by Chandbardai. Lilavati is a treatise on mathematics written by the Indian mathematician Bhaskaracharya (Bhaskara II). Mitakshara is a legal commentary on the Yajnavalkya Smriti, written by Vijnaneshvara. All four pairs are correctly matched. Answer: All the four

Question 16

Arrange the following in chronological order from the earliest to recent: I. British East India Company formed II. Magellan circumnavigated the globe III. Dutch East India Company formed IV. Vasco da

Accepted Answer

Vasco da Gama reached Calicut in 1498. Magellan's expedition circumnavigated the globe between 1519 and 1522. The British East India Company was formed in 1600. The Dutch East India Company was formed in 1602. The correct chronological order is IV, II, I, III. Answer: IV, II, I, III

Question 17

Consider the following pairs: Inventions Inventors I. Flying shuttle loom John Kay II. Water frame James Hargreaves III. Spinning jenny Richard Arkwright How many of the pairs given above are correctl

Accepted Answer

The flying shuttle loom was invented by John Kay in 1733. Thus, pair I is correctly matched. The water frame was invented by Richard Arkwright in 1769. Thus, pair II is incorrectly matched. The spinning jenny was invented by James Hargreaves in 1764. Thus, pair III is incorrectly matched. Only one pair is correctly matched. Answer: One

Question 18

Consider the following statements in respect of the Rowlatt Act of 1919: I. Gandhiji launched a nationwide Satyagraha against the proposed Rowlatt Act, 1919. II. The Act had been hurriedly passed thro

Accepted Answer

The Rowlatt Act (Anarchical and Revolutionary Crimes Act of 1919) was hurriedly passed by the Imperial Legislative Council despite the united opposition of the Indian members. This makes Statement II correct. The Act gave the government enormous powers to repress political activities and allowed the detention of political prisoners without trial for two years. This makes Statement III correct. In response to this unjust law, Mahatma Gandhi decided to launch a nationwide Satyagraha, which started

Question 19

Consider the following statements regarding the Industrial Revolution in Britain: I. There was availability of banks which could loan money to set up industries. II. There was a good transport network

Accepted Answer

The Industrial Revolution in Britain was facilitated by several key factors. Statement I is correct. Britain had a well-developed financial system. The Bank of England was established in 1694, and by the late eighteenth century, there were numerous provincial banks that provided the necessary capital and loans to entrepreneurs to set up industries. Statement II is also correct. Britain possessed an excellent transport network. It had a long coastline and many navigable rivers, which made the tra

Question 20

Consider the following statements regarding the Russian Revolution: I. The incident known as 'Bloody Sunday' started a series of events known as the 1905 Revolution. II. Lawyers, doctors, engineers an

Accepted Answer

The incident of 'Bloody Sunday' occurred in 1905 when a peaceful procession of workers led by Father Gapon was attacked by the police and the Cossacks, resulting in the death of over 100 workers. This event triggered a series of strikes and protests across the country, which came to be known as the 1905 Revolution. During the 1905 Revolution, various sections of society, including lawyers, doctors, engineers, and other middle-class workers, formed the Union of Unions. They actively participated

General Studies — Previous Year Questions & Solutions