20 questionswith explanationsfor RAS, Patwari, VDO and other Rajasthan exams
Which is the largest ocean in the world?
Answer: (3) Pacific Ocean
Explanation
The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest ocean, covering about one-third of the Earth's surface.
The Prime Meridian (0° longitude) passes through which place?
Answer: (1) Greenwich
Explanation
The Prime Meridian (0° longitude) passes through Greenwich near London, UK.
Which is the largest hot desert in the world?
Answer: (4) Sahara
Explanation
The Sahara in North Africa is the largest hot desert in the world.
The Mariana Trench, the deepest known part of the oceans, is located in which ocean?
Answer: (2) Pacific Ocean
Explanation
The Mariana Trench lies in the western Pacific Ocean; its Challenger Deep is the deepest known point on Earth.
The boundary between the Earth's crust and mantle is known as:
Answer: (2) Mohorovičić (Moho) discontinuity
Explanation
The Moho discontinuity separates the crust from the mantle; the Gutenberg discontinuity separates the mantle from the core.
The 'Doldrums' are associated with which pressure belt?
Answer: (4) Equatorial low pressure belt
Explanation
The calm zone of the equatorial low pressure belt, where air rises vertically and surface winds are weak, is called the Doldrums.
The ozone layer is mainly found in which layer of the atmosphere?
Answer: (1) Stratosphere
Explanation
The ozone layer lies mainly in the stratosphere and absorbs harmful ultraviolet radiation from the Sun.
The temperate grasslands of Argentina are known as:
Answer: (3) Pampas
Explanation
The Pampas are the temperate grasslands of Argentina; Prairies are in North America, Steppes in Eurasia and Veld in South Africa.
'Chinook', a warm dry wind that melts snow, blows along the eastern slopes of which mountain range?
Answer: (4) Rocky Mountains
Explanation
Chinook is a warm, dry wind descending the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains in North America; it is also called 'snow eater'.
Which cold ocean current flows along the western coast of South America (Peru and Chile)?
Answer: (2) Humboldt (Peru) Current
Explanation
The Humboldt or Peru Current is a cold current flowing northward along the west coast of South America.
The Coriolis force is zero at which of the following?
Answer: (3) Equator
Explanation
The Coriolis force is proportional to the sine of latitude, so it is zero at the Equator and maximum at the poles.
'Mistral', a cold local wind, blows through which region?
Answer: (1) Rhone valley of France
Explanation
Mistral is a cold, dry northerly wind that blows down the Rhone valley of France towards the Mediterranean Sea.
The seismic discontinuity that separates the Earth's mantle from the core is known as:
Answer: (4) Gutenberg discontinuity
Explanation
The Gutenberg discontinuity, at about 2,900 km depth, marks the boundary between the mantle and the outer core.
Consider the following statements about earthquake waves: 1. Surface waves are the first to be recorded on a seismograph. 2. S-waves cannot travel through liquid materials. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Answer: (2) 2 only
Explanation
P-waves are the fastest and are recorded first; S-waves cannot pass through liquids, which creates the S-wave shadow zone.
According to the theory of sea-floor spreading, new oceanic crust is formed mainly along:
Answer: (2) Mid-oceanic ridges
Explanation
Magma rising along mid-oceanic ridges creates new crust that moves away on both sides (Harry Hess).
The San Andreas Fault of California is an example of which type of plate boundary?
Answer: (3) Transform boundary
Explanation
Along the San Andreas Fault the Pacific and North American plates slide past each other, a transform boundary.
Mauna Loa in Hawaii is an example of which type of volcano?
Answer: (4) Shield volcano
Explanation
Mauna Loa is a broad, gently sloping shield volcano built by fluid basaltic lava.
Mushroom rocks (gara) found in deserts are mainly formed by:
Answer: (1) Wind erosion
Explanation
Sand-laden wind abrades the lower part of a rock more than its top, leaving a mushroom shape.
Fjords, the long, narrow and steep-sided sea inlets of the Norwegian coast, are formed by:
Answer: (2) Glacial erosion
Explanation
Fjords are glacially eroded U-shaped valleys later drowned by the sea.
Arrange the following layers of the atmosphere in order from the Earth's surface upward: 1. Mesosphere 2. Troposphere 3. Thermosphere 4. Stratosphere
Answer: (3) 2, 4, 1, 3
Explanation
From the surface upward: troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere.