[Mission 2023] STATIC QUIZ, 19 November 2022 – Geography

Solution: c)

Fog is a phenomenon of small droplets remaining suspended in the air. Fog develops normally during late evening, night or early morning hours of the day, severely affecting visibility. Foggy conditions prevail over the plains of north India during the winter season and can prolong for days and sometimes even for weeks.

Fog develops over Delhi-Haryana-Punjab belt due to the passing of an active western disturbance, which cause light rain and bring fresh moisture over these regions.

Clear sky conditions accompanied by calm winds during the day allows the fog to persist for longer than normal duration.

Solution: b)

As defined by the IMD, drought is a consequence of the natural reduction in the amount of precipitation for a long period of time.

Drought is often associated with other climatic factors like high winds and temperatures and low relative humidity. These factors can aggravate the severity of the drought event.

As per the Manual for Drought Management 2016, drought is declared considering following two indicative factors:

• The extent of rainfall deviation (depreciation)
• The consequent dry spell

IMD declares a year to be a drought year, in case the area is affected by moderate and severe drought, either individually or together and for 20-40% of the total area of the country.

What are the different types of drought?

• Meteorological Drought
• Hydrological Drought
• Agricultural Drought
• Socio-Economic Drought

Agricultural Drought occurs when available soil moisture is inadequate for healthy crop growth and cause extreme stress and wilting.

Solution: c)

The Alaknanda rises in the Satopanth glacier and is met at Vishnuprayag by the Dhauli Ganga. The Alaknanda is then met by the Nandakini at Nandaprayag, Pindar at Karnaprayag, Mandakini at Rudraprayag, and Bhagirathi at Devprayag. Thereafter, it is known as Ganga, which flows to Rishikesh and Haridwar.

Solution: c)

As organic material dies and is deposited in swamps or swampy lakes, the material undergoes bacterial and chemical changes to create peat deposits. Over millions of years, this peat gets buried under many layers of sediment the pressure and temperature of the peat increases. Gradually, the peat turns into lignite or brown coal, then sub-bituminous coal, bituminous coal, and finally hard anthracite coal. While coal is being formed, the decomposing organic material produces methane gas – the main component of natural gas – along with nitrogen and carbon dioxide. With the pressure of being buried under sediment, most of the methane stays trapped on the surface of the coal.

Solution: d)

Trace metals like cadmium or copper are supplied to oceans via continental run-offs, atmospheric deposition, hydrothermal activities and continental shelf interaction. They are essential for ocean productivity.