1.

Tillite is a/an

(a) Sedimentary rock

(b) Ore of Uranium

(c) Magmatic rock

(d) Ore of Titanium

2.

What Causes Acid Rain?

1. lightning bolts

2. emissions from volcanoes

3. oil refineries

(a) Only 2 & 3

(b) Only 2

(c) Only 1 & 2

(d) 1, 2 & 3

3.

Which among the following statements is / are correct w.r.t. Coking coal?

1. Coking coal is mainly used in power production in India,

2. Coking coal commands a price premium over steam coal.

3. Coking coal has more ash content in comparison to the steam coal.

(a) Only 1 & 2 

(b) Only 2

(c) Only 1 & 3

(d) 1, 2 & 3

4.

Which of the following form a part of Oceania?.

1. Micronesia

2. Melanesia

3. Polynesia

(a) 1, 2 and 3

(b) 1 and 2 only

(c) 2 and 3 only

(d) 1 and 3 only

5.

Which of the following is/are primary forces which initiate the movement of oceanic water?

I. Coriolis force.

II. Gravity.

III. Differential heating of water by solar energy.

(a) Only I

(b) Only I and II

(c) Only II and III

(d) I, II and III

6.

Which of the following regions consists primarily of olivine and pyroxene?.

(a) Continental Crust

(b) Oceanic Crust

(c) Upper Mantle

(d) The Core

7.

Which of the following statements is/are correct regarding the "Norwesters" of Bengal?

1. It is caused due to strong surface heating

2. It originates in the Chhotanagpur plateau region

3. It is a kind of thunderstorm

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 1 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

8.

Which one of the following directly produces CO2 but is considered carbon neutral?

(a) Wind

(b) Biodiesel

(c) Nuclear power

(d) None of the above

9.

Why is the Delta of the Indus small compared to the Delta of the Ganga?

(a) The Indus traverses a shorter distance than the Ganga

(b) The Indus is not as broad as the Ganga

(c) The path of the Indus is through arid area, whereas the Ganga collects more water alone its path of the sea

(d) None of the above

10.

1. The Pensilungpa Glacier is located in Zanskar Range.

2. Zanskar Range is part of the Tethys Himalaya.

Which of the above is/are incorrect?.

(a) Only 1

(b) Only 2

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 Nor 2

11.

Concentrations of a particular element have been found in the palaeo-­proterozoic (era) carbonaceous phyllite rocks in the Depo and Tamang areas of Papum Pare district in Arunachal Pradesh. Which is the element?.

(a) Zirconium

(b) Vanadium

(c) Titanium

(d) Rubylium

12.

Consider the following statements:

1. Sorghum can be cultivated as both Kharif and rabi crop.

2. Sorghum is the largest-grained millet.

(a) Only 1 is correct

(b) Only 2 is correct

(c) Both1 and 2 are correct

(d) Neither 1 Nor 2 is correct

13.

Consider the following statements w.r.t. Water Purification by Reverse Osmosis:

1. Reduction of TDS increases pH to 7.4.

2. Arsenic is removed. 

(a) Only 1 is correct

(b) Only 2 is correct

(c) Both1 and 2 are correct

(d) Neither 1 Nor 2 is correct

14.

Mammals of cold regions conserve body heat through

(a) Smaller extremities

(b) Longer extremities

(c) Small body mass

(d) Large body mass

15.

Port Blair – the capital of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, is located in

(a) North Andaman

(b) Little Andaman

(c) Middle Andaman

(d) South Andaman

16.

The apparent movement of the Sun is overhead the Equator twice a year on

(a) Dec 22 and Mar 21

(b) Mar 21 and Sep 23

(c) Jun 21 and Dec 22

(d) Sep 23 and Dec 22

17.

The Kirkwood gaps are regions in

(a) Comets

(b) Asteroids

(c) Pluto                  

(d) Red Dwarfs

18.

Which of the below is/are correct?

