1.

Which one of the following sequences correctly indicates the decreasing order of the % content of salts in seawater?

(a) MgCl2- NaCl- CaSO4 - MgSO4

(b) MgCl2-MgSO4-CaSO4-NaCl 

(c) NaCl-MgCl2-MgSO4-CaSO4       

(d) None of these

2.

Where is Batagaika crater?.

(a) Russia

(b) India

(c) Iran

(d) USA

3.

Which of the following statements is/are correct about the deposits of ‘Volcanoes’?.

1. Volcanoes can be in the ocean.

2. Volcanoes are much harder to predict when compared to earthquakes.

3. As Iceland is located between the Eurasian and the North American tectonic plates it is a hotspot for both earthquakes and volcanic activity.

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 1 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

4.

Why cyclone does not originate in south atlantic and south-eastern pacific regions?

(a) Sea surface temperatures are low

(b) Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone seldom occurs

(c) Coriolis force is too weak

(d) Absence of land in those regions

5.

1. They originate between 5°N and 11°N.

2. The Western Pacific Ocean is a prominent area where a majority of these cyclones originate.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct w.r.t. the Low Latitude Cyclones?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

6.

I. It will be launched by SSLV.

II. It is is designated for observation from Medium Earth Orbit.

Which of the above statements is/are true w.r.t. XPoSat?

(a) Only I

(b) Only II

(c) Both I & II

(d) Neither I nor II

7.

1. They are indirect sources to determine the temperatures of an earlier period without using thermometer.

2. They are simply the responses of physical, biological, and chemical processes to temperatures.

3. They are global.

How many of the statements given above is/are correct w.r.t. Palaeo Proxies? 

(a) Only 1 

(b) Only 2

(c) All the three

(d) None of these

8.

1. Stratosphere is the densest atmospheric layer.

2. The International Space Station orbits in the thermosphere.

Which of the above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

9.

Lead chromate, a neurotoxin is used as adulterant in

(a) Red Chilli Powder

(b) Turmeric Powder

(c) Butter

(d) Vanaspathi

10.

Identify the correct order of the process of soil-erosion from the following:

(a) Splash erosion, Sheet erosion, Rill erosion, Gully erosion

(b) Sheet erosion, Splash erosion, Gully erosion, Rill erosion

(c) Rill erosion, Gully erosion, Sheet erosion, Splash erosion

(d) Gully erosion, Rill erosion, Sheet erosion, Splash erosion

11.

1. ENSO with a negative PDO brings more rain to India.

2. A warmer PDO implies fewer equatorial-origin cyclones.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct w.r.t. the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO)?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

12.

I. Mohenjo Daro was built entirely of unbaked brick.

II. The Buddhist stupa at Mohenjo Daro was constructed during the Ashoka''s rule.

Which of the above statements is/are true?

(a) Only I

(b) Only II

(c) Both I & II

(d) Neither I nor II

13.

Bering strait connects Bering Sea with
(a) Arctic Ocean                     

(b) Antarctic ocean       

(c) Atlantic Ocean        

(d) Pacific Ocean

14.

Sahara Desert lies between
(a) 150 and 300N latitudes

(b) 50 and 200N latitudes 

(c) 100 and 250N latitudes 

(d) 250 and 300N latitudes

15.

Assume that the moon takes exactly 30 days to complete the cycle and also assume that it rises in the East exactly at 6.48 p.m. on the first day. On the fourth day, at what time will it rise?

(a) 8.24 p.m.

(b) 9.12 p.m.

(c) 10.00 p.m.

(d) 11.48 p.m.

16.

“Article IV Consultations” in news were in the context of

(a) WB

(b) IMF

(c) ADB

(d) APEC

17.

1. Its atmospheric composition is majorly composed of carbon dioxide.

2. It spins anticlockwise on its axis.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct w.r.t. Venus?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

18.

1. It was an extratropical cyclone.

2. It was sandwiched between two anticyclonic systems.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct w.r.t. Cyclone Biparjoy?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

19.

I. India favors the continuing of this moratorium as it would help Developing nations.

II. It was extended previously at WTO MC 12 with arguments favoring post-COVID recovery.

Which of the above statements is/are true in the context of the E-transmission Moratorium?.

(a) Only I

(b) Only II

(c) Both I & II

(d) Neither I nor II

20.

