[Mission 2024] QUED ( Questions from Editorials ) 29 August 2023

Solution: c)

Nickel is a chemical element with symbol Ni and atomic number 28. It is a silvery-white lustrous metal with a slight golden tinge. Nickel is a hard and ductile transition metal.

An economically important source of nickel is the iron ore limonite, which is often 1–2% nickel. 

Nickel, a mineral used to make batteries for electric cars and motorcycles.

Indonesia boasts the Earth’s largest reserves. But harvesting and refining those stocks is largely dependent on investment and technology.

Source

Solution: a)

Only statement 1 is correct.

The primary reason why the Pacific coast seldom sees such tropical storms and hurricanes is the nature of the ocean itself. As per NWS, the first condition for the formation of hurricanes is that ocean waters must be above 26 degrees Celsius. Below this threshold temperature, hurricanes will not form or will weaken rapidly once they move over water below this threshold.

While high temperatures are common during hurricane season along the US east coast, the west coast is much colder. In the Atlantic, warm, equatorial waters are transported north to higher latitudes along the US coast via the Gulf Stream but along the west coast, in the Pacific, cold current steers colder water from higher latitudes toward equatorial regions. This makes hurricanes highly unlikely.

Another factor is the vertical wind shear — a term used to describe the change in wind speed as one travels up from the Earth’s surface — especially in the upper level of the atmosphere. It is an important ingredient in formation of hurricanes as they can extend up to 16 km into the atmosphere. Hurricanes can’t emerge if the upper level winds are strong as they “destroy the storms structure by displacing the warm temperatures above the eye and limiting the vertical accent of air parcels,” according to the NWS. Usually, wind shear in the eastern Pacific is much stronger than the Gulf of Mexico, causing less frequent hurricanes along the western coast.

Lastly, the rarity of west coast hurricanes is the influence of wind steering patterns. Trade winds play a crucial role in directing hurricanes towards the east coast. The same winds divert them away from the west coast. Hurricanes originating in the eastern Pacific, often near the central Mexico coastline, generally follow a west-northwest trajectory that take them away from the coast.

Source

Solution: a)

Only statement 3 is correct.

The typical impacts of El Niño include: increased rainfall in parts of southern South America, the southern United States, the Horn of Africa and central Asia. It can also cause severe droughts over Australia, Indonesia, and parts of southern Asia. During summer in the northern hemisphere, El Niño’s warm water can fuel hurricanes in the central/eastern Pacific Ocean and it can hinder hurricane formation in the Atlantic Basin.

El Niño might bring respite from the drought in the Horn of Africa and other La Niña-related impacts but could also trigger more extreme weather and climate events.

Solution: c)

The Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act (AMASR Act) regulates the preservation of monuments and archaeological sites of national importance. The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), which is under the aegis of the Union Ministry of Culture, functions under this Act. The Act protects monuments and sites that are more than 100 years old, including temples, cemeteries, inscriptions, tombs, forts, palaces, step-wells, rock-cut caves, and even objects like cannons and mile pillars that may be of historical significance.

According to the provisions of AMASR Act, ASI officials are supposed to regularly inspect the monuments to assess their condition. Apart from various conservation and preservation operations, ASI officials can also file police complaints, issue show cause notices for the removal of encroachments, and communicate to the local administration the need for demolition of encroachments.

Solution: a)

Taklamakan Desert is a desert in Southwestern Xinjiang in Northwest China.