QUIZ – 2020: INSIGHTS STATIC , 15 May 2021 – Geography

Solution: a)

Magma is extremely hot liquid and semi-liquid rock located under Earth’s surface. Earth has a layered structure that consists of the inner core, outer core, mantle, and crust. Much of the planet’s mantle consists of magma. This magma can push through holes or cracks in the crust, causing a volcanic eruption. When magma flows or erupts onto Earth’s surface, it is called lava.

Like solid rock, magma is a mixture of minerals. It also contains small amounts of dissolved gases such as water vapor, carbon dioxide, and sulfur. The high temperatures and pressure under Earth’s crust keep magma in its fluid state.

Solution: c)

• Places farther from equator are likely to have lesser rainfall and a colder climate.
• Altitude affects the temperature of a place. Places at higher Mean Sea Level (MSL) are more likely to be colder than those at lower MSL.
• Distance from International Date Line indirectly refers to the longitude of a place, which has no bearing on a place’s weather or climate.
• Places close to large lakes or sea are more likely to have moderate weather due to the blowing of land and sea breezes.

Solution: a)

The Chota Nagpur Plateau is a plateau in eastern India, which covers much of Jharkhand state as well as adjacent parts of Odisha, West Bengal and Chhattisgarh. The Indo-Gangetic plain lies to the north and east of the plateau, and the basin of the Mahanadi River lies to the south.

The Chota Nagpur Plateau is a continental plateau—an extensive area of land thrust above the general land. The plateau has been formed by continental uplift from forces acting deep inside the earth.

The Damodar River flows through Chota Nagpur Plateau.

Solution: a)

The Peninsular rivers have shorter and shallower courses as compared to their Himalayan counterparts. Most of them come from Western Ghats, however, some of them originate in the central highlands and flow towards the west. Rest of them all flow to the east in the Bay of Bengal.

A large number of the Peninsular rivers are seasonal, as their flow is dependent on rainfall. During the dry season, even the large rivers have reduced flow of water in their channels.

Moreover, due to flowing on hard terrain and short courses, they carry much lesser silt as compared to Himalayan rivers.    

Solution: d)

Factors Influencing South-West Monsoon Formation

• The differential heating and cooling of land and watercreates a low pressure on the landmass of India while the seas around experience comparatively high pressure.
• The shift of the position of Inter Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ)in summer, over the Ganga plain (this is the equatorial trough normally positioned about 5°N of the equator. It is also known as the monsoon-trough during the monsoon season).
• The presence of the high-pressure area, east of Madagascar, approximately at 20°S over the Indian Ocean. The intensity and position of this high-pressure area affect the Indian Monsoon.
• The Tibetan plateau gets intensely heated during summer, which results in strong vertical air currents and the formation of low pressure over the plateau at about 9 km above sea level.
• The movement of the westerly jet stream to the north of the Himalayas and the presence of the tropical easterly jet stream over the Indian peninsula during summer.