Cocoa triangle in Ghana is comprised of

(a) Accra, Kumasi, Tokaorandi  

(b) Accra, Lokoja, Tokaorandi   

(c) Enugu, Kumasi, Tokaorandi 

(d)  Accra, Kumasi, Lagos

21.

How will US Fed rate cuts impact Indian economy?.

1. higher foreign investment in Indian markets

2. lower import bill for India

3. reduced borrowing costs for Indian businesses

4. negative impact on Indian stock markets

(a) 2, 3 and 4 only

(b) 2 and 4 only

(c) 1, 3 and 4 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3 only

22.

If the stars are seen to rise perpendicular to the horizon by an observer, he is located on the    

(a) Equator 

(b) Tropic of Cancer 

(c) South Pole 

(d) North Pole

23.

1. Iceland is located on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge.

2. Iceland has earned the epithet, ‘Land of Fire and Ice’.

3. Eyjafjallajökull volcano is in Iceland.

How many of the statements given above is/are correct? 

(a) Only 1 

(b) Only 2

(c) All the three

(d) None of these

24.

I. It fosters inclusive development by providing greater access to resources like water and sanitation.

II. It advocates enhanced bureaucracy.

Which of the above statements is/are true in the context of the Political Ideology named Anarcho-capitalism?.

(a) Only I

(b) Only II

(c) Both I & II

(d) Neither I nor II

25.

The Greenwich meridian at 00 longitude passes through

(a) Green land sea and Norwegian sea, South Atlantic Ocean        

(b) UK, France, Spain, Algeria

(c) Mali, Burkina Faso & Ghana                                                 

(d) All of these

1.

C

2.

https://www.indiatoday.in/science/story/worlds-biggest-permafrost-crater-has-a-warning-for-earth-2410945-2023-07-24

A

3.

https://indianexpress.com/article/world/why-some-volcanoes-just-keep-spewing-lava-9074817/

https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/budget-2024-why-india-inc-isnt-taking-the-investment-baton-from-fm-9139860/

https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/world/land-of-fire-and-ice-will-the-grindavik-eruption-in-iceland-be-another-eyjafjallajokull--93471#:~:text=These%20eruptions%20could%20be%20a,briefly%20first%20on%20March%2020.

C

4.

https://justicemirror.com/absence-of-tropical-cyclones-in-south-atlantic-and-south-eastern-pacific/

Reasons for the lack of cyclone formation in the South Atlantic

·         Sea surface temperatures run a shade cooler than the one ideal for tropical cyclone formation.

·         Climatologically high values of vertical wind shear across that basin throughout the year even in summer.

·         Vorticity: Lack of pre-existing centres of rotation in the area.

·         Absence of tropical waves.

·         The Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITZC), which shifts toward the north in northern summer and toward the south in the southern summer, usually stays at or north of the equator.

·         The tropospheric vertical wind shear is much too strong and there is typically no inter-tropical convergence zone (ITCZ) over the ocean.

·         Without an ITCZ to provide synoptic vorticity and convergence resulting in large-scale spin and thunderstorm activity as well as having strong wind shear, it becomes very difficult to generate tropical cyclones.

·         ITCZ stays at or near the equator and does not shift southward over the south Atlantic or South Pacific region. Therefore, these regions do not have the ITCZ over them which is a major cause of the lack of cyclones.

·         Lower sea temperatures are also a reason.

B

5.

https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/warming-pacific-points-to-rise-in-cyclones-over-india-study/article67245627.ece#:~:text=However%2C%20a%20combination%20of%20global,the%20journal%20Nature%20Communications%20said.

C

6.

https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/science/india-set-to-launch-its-first-x-ray-polarimeter-satellite-isro/article67589615.ece

https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/science/what-is-it-xposat-isros-x-ray-eye-in-the-sky/article67697737.ece#:~:text=Premium&text=At%209.10%20am%20on%20the,their%20polarisation%20from%20earth%2Dorbit.

https://www.nsilindia.co.in/launch-services

ü D  

7.

Palaeo Proxies:

·         Palaeo Proxies is indirect source to determine the temperatures of an earlier period without using thermometer and by using biological and chemical signatures of the temperature and then comparing them to determine if they were warmer or colder than a specific baseline temperature.

·         The term is short form of paleoclimate proxies.

·         Such a baseline is typically from modern times when thermometer records have existed.

·         By analyzing records taken from these and other proxy sources, scientists can extend our understanding of climate far beyond the 140-year instrumental record.

o    Proxy data is data that scientists gather from natural recorders of climate variability, e.g., tree rings, ice cores, fossil pollen, ocean sediments, coral and historical data.

·         These measures are called “proxies” because they do not directly measure temperatures.

·         Instead, they are simply the responses of physical, biological, and chemical processes to temperatures at that time which were warmer or colder than the baseline value.

Challenges in Palaeo Proxies technology:

·         For a period of time, proxies that are typically buried in the ocean and lake sediments can only record temperature anomalies.

o    Temperature anomalies are deviations from the baseline, on time scales of centuries or thousands of years.

·         They are mixed by the ocean water above and the microbes within, which removes the information they contain for long timescales, which makes it difficult to estimate even decadal or annual changes.

·         Palaeo proxies from tree rings, corals, and the shells of marine and terrestrial organisms can only provide weekly or seasonal timescale temperature anomaly estimates.

·         All temperature proxies are only local or regional estimates of historical temperature anomalies.

·         There is no “Palaeo proxy” that can give daily timescale temperatures.

About The Holocene Epoch:

·         The Holocene is the current geological epoch, that began approximately 9700 BCE.

o    It follows the Last Glacial Period, which concluded with the Holocene glacial retreat.

·         Any warming during the Holocene epoch can indicate the response of modern humans to climate change.

·         Modern bipedal humans’ ancestors have also survived larger climatic changes over the evolutionary timescales of hundreds of thousands of years.

·         The Holocene has been a deglacial period, with a relatively small volume of glaciers than the ice age.

·         The palaeoclimate serves as a rear-view mirror or the evolution of future climate, but only over longer timescales.

Benefits of Palaeo proxy:

·         It is helpful to understand the past climate and explain how current ecosystems came to be.

·         It provides data that we can use to model and predict both current and future climate change scenarios.

·         Computer models can be used to study the potential effect of increased atmospheric carbon dioxide on climate.

Effect on climate action:

·         Even after so many warnings on a particular day being the warmest in 100,000 years, people are not changing their personal behaviour to reduce their individual contributions to climate change.

·         Modern societies have placed a considerable amount of trust in their scientists.

o    Breaking this trust can cause irreversible damage to the efforts that scientists and government officials are making to improve global participation in climate negotiations.

·         It can weaken the willingness of governments to adhere to their climate commitments, and the grassroots initiatives to take action, and to support communities dealing with the consequences of climate change.

B

8.

Atmosphere

§  One of the main components of Earth’s interdependent physical systems is the atmosphere. An atmosphere is made of the layers of gases surrounding a planet or other celestial body.

§  Composition:

§  Earth’s atmosphere is composed of about 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, and 1% other gases.

o    Nitrogen (N2): It is the most plentiful gas in the air. It is one of the primary nutrients critical for the survival of all living organisms.

o    Oxygen (O2): Humans and animals take oxygen from the air as they breathe. Green plants produce oxygen during photosynthesis. In this way oxygen content in the air remains constant.

o    Carbon dioxide (CO2): It is an important heat-trapping gas, or greenhouse gas, that comes from the extraction and burning of fossil fuels.

§  These gases are found in atmospheric layers defined by unique features such as temperature and pressure.

Layers of the Atmosphere

·         Troposphere:

§  Earth’s troposphere extends from Earth’s surface to, on average, about 12 kilometers in height, with its height lower at Earth’s poles and higher at the equator.

o    Yet this very shallow layer is tasked with holding all the air that plants need for photosynthesis and animals need to breathe, and also contains about 99% of all water vapor and aerosols (minute solid or liquid particles suspended in the atmosphere).

o    The temperature in the troposphere also decreases with height. On top of this layer is what is referred to as tropopause.

o    It is the densest atmospheric layer, compressed by the weight of the rest of the atmosphere above it.

o    Most of Earth’s weather happens here, and almost all clouds that are generated by weather are found here.

§  Most aviation takes place here, including in the transition region between the troposphere and the stratosphere.

·         Stratosphere:

§  Located between approximately 12 and 50 kilometers above Earth’s surface, the stratosphere is perhaps best known as home to Earth’s ozone layer.

§  In this region, the temperature increases with height. Heat is produced in the process of the formation of Ozone, and this heat is responsible for temperature increase.

