----------------------- Page 1----------------------SHANKAR IAS ACADEMYTEST 3 - GEOGRAPHY - ANSWER KEY

1. Ans (c)Explanation: Polar Stratospheric Clouds (PSC) form in the stratosphere inaltitudes between 20 and 30 km. The formation of PSC requires very lowtemperatures. That is why they only appear in winter and mainly overScandinavia, Scotland, Alaska and Antarctica. They form at temperatures ofaround minus 85C, colder than average lower stratophere temperatures, andare comprised of ice particles ~10m across. The clouds must be composed ofsimilar sized crystals to produce the characteristic bright iridescent colors bydiffraction and interference. Polar stratospheric clouds or PSCs, also knownasnacreous clouds from nacre, or mother of pearl, due to its iridescence), areclouds in the winter polar stratosphere.2. Ans (b)Explanation: The mesosphere is the layer of the Earth's atmosphere that isdirectly above the stratosphere and directly below the thermosphere. Themesosphere is located about 50 to 85 kilometres (30 to 50 miles)abovethe Earth's surface. Within the mesosphere, temperature decreases withincreasing altitude. This is due to decreasing solar heating and increasingcooling by CO2 Radiative emission. The topof themesosphere, calledthe mesopause, is the coldest place on Earth.3. Ans (c)Explanation:1. Xerophytic vegetation found in all three climatic region.2. The term xerophyte refers to a plant species that has evolved over time toadapt to dry regions like deserts. Xerophytes have adapted to be able to keepextremely large amounts of water for a long period of time.Without thiscapability, the plant would die, as the desert region itself does not provideenough water to sustain life.4. Ans (c)Explanation: Exosphere: 700 to 10,000 km (440 to 6,200 miles) Thermosphere:80 to 700 km (50 to 440 miles)

Mesosphere: 50 to 80 km (31 to

50 miles)Stratosphere: 12 to 50 km (7 to 31 miles) Troposphere: 0 to 12 km (0 to 7 miles)5. Ans (c)Explanation: The United Nations' (UN) International Day for the Preservationofthe Ozone Layer is celebrated on September 16 every year.This eventcommemorates the date of the signing of the Montreal Protocol on Substancesthat Deplete the Ozone Layer in 1987. The ozone layer, a fragile shield ofgas,protects the Earth from the harmful portion of the rays of the sun, thus helpingpreserve life on the planet.6. Ans (d)Explanation: Fog and mist are both created by water droplets, differing onlyintheir overall locations and density. Fog is a cloud that reachesground level,even if that "ground" is a hill or mountaintop. Mist forms wherever waterdroplets are suspended in the air by temperature inversion, volcanic activity, orchanges in humidity. Fog is denser than mist and tends to last longer. In terms----------------------- Page 2----------------------SHANKAR IAS ACADEMYof visibility, fog reduces it to less than one kilometre (0.6 miles), whilemist canreduce visibility to between 1 and 2 kilometres (0.6 - 1.2 miles)7. Ans (d)Explanation:1. Commercial airliners typically cruise at altitudes of 912 km(30,00039,000 ft)intemperatelatitudes(in thelowerreachesofthestratosphere).This optimizes fuel burn, mostly due to the low temperaturesencountered near the tropopause and low air density, reducing parasiticdrag on the airframe. It also allows them to stay above hardweather(extreme turbulence).2. On October 24, 2014, Alan Eustace became the record holder for reachingthe altitude record for a manned balloon at 135,890 feet.3. Some bird species like Rppell's vulture have been reported tofly at thelower levels of the stratosphere`.8.

Ans (c)Explanation: Tornadoes are natures most violent storms. Spawned from

powerful thunderstorms, tornadoes can cause fatalities and devastate aneighbourhood in seconds. A tornado appears as a rotating, funnelshapedcloud that extends from a thunderstorm to the ground with whirling winds thatcan reach 300 miles per hour.9.

