UPSC Static Quiz – Geography : 22 March 2025

Solution: c)

• Galactic tides, similar to the tides in Earth’s oceans but on a much larger scale, are caused by gravitational forces within galaxies, resulting from interactions between celestial objects like stars and gas clouds.
• These tidal forces play a significant role in shaping the evolution of galaxies. They can alter a galaxy’s structure by creating features like tidal tails and bridges, stimulating star formation, and disrupting smaller star systems.
• Over vast stretches of time, galactic tides also perturb the orbits of stars, leading to long-term changes in the structure of galaxies. Galactic tides even influence how neighbouring galaxies interact with each other.
• Galactic tides also impact supermassive black holes located at the centres of galaxies, resulting in events that alter how these cosmic giants interact with nearby stars.

Solution: b)

Bauxite is the ore which is used in manufacturing of aluminium. Bauxite is found mainly in tertiary deposits and is associated with laterite rocks occurring extensively either on the plateau or hill ranges of peninsular India and also in the coastal tracts of the country. Odisha happens to be the largest producer of Bauxite.

Solution: a)

Statement 2 is incorrect.

The June-September southwest monsoon brings more than 70% of India’s annual rainfall. Climatologically, the monsoon arrives over the Andaman Sea in the third week of May and advances into the mainland through Kerala, June 1 being the normal date of onset.

An early or timely onset of the monsoon does not guarantee good rainfall or its distribution over the country throughout the four-month season. And a delayed onset does not necessarily mean below-average rainfall for the entire season.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast ‘above normal’ rainfall this season. Quantitatively, it is expected to be 106% of the Long Period Average of 880 mm (1971-2020 data).

The ‘above normal’ rainfall is being attributed mainly to the soon-to-emerge La Niña conditions, which are known to positively influence the Indian monsoon, and a positive phase of the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD).

Solution: a)

Igneous Rocks:

Igneous rock is formed by the solidification of magma and lava. This is also known as the primary rock. Ex. Granite and Basalt etc.

Sedimentary Rocks:

Sedimentary rocks are the result of deposition of fragments of rocks by exogenous processes. This is also known as the secondary rocks. Ex: sandstone, limestone, shale etc.

Metamorphic Rocks:

Metamorphic Rocks formed from already-existing rocks that are undergoing recrystallization. Tertiary rocks are another name for metamorphic rocks. Ex: phyllite, schist, gneiss, quartzite and marble etc.

Solution: a)

Daylight saving time (DST) is the practice of setting the clocks forward one hour from the standard time during the summer and back again in the autumn. This is done to make better use of natural daylight. India does not follow daylight saving time as countries near the Equator do not experience high variations in daytime hours between seasons.