§  It is nearly cloud- and weather-free, but polar stratospheric clouds (occur mainly at high latitudes during the winter) are sometimes present in its lowest, coldest altitudes.

o    It’s also the highest part of the atmosphere that jet planes can reach.

·         Mesosphere:

§  Located between about 50 and 80 kilometers above Earth’s surface, the mesosphere gets progressively colder with altitude.

o    The top of this layer is the coldest place found within the Earth system, with an average temperature of about minus 85 °C (-120 °F).

§  The very scarce water vapor present at the top of the mesosphere forms noctilucent clouds, the highest clouds in Earth’s atmosphere.

§  Most meteors burn up in this atmospheric layer. Sounding rockets and rocket-powered aircraft can reach the mesosphere.

o    The transition boundary which separates the mesosphere from the stratosphere is called the stratopause.

·         Thermosphere:

§  It is located between about 80 and 700 kilometers above Earth’s surface, whose lowest part contains the ionosphere.

o    Because this layer is much closer to the sun, it can reach temperatures up to 2,000 °C (3,600 °F)

§  In this layer, temperatures increase with altitude due to the very low density of molecules found here. It is both cloud- and water-vapor-free.

§  The aurora borealis (Northern lights) and aurora australis (Southern lights) are sometimes seen here.

o    The International Space Station (ISS) orbits in the thermosphere.

·         Ionosphere:

§  It is not a distinct layer as the others mentioned above. Instead, the ionosphere overlaps the mesosphere, thermosphere, and exosphere.

§  It’s a very active part of the atmosphere, and it grows and shrinks depending on the energy it absorbs from the sun.

§  It is an electrically conducting region capable of reflecting radio signals back to Earth.

§  The electrically charged atoms and molecules that are formed in this way are called ions, giving the ionosphere its name and endowing this region with some special properties.

·         Exosphere:

§  It is located between about 700 and 10,000 kilometers above Earth’s surface, the exosphere is the highest layer of Earth’s atmosphere and, at its top, merges with the solar wind.

§  Molecules found here are of extremely low density, so this layer doesn’t behave like a gas, and particles here escape into space.

§  While there’s no weather in the exosphere, the aurora borealis and aurora australis are sometimes seen in its lowest part.

§  Most Earth satellites orbit in this layer.

·         Significance:

§  Protection from Harmful Radiations: The atmosphere protects life on Earth by shielding it from incoming ultraviolet (UV) radiation, keeping the planet warm through insulation, and preventing extremes between day and night temperatures.

§  Weather and climate: The atmosphere play a crucial role in determining weather and climate patterns, including temperature, precipitation, and wind. These patterns have a significant impact on ecosystems, agriculture, and human activities.

§  Regulates the Earth''s Temperature: The atmosphere helps regulate the Earth''s temperature by trapping heat from the sun and preventing it from escaping into space. This process, known as the greenhouse effect, helps keep the planet warm enough to support life.

§  A Major Role in the Water Cycle: The atmosphere helps regulate the Earth''s water cycle by transporting water vapor from the oceans to the land, where it falls as precipitation.

B

9.

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/sunday-times/trendy-to-toxic-is-turmeric-losing-its-golden-hue/articleshow/105159206.cms?from=mdr

https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/health/element-of-mystery-lead-poisoning-is-a-huge-public-health-concern-for-india-here-s-why-87098

B

10.

The correct order of soil erosion process is splash erosion, sheet erosion, rill erosion and gully erosion. Splash occurs when the raindrop hits the surface; explosive impact soil into individual particles. Sheet erosion is the detachment of soil particles by rain drop and their removal down slope by water flowing overland as a sheet in definite channels. Rill erosion refers to the development of small ephemeral concentrated flow paths which function as both sedimentary source and sediment delivery systems for erosion on hill slopes. Sheet erosion removes the this top layer by raindrop kill or orion occurs in lines which are less than 30 cm deep when these rills are deeper than 30 forming channels are called as gully erosion. Gully erosion occurs when water flows in narrow channels after heavy rain and melting snow.

A

11.

https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/warming-pacific-points-to-rise-in-cyclones-over-india-study/article67245627.ece#:~:text=However%2C%20a%20combination%20of%20global,the%20journal%20Nature%20Communications%20said.

12.

https://theprint.in/world/historical-copper-coins-recovered-from-the-mohenjo-daro-archaeological-site-in-pakistan/1849178/

·         Archaeologists in Pakistan have discovered an unusual cache of 2000-year-old coins at the historic site of Mohenjo Daro.

·         The copper coins are thought to be from the ruins of a Buddhist shrine of the Kushan Empire built at Mohenjo Daro in Pakistan.

o    The Kushan Empire ruled the region from about the 2nd century B.C. until the 3rd century A.D., and conquered the Greco-Bactrian kingdom established in Central Asia by Alexander the Great.

Significance

·         These findings mark the first artefacts discovered at the stupa’s ruins since 1931.

·         The coins bear resemblance to earlier discoveries from the 1920s and 1930s, featuring depictions of a standing figure and, on the reverse side, representations of Hindu god Shiva and other symbols, reflecting the syncretism of Buddhist beliefs with Hindu origins.

A 

13.

https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/explained-india-and-the-northern-sea-route/article67230900.ece

A

14.

https://indianexpress.com/article/technology/science/sahara-desert-turning-green-periodically-8940096/

The Sahara desert covers a large part of North Africa. It has the following features:

·         Sahara is the world’s largest desert. It covers an area of around 8.54 million square kilometres (which is more than the total area of India!!).

·         The desert touches eleven countries which are as follows: Algeria, Morocco, Chad, Egypt, Libya, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Sudan, Tunisia and Western Sahara.

·         It has gravel plains and elevated plateaus with a bare rocky surface. These rocky surfaces, at some places, are more than 2500 m high.

Climate

The climate of the Sahara desert is scorching hot and parched dry. It has a short rainy season. Since the sky is cloudless and clear, the rate of water evaporation is greater than the rate of water accumulation. Hence, there is water scarcity. However, the nights may be freezing cold with temperatures nearing zero degrees Celsius.

Flora and Fauna

·         Flora: Vegetation in the Sahara desert includes cactus, date palms and acacia. We can find an oasis in some places.

·         Fauna: The animal species found here are camels, hyenas, jackals, foxes, scorpions and many varieties of snakes and lizards.

People of Sahara Desert

Different groups of people inhabit the Sahara desert. They are engaged in different activities. Among them are the Bedouins and the Tuaregs. These groups are nomadic tribes. They wear heavy robes to protect them from the harsh climate i.e. dust storms and hot winds. The tribes are engaged in animal rearing. Animals such as sheep, goats, camels, and horses are reared for the following purposes:

·         Milk

·         Hides: These are used to make leather for belts, slippers and water bottles.

·         Hair: This is used to make mats, carpets, clothes, and blankets.

Growing Date Palms and Agriculture

The oasis in the Sahara and Nile valley in Egypt supports settled population. Since water is available, people grow date palms. Other crops that are grown include rice, wheat barley, and beans. Egyptian cotton is grown in Egypt.

Changes In The Desert

Sahara desert is experiencing constant transformation because of the discovery of oil. This discovery has been made in Libya and Egypt etc. We can also find other important minerals like iron, phosphorus, manganese, and uranium.

·         We also find a lot of changes caused due to business and infrastructural development.

·         Gleaming glass cased office buildings tower over mosques and superhighways crisscross the ancient camel paths.

·         Trucks are replacing camels in the salt trade.

·         Tuaregs are seen acting as guides to foreign tourists.

·         Many nomadic tribes are finding jobs in the field of oil and gas operations, and migrating to cities.

A

15.

►After 30 days, the moon will rise again at 6:48 p.m.

►This means that the timing for moonrise goes through 24 hours in a 30 day period.

►This means that each day the timing of moonrise will move ahead by 24/30 hours = 48 minutes.

►So, on 4th day, the timing will move ahead by 144 minutes, i.e., 2 hours 24 minutes.

►So on the fourth day, the moon will rise at 9:12 p.m.

B 

16.

https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/the-dispute-on-indias-debt-burden/article67701846.ece

A

17.

https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/world/earth-like-tectonic-plates-on-ancient-venus-may-explain-its-carbon-dioxide-nitrogen-rich-atmosphere-92513

Venus

·      It is named after the Roman goddess of love and beauty. It is the second planet from the Sun and sixth in the solar system in size and mass.

·      It is the second brightest natural object in the night sky after the Moon, probably that is the reason why it was the first planet to have its motions plotted across the sky, as early as the second millennium BC.

Characteristics:

·      Unlike the other planets in our solar system, Venus and Uranus spin clockwise on their axis.

·      It is the hottest planet in the solar system because of the high concentration of carbon dioxide which works to produce an intense greenhouse effect.

·      A day on Venus is longer than a year. It takes Venus longer to rotate once on its axis than to complete one orbit of the Sun.

·      That’s 243 Earth days to rotate once - the longest rotation of any planet in the Solar System - and only 224.7 Earth days to complete one orbit of the Sun.

Comparison With Earth:

·      Venus has been called Earth’s twin because of the similarities in their masses, sizes, and densities and their similar relative locations in the solar system.

·      No planet approaches closer to Earth than Venus; at its nearest it is the closest large body to Earth other than the Moon.

·      Venus has 90 times the atmospheric pressure of Earth.

A

18.

https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-climate/what-made-cyclone-biparjoy-unique-why-its-path-was-difficult-to-predict-8673586/#:~:text=Biparjoy%2C%20through%20most%20of%20its,sort%20of%20pulling%20it%20back.

https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/everyday-explainers/cyclone-biparjoy-what-is-a-cyclone-and-what-are-its-types-8659297/

Tropical Cyclone and Extra-tropical Cyclone

A cyclone can be named to any large system of winds that circulates about a centre of low atmospheric pressure in a counter-clockwise direction north of the Equator and in a clockwise direction to the south. It never formed near the equator because of the equator, the Coriolis force is zero and the wind blows perpendicular to the isobars. This is the only reason the low pressure gets filled instead of getting intensified.

B

19.

https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/no-consensus-yet-on-extension-of-customs-duties-moratorium-on-e-commerce-at-wto-mc13/article67634892.ece

B

20.

In Ghana, the triangular area between Takoradi, Kumasi and Accra towns has Concentration of cocoa plantations, hence called “Cocoa Triangle”. cocoa tree need warm wet climate, forest protection. Ghana being in the equatorial belt.

B

21.

https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/economy/indicators/this-is-how-us-fed-rate-cuts-will-impact-indian-economy/articleshow/105996645.cms?from=mdr

D

22.

When an observer sees the stars rising perpendicular to the horizon, it means that he is located at the Earth''s equator. This is because the Earth''s equator is the only location where the celestial equator (the projection of the Earth''s equator onto the celestial sphere) is perpendicular to the horizon.

The celestial equator is an imaginary line that circles the celestial sphere, and it is the projection of the Earth''s equator onto the sky. The celestial equator is also the reference point for measuring the declination of celestial objects, which is similar to the latitude on Earth.

When an observer is located at the Earth''s equator, the celestial equator appears to be perpendicular to the horizon because the observer''s latitude and the celestial equator are the same. This means that the observer is looking directly at the celestial equator, which is why the stars appear to be rising perpendicular to the horizon.

In contrast, at the Tropic of Cancer, the South Pole, or the North Pole, the celestial equator is not perpendicular to the horizon, and the stars do not appear to rise perpendicular to the horizon.

Therefore, we can conclude that if an observer sees the stars rising perpendicular to the horizon, he is located on the Earth''s equator.

A

23.

https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-sci-tech/earthquake-swarm-iceland-volcanic-eruption-9023297/

C

24.

https://www.thehindu.com/specials/text-and-context/understanding-the-debates-around-anarcho-capitalism/article67631934.ece

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/blogs/disruption-in-higher-education/anarcho-capitalism-and-libertarian-liberalism-as-viewed-through-an-academic-lens-an-economic-crisis-solution/ 

A

25.

The Prime Meridian is the line of 0 degrees longitude, which divides the Earth into the Eastern Hemisphere and the Western Hemisphere. The Prime Meridian passes through 13 countries, which are:

1. United Kingdom
2. France
3. Spain
4. Algeria
5. Mali
6. Burkina Faso
7. Togo
8. Ghana
9. Togo
10. Benin
11. Nigeria
12. Cameroon
13. ntarctica (although it is not a country)

It is important to note that while the Prime Meridian passes through these countries, it does not necessarily divide them equally. For example, the majority of the United Kingdom is in the Western Hemisphere, while only a small part of Nigeria is in the Western Hemisphere.

Eight nations are intersected by the Prime Meridian.

D