(a) Argon is a "constant gas” in the atmosphere.

(b) Argon is present in Ionosphere.

(c) Both (a) & (b)

(d) Neither (a) nor (b)

19.

What is the correct sequence of hill stations according to height above mean sea level in descending order?

(a) Kodaikanal, Darjeeling, Shimla and Mahabaleshwar

(b) Shimla, Darjeeling, Kodaikanal and Mahabaleshwar

(c) Shimla, Mahabaleshwar, Darjeeling, Kodaikanal

(d) Mahabaleshwar, Shimla, Darjeeling and Kodaikanal

20.

Which of the below is/are correct?

(a) Sites near the Equator are good locations for spaceports as they have a faster revolution speed than other latitudes.

(b) The equator is the only line of latitude which is also a great circle.

(c) Both (a) & (b)

(d) Neither (a) nor (b)

21.

Which of the following is the main characteristic of Mediterranean climate?.

(a) High temperature throughout the year

(b) Rainfall throughout the year

(c) Rain in winter season

(d) Convectional rain

22.

Which of the following is/are true w.r.t. Gravitational lensing?.

(a) It was first predicted by Edwin Hubble.

(b) When light from a more distant light source passes by a gravitational lens, the path of the light is linear.

(c) Both (a) and (b)

(d) Neither (a) Nor (b)

23.

Which of the following statements is false?

(a) the asthenosphere lies beneath the lithosphere

(b) the asthenosphere is stronger than the lithosphere

(c) the asthenosphere rises close to the surface beneath mid-ocean ridges

(d) the asthenosphere is partially molten

24.

Which of the following statements is/are true with reference to the Western Disturbances?

1. They are shallow cyclonic depressions originating over the eastern Mediterranean Sea. 

2. They cause snowfall in the mountains.

3. The amount of rainfall caused by them is meagre.

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 2 only

(c) 1 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

25.

Which one of the following mountains is not the part of Eastern Ghats?

(a) Sheravoy hills

(b) Javadi hills

(c) Nallamala hills

(d) Elamalai hills

1.

https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/rock-cycle/

Tillite

·       It is the sedimentary rock formed out of deposits of glaciers.

·       The Gondawana system of sediments from India is known to have its counterparts in six different landmasses of the Southern Hemisphere.

·       At the base, the system has thick tillite indicating extensive and prolonged glaciation. Counterparts of this succession are found in Africa, Falkland Island, Madagascar, Antarctica and Australia.

·       Overall resemblance of the Gondawana-type sediments clearly demonstrates that these landmasses had remarkably similar histories. The glacial tillite provides unambiguous evidence of palaeoclimates and also of drifting of continents.

Damodar valley in India is spread across Jharkhand and West Bengal and it is rich in coal and mica leading to the development of a vast industrial belt in the valley with many big and small industries including high capacity thermal power plants and three big steel plants of India. This developmental patteen resembles ‘Ruhr valley in west Germany’. Hence the Damodar Valley is also called the ‘Ruhr’ of India.

A

2.

The pH of rainwater is normally slightly acidic, at about 5.6, due mainly to reaction of carbon dioxide with water to form carbonic acid. Other natural events can contribute to the acidity of precipitation. Volcanic eruptions, forest fires, and lightning bolts produce sulfur dioxide, sulfur trioxide, and nitrogen dioxide. These gases can react with atmospheric water in much the same way that carbon dioxide does to produce sulfurous acid, sulfuric acid, nitric acid and nitrous acid.

https://www.epa.gov/acidrain/what-acid-rain

D 

3.

Non-coking coal (usually referred to as thermal coal) cannot form cake when heated in absence of air; whereas, when coking coal is heated in absence of air (carbonization) the constituents start fusing and form a large chunky mass, known as coke. The coking coal is also referred to as Metallurgical Coal, because it''s mainly used in metal extraction (i.e. Iron Making). Due to low ash content, it is majorly used in blast furnaces as a fuel.