Ans (c)

10. Ans (b)Explanation: Hadley cell is a thermally direct cell. The Hadley cell is anatmospheric circulation pattern in the tropics that produces winds called thetropical easterlies and the trade winds. In the Hadley cell, air rises up into theatmosphere at or near the equator, flows toward the poles above the surfaceofthe Earth, returns to the Earths surface in the subtropics, and flows backtowards the equator. This flow of air occurs because the Sun heats air at theEarths surface near the equator. The warm air rises, creating a band of lowpressureattheequator. Oncetherisingairreachesthetopofthe troposphere at approximately 10-15 kilometres above the Earths surface,the air flows toward the north and south poles. The Hadley celleventuallyreturns air to the surface of the Earth in the subtropics, near 30 degreesnorthor south latitude.11. Ans (d)12. Ans (a)13. Ans (d)Explanation:1. Ozone is a unstable Gas.2. Ozone most absorbs ultra violet radiation.14. Ans (a)Explanation: Clouds are formed when air containing water vapour iscooledbelow a critical temperature called the dew point and the resultingmoisturecondenses into droplets on microscopic dust particles (condensation nuclei)inthe atmosphere. The air is normally cooled by expansion during its upwardmovement. Upward flow of air in the atmosphere may be caused by convection----------------------- Page 3----------------------SHANKAR IAS ACADEMY

resulting from intense solar heating of the ground; by a cold wedge of air(coldfront) near the ground causing a mass of warm air to be forced aloft; or by amountain range at an angle to the wind. Clouds are occasionally produced by areduction of pressure aloft or by the mixing of warmer and cooler air currents.15. Ans (a)16. Ans (b)17. Ans (d)Explanation: Tropical rainforests are located around the equator wheretemperatures stay near 80 degrees year round. Rainforests receive 160 to 400inches (400-1000 cm) of rain each year. The largest rainforestsare in Brazil(South America), Zaire (Africa) and Indonesia (South East Asia). Other tropicalrainforest places are in Hawaii and the islands of the Pacific & Caribbean.18. Ans (d)Explanation: Camels live in deserts that are hot and dry during the day,butcold at night. They are well adapted for survival in the desert. Camels have:Large, flat feet to spread their weight on the sand.Thick fur on the top of the body for shade, and thin fur elsewhere to alloweasy heat loss.A large surface area to volume ratio to maximise heat loss.The ability to go for a long time without water (they don t store water intheir humps, but they lose very little through urination and sweating).

The ability to tolerate body temperatures up to 42C.Slit-like nostrils and two rows of eyelashes to help keep the sand out.

19. Ans (d)20. Ans (c)Explanation: Durban belongs to China climate, Delhi belongs to monsoonclimate, Cairo belongs to Desert climate, Toronto belongs to Laurentianclimate.21. Ans (a)Explanation: A green belt or greenbelt is a policy and land use designationused in land use planning to retain areas of largely undeveloped,wild, oragricultural land surrounding or neighbouring urban areas22. Ans (c)

23. Ans (c)Explanation: Fertility refers to the number of live births women have. Itdiffersfrom fecundity, which refers to the physiological capability of women toreproduce. Fertility is directly determined by a number of factors which, inturn,areaffectedbyagreatmanyotherfactors:social,cultural,environmental, economic, and health.The general fertility rate (also called the fertility rate) is the number of livebirths per 1,000 women ages 15 to 49 in a given year. The general fertilityrateis a somewhat more refined measure than the birth rate becauseit relatesbirths to the age-sex group at risk of giving birth (usually defined as womenages 15 to 49). This limitation helps eradicate distortions thatmight arise----------------------- Page 4----------------------SHANKAR IAS ACADEMYbecause of different age and sex distributions among populations.Thus, thegeneral fertility rate is a better basis to compare fertility levels amongpopulations than are changes in the crude birth rate.The total fertility rate (TFR) is the average number of children that wouldbeborn to a woman by the time she ended childbearing if she wereto passthrough all her childbearing years conforming to the age specific fertilityratesof a given year. The TFR is one of the most useful indicators of fertilitybecauseit gives the best picture of how many children women are currently having.TheTFR sums up, in a single number, the fertility of all women at a given point intime. In effect, it says: This is the total number of childrena woman wouldhave if the fertility rates for a given year applied to her throughout herreproductive life.The Age-Specific Fertility Rate (ASFR) is the number of live births per 1000women in a specific age group for a specified geographic area and for a specificpoint in time, usually a calendar year.24. Ans (d)Explanation: An invasive species is a plant or animal that is not native to aspecific location and has a tendency to spread, which is believed

to causedamage to the environment, human economy and/or human health.Example: Eichhornia crassipes, Parthenium hysterophorus, Lantana camara,Hyptis suaveolens25. Ans (a)Explanation:The Maasai area Nilotic ethnicgroupof nomadicpeopleinhabiting southern Kenya and northern Tanzania. They are among thebestknown local populations due to their residence near the many game parks ofthe African Great Lakes, and their distinctive customs and dress.The Bushmen are the oldest inhabitants of southern Africa, where they havelived for at least 20,000 years. Their home is in the vast expanse of theKalahari Desert. The Bushmen are the remnants of Africa s oldestculturalgroup, genetically the closest surviving people to the original Homo sapienscore from which the Negroid people of Africa emerged. Bushmen are small instature generally with light yellowish skin, which wrinkles very early in life.Bushmen were hunter/gatherers, with traditionally about 70/80% of their dietconsisting of plant food, including berries, nuts, roots and melons gatheredprimarily by the women.26. Ans (c)Explanation: The Antarctic Circle is one of the five major circles (or parallels)of latitude that mark maps of the Earth. As of 2000, it lies at latitude 663339 south of the equator. The area south of the Antarctic Circle is known astheAntarctic, and the zone immediately to the north is called the SouthernTemperate Zone. The equivalent line of latitude in the northern hemisphereisthe Arctic Circle.Every place south of the Antarctic Circle experiences a period oftwenty-fourhour continuous daylight at least once per year, and a period oftwenty-fourhour continuous night time at least once per year. That is to say, there isat----------------------- Page 5----------------------SHANKAR IAS ACADEMYleast one whole day during which the Sun does not set, and at least one wholeday during which the Sun does not rise. On the Antarctic Circle these eventsoccur, in principle, exactly once per year, at the December solstice and J

unesolstice, respectively.These events occur because the earth s axis is tilted, by approximately 23.5degrees, relative to ecliptic (the plane of the earth s orbit around the Sun). Atthe June solstice the southern hemisphere is tilted away from the Sun to itsmaximum extent, and the region of permanent darkness reaches its northernlimit; at the December solstice the southern hemisphere is tilted towardstheSun to its maximum extent, and the region of permanent sunlight reaches itsnorthernlimit.27. Ans (d)28. Ans (d)Explanation: Indonesia can be eliminated because it is located nearby toequator. Brazil can be eliminated because it is located Southern Hemisphere.Algeria can be eliminated because it is located nearby to Greenwich meridian.29. Ans (a)Explanation: All other three environmental issues are indirectly not related torise in sea level.30. Ans (c)31. Ans (a)Explanation: Thoughfruitsarecultivatedbothin BritishtypeandMediterranean climate, market gardening is exclusively related to Britishtype.32. Ans (a)Explanation: Here question is about the factors responsible for amount ofincoming solar radiation. So type of the earth surface will not determinedtheamount of incoming solar radiation. Other factors which affects insolationare(i) Distance between sun and earth, (ii) Sunspot.33. Ans (b)Explanation: The earth atmosphere is transparent to short wave radiation andopaque to long wave radiation. Incoming solar radiation is short wave radiationand terrestrial radiation is long wave radiation. That is the reason the loweratmosphere of the earth is heated by various factors.34. Ans (c)Explanation: If atmosphere is not there solar radiation will notscattered so

sky will appear in black.35. Ans (b)Explanation: Albedo of high clouds like cirrus is less than that of lowestandthickest clouds.36. Ans (d)37. Ans (a)----------------------- Page 6----------------------SHANKAR IAS ACADEMYExplanation: Thunderstorms will not occur in the subtropical highpressurebelt.38. Ans (a)39. Ans (a)40. Ans (b)Explanation: Pressure belt are more regular in southern hemisphere.41. Ans (d)42. Ans (d)43. Ans (b)Explanation: Conventional rainfall is occurring in Malwa plateau. Orographicrainfall is occurring in Malabar Coast.44. Ans (d)45. Ans (a)46. Ans (d)47. Ans (a)Explanation: In India Bhopal will receive vertical sun rise because it islocatedwithin the tropics.48. Ans (b)Explanation: Cyclone is a system of atmospheric pressure in which the isobarsindicates low pressure at the centre and high pressure at the periphery.49. Ans (b)Explanation: In the question we ask of major determines of climate of aparticular location so local weather condition is not a major determinant.50. Ans (b)Explanation: In the table temperature shows that the places located insouthern hemisphere because in June and July it has lowest temperature and