B

4.

https://www.financialexpress.com/lifestyle/science/tonga-volcano-update-volcanic-eruption-triggers-tsunami-warnings-in-far-flung-japan-floods-10000-km-from-epicentre/2407723/

·    The islands situated surrounding the younger most continent in size are collectively known as Oceania. Broadly it has been divided into three major island groups Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia.

·    Melanesia is otherwise known as Black Islands and congregated around north and east of Australia. Some of the major islands are East Timor, Fiji, New Caledonia, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu.

·    Micronesia which is also called as Little Islands is the agglomeration of islands such as Guam, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Northern Mariana Islands, Palau, and Wake Island.

·    Polynesia is otherwise known as Many Lands which expand from islands of Midway in the north to New Zealand in the south and include the series of islands such as the American Samoa Cook Islands, French Polynesia, Niue, Pitcairn, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu, Wallis and Futuna Islands.

·    The islands of Oceania have been formed due to the differential activities of volcanoes. The low islands of Micronesia have been formed by building up coral reefs on the rim of the volcanic islands, hence giving it a shape of a Ring which is known as Atolls. The atolls further encircle the lagoons which are characterized by shallow pools of clear water at a very low altitude of just a few feet above sea level.

A

5.

 https://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/facts/currents.html

B 

6.

https://opentextbc.ca/geology/part/chapter-9-earths-interior/

C

7.

Nor''westers or the Kalbaishakhi is a local rain fall and thunder storm which occurs in India and Bangladesh. Kalbaishakhi occurs, with increasing frequency, from March till monsoon establishes over North-East India.

·        During this time Odisha, West Bengal, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Bangladesh and North-Eastern states of India are affected by violent thunderstorms.

·        They cause considerable damage to life and property and are known as Kalbaisakhi or the calamity of Baishakhi, the month of April–May in India.

·        Kalbaishakhi is accompanied by strong squalls and sometimes by hail. On extremely rare occasions, tornados may also accompany them too.

The rainfall in these storms is beneficial for the tea cultivated in Assam and for the jute and rice and tea cultivated in West Bengal and Bangladesh.They generally move from West to East.

D

8.

https://theconversation.com/biofuels-turn-out-to-be-a-climate-mistake-heres-why-64463

B

9.

Both the Indus and Ganga rivers emerge in the Himalayas. The Indus travels in a south-west direction and flows to drain in the Arabian sea. On the other hand, the Ganga flows in a south-east direction and passes through most of North India to drain into the Bay of Bengal.

Both these large river systems form deltas at their confluence with the sea. However, the delta formed by the Indus is smaller than that formed by the Ganga. It is because of many reasons.

Firstly, the Ganga flows for a much greater distance than the Indus and as a result, picks up much more sediments than the latter. One reason also why it carries more sediments is that it flows through much wetter areas than the Indus does. The Indus River flows through mostly semi-arid areas.

Also, the difference in slope creates differences in the delta formation as well. At the mouth of the Indus, the slope ends abruptly into the Arabian sea. However, in case of Gnga, there is a much more gradual decline in slope, providing for a large delta formation.

C

10.

·    https://www.vedantu.com/question-answer/zanskar-is-located-in-a-jammu-and-kashmir-b-class-7-social-science-cbse-6125b1c7ad6a0301323c1539 

·    The Pensilungpa Glacier is located in Zanskar Range, Ladakh.

·    The Zanskar Range is a mountain range in the union territory of Ladakh that separates Zanskar from Ladakh.

·    Geologically, the Zanskar Range is part of the Tethys Himalaya.

·    The average height of the Zanskar Range is about 6,000 m. Its eastern part is known as Rupshu.

·    23000 feet high peak Nunkun is within this range.

·    Marbal Pass and many other passes which connect Ladakh with Kashmir are in this area.

·    13000 feet high Zojila Pass is in the extreme northwest of Zanskar range.

·    This range, is a branch of the Great Himalayan range of mountains.

·    Many rivers start in different branches of this range flow northward, and join the great Indus River.

·    These rivers include Hanle River, Khurna River, Zanskar River, Suru River (Indus), and Shingo River.

·    It also separates Kinnaur from Spiti in Himachal Pradesh.

·    The highest peaks of Himachal are in Zanskar range.

D

11.

https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/mines-ministry-exploring-22-critical-mineral-blocks-across-9-states-for-possible-future-auction/article67676744.ece#:~:text=Determination%20of%20vanadium%20reserves%20in,Balepalyam%20area%20in%20Anantpur%20district%2C

·    Vanadium in its pure form is a soft, grey and ductile element primarily derived from mined iron ore, carbonaceous shale or phyllites and steel slag.

·    Vanadium alloys are durable in extreme environments. They are corrosion resistant. They improve tensile strength of steel and reinforce steel bars used for tunnels, buildings and bridges. Their atomic number is 23.

·    The Vanadium Pentoxide is used as a catalyst in the production of Sulphuric acid.

·    85% of the Vanadium produced in the world are used as steel additive. Vanadium steel is used in gears, bicycle frames, axles and other critical components.

·    Vanadium Dioxide is used in production of glass coatings that blocks infrared radiation.

B

12.

https://www.india.com/health/sorghum-millet-health-benefits-5-reasons-why-the-king-of-millets-is-a-great-alternative-to-wheat-6342811/

https://vikaspedia.in/agriculture/crop-production/package-of-practices/cereals-and-millets/sorghum/sorghum-production-technology#:~:text=Although%20yield%20of%20sorghum%20in,area%20under%20cultivation%20and%20production.

https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1981504

Eleusine Coracana: Finger Millet Popularly known as ragi, this is the richest source of potassium among all millets.

One of the oldest known millets, kodo is said to have originated in India 3,000 years ago. This millet has a husk which has to be removed before it can be used. The small grains can absorb large quantities of water which make them useful during summers.

C   

13.

https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/water/fact-or-fallacy-is-your-water-purifier-safe--95154

B    

14.

Allen''s law states that in warm-blooded animal species having distinct geographic populations, the limbs, ears, and other extremities of the animals living in cold climates tend to be shorter than in animals of the same species living in warm climates.

Hence as per Allen''s rule, mammals of cold regions conserve body heat through smaller extremities.

https://www.unl.edu/rhames/courses/ppoint/heat-110.pdf

A

15.

D

16.

https://www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/equinox/

B  

17.

Kirkwood gaps are gaps in the distribution of asteroid orbital periods.  These gaps occur and simple fractions (e.g. 1/2, 1/3, etc) of Jupiter''s orbital period.  Kirkwood gaps are caused by the gravitational interaction between Jupiter and asteroids with these periods.  The orbits of asteroids that fall into the Kirkwood gaps are regularly disturbed every few orbits (2, 3, etc.)  The orbits are drawn into progressively more and more elliptical shapes until they come close enough to Jupiter for Jupiter''s gravitational attraction to have more effect than the Sun''s.  At this point, the asteroid is usually flung completely out of the solar system.  This same effect explains why Saturn''s moon Mimas causes the Cassini division in Saturn''s rings.

B

18.

Classification of Atmosphere according to composition

1. Homosphere: The word ''Homo'' means uniform and ''sphere'' means region then altogether it means the region of constant. The chemical composition of the atmosphere up to 90 km from the earth''s surface is uniform or the proportion of gases, aerosols, water vapour are almost the same throughout. This layer comprises of Troposphere, Stratosphere, Mesosphere. However, density decreases increase of height.

· Nitrogen, oxygen and argon are called the "constant gases" because their concentration has remained virtually the same for much of recent earth history. Nitrogen (78%)is a relatively inert gas produced primarily by volcanic activity. It is an important component of protein in meat, milk, eggs and the tissues of plants, especially grains and members of the pea family. It cannot be ingested directly by organisms but made available to plants, and then to animals, by compounds in the soil. Most atmospheric nitrogen enters the soil by nitrogen-fixing microorganisms.

· Oxygen (21%) is important for plant and animal respiratory processes. It is also important to chemical reactions (oxidation) that breakdown rock materials (chemical weathering). Without oxygen, things cannot burn either. Free oxygen in the atmosphere is a product of plant photosynthesis. Plants take up carbon dioxide and in the process of photosynthesis release oxygen.

· Argon (.93%) is a colorless, odorless relatively inert gas, the reason it use to electric light bulbs, fluorescent tubes. It is used to form inert atmosphere for arc welding, and growing semiconductor crystals.

2. Heteroshphere:  The ''Hetero'' means varies and ''spere'' means region so altogether it means region of varies. Above homosphere i.e above 90 km from the earth''s surface gases are distributed in a distinct layer,(rather evenly mixed)   sorted by gravity i.e heavier gaseous elements like oxygen and nitrogen towards earth and helium and hydrogen towards outer space. This layer comprises of  Thermosphere(Ionosphere), Exosphere, Magnetosphere.

· The so called "variable gases" are those present in small and variable amounts. These include carbon dioxide, methane, ozone, water vapor, and particulates among others. Even though they represent a tiny portion of the atmosphere as a whole, they exert a great control over our environment.

A

19.

Shimla-2,276 m, Kodaikanal-2,133 m, Darjeeling-2,042 m and Mahabaleshwar-1,353 m.

B

20.

· Latitude of a place is measured as the angular distance of the place from the equator. All latitudes also called as parallels are concentric circles. So,

· Equator is the largest latitude of earth. The equator is the only line of latitude which is also a great circle — that is, one whose plane passes through the center of the globe. The plane of Earth''s equator when projected outwards to the celestial sphere defines the celestial equator.

· Sites near the Equator, such as the Guiana Space Centre in Kourou, French Guiana, are good locations for spaceports as they have a faster rotational speed than other latitudes; the added velocity reduces the fuel needed to launch spacecraft. Because the Earth spins to the east, spacecraft must also launch to the east (or to the southeast or northeast) to take advantage of this Earth-boost of speed.

https://www.physlink.com/education/askexperts/ae255.cfm

B 

21.

· The Mediterranean Region has many morphologic, geographical, historical, and societal characteristics, which make its climate scientifically interesting. The concept of Mediterranean climate is characterized by mild wet winters and warm to hot, dry summers and occur on the west side of continents between about 30° and 40° latitude. However, the presence of a relatively large mass of water is unique to the actual Mediterranean region. The Mediterranean Sea is a marginal and semi-enclosed sea; it is located on the western side of a large continental area and is surrounded by Europe to the North, Africa to the South, and Asia to the East.

C

22.

https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/science/gravitational-wave-lensing-universe-expansion-hubble-constant/article67086481.ece   

https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/science/what-is-gravitational-lensing/article65338095.ece#:~:text=When%20we%20observe%20the%20light,can%20lead%20to%20various%20effects 

D

23.

https://earthhow.com/asthenosphere-facts/

B

24.

· Western disturbances occur during the cold, dry season. The weather is fine with clear skies, low temperatures and humidity, cool breeze and rainless days. However, these fine weather conditions at intervals get disturbed by shallow cyclonic depressions. These depressions—also known as western disturbances—originate over the east Mediterranean Sea and travel eastwards across West Asia, Iran-Afghanistan and Pakistan before they reach the north-western parts of India. On their way, they pick up moisture from the Caspian Sea in the north and the Persian Gulf in the South.

· Although the western disturbances cause meagre rainfall, even this little amount of rainfall is highly beneficial to the rabi crops, especially wheat. The precipitation is in the form of light rains in the plains and heavy snowfall in the western Himalayas, It is this snow that sustains the flow of water in’ the Himalayan rivers during the summer months.

D  

25.

D