it experiences winter. During winter season rainfall occur in Mediterraneanclimate only.51. Ans (b)Explanation: Option (A) is a explanation for relative humidity, Option (C)is aexplanation for absolute humidity.52. Ans (c)53. Ans (a)Explanation: When a parcel of air is forced to move upward, itcools at dryadiabatic lapse rate (10OOC per 1000m or 5.5 F per 1000 feet) whereas normallapse rate is 6.5OC per 1000 m. After rising to certain height the air becomessaturated and latent heat of condensation is added to the risingair so therising air cools at wet adiabatic(5OC per 1000m) whereas the normal lapserate(6.5OC per 1000m) is greater than it. Consequently, the air becomes warmer----------------------- Page 7----------------------SHANKAR IAS ACADEMYthan the surrounding air and hence rises upward automatically. This is calledconditional instability because the air is initially forced to move upward butrises automatically due to its own properties after condensationpoint isreached.54. Ans (c)55. Ans (d)Explanation: Condensation The process of conversion of water vapour intoliquid and solid form. Dew Point The temperature at which the given air issaturated. Frost point The temperature at which condensation occurs.56. Ans (b)Explanation: Clouds are transparent to incoming solar radiation whereas itisopaque to terrestrial radiation. Mostly terrestrial radiationare infraredradiation. Moreover water vapour and other greenhouse gases willabsorbsinfrared energy. That is the reason for overcast nights are warmer than clearnights.57. Ans (b)

Explanation: Vegetation in the mountain is not the major decidingfactor.Mountain should be near to the coast, then only the mountain will givetriggering effect for the winds.58. Ans (a)Explanation: Temperate cyclone as less pressure gradient than tropicalcyclone. Tropical cyclone as highest wind velocity than temperature cyclone. Intemperate cyclone there will be different pattern of rainfall andweatherconditions.59. Ans (d)60. Ans (d)61. Ans (d)62. Ans (b)Explanation: In the question you have to select not correct statement. Cloudburst will occur in coastal areas also, Example: 2005 Mumbai rain.63. Ans (d)Explanation: The Kuroshio Current starts from Taiwan and its flowing to KurilIslands.64. Ans (b)Explanation: The earths lower atmosphere is directly heated by terrestrialradiation or outgoing long wave radiation.65. Ans (b)66. Ans (d)67. Ans (b)----------------------- Page 8----------------------SHANKAR IAS ACADEMYExplanation: In these four options in all other options it is given thatparticular climate type is found only in northern hemisphere, that is thekeyword to eliminate all other three options.68. Ans (d)69. Ans (b)Explanation: All the planets revolve around the sun not in the same planeanddirection because Mercury and Uranus are in different motion.70. Ans (c)

71. Ans (d)72. Ans (d)73. Ans (c)Explanation: Among the four given tribal communities Mongols aresettledcultivators.74. Ans (c)75. Ans (c)Explanation: Movement of the sun causes shifting of both thermally inducedand dynamically produced pressure belts.76. Ans (d)Explanation: In all other three options time difference is 3 hours, butdifference between Lagos and Nairobi is 4 hours.77. Ans (a)78. Ans (a)79. Ans (d)Explanation: For temperature inversion the following conditions are necessary.1. Clear sky.2. Feeble wind3. Long winter nights4. Cold and dry air80. Ans (b)Explanation: In the high latitude west coasts are wetter than east coastbecause of westerlies influence. In these subtropics east coast wetter than westcoast due to easterlies. Generally precipitation is abundant in equatorialregion.81. Ans (a)82. Ans (b)

----------------------- Page 9----------------------SHANKAR IAS ACADEMY83. Ans (a)Explanation: Broad-leaf evergreen forests found only in regions where rainfallis more than 150 cm. per year. Uniformly high temperature throughout theyear found in equator region. In the rainfall pattern in the s

avannah regionsummer experience more rain and generally winter will be dry.84. Ans (d)85. Ans (c)86. Ans (d)87. Ans (a)88. Ans (c)89. Ans (d)Explanation: Near to the city A there is no influence of large water bodies likesea or ocean. Generally any place located near to sea or ocean will experiencemoderating effect on its temperature.90. Ans (c)91. Ans (c)Explanation: In the winter northern India will experience low temperatureandhigh pressure.92. Ans (a)93. Ans (d)Explanation: The 4th statement explains about absolute humidity.94. Ans (a)Explanation: There is no relation between season of the equatorial regionandearths rotational velocity and coriolis force.95. Ans (c)96. Ans (c)97. Ans (c)Explanation: Among the four only (c) is most appropriate answer.98. Ans (a)Explanation: No possibilities for thunderstorms and torrential rains in thenorth western India during winter, because during winter north western part ofIndia will experience low temperature and high pressure.99. Ans (c)100. Ans (b)