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Q1Geography·Earth Structure and GeomorphologyPYQ 2025
Which of the following are the evidences of the phenomenon of continental drift?
1. The belt of ancient rocks from Brazil coast matches with those from Western Africa.
2. The gold deposits of Ghana are derived from the Brazil plateau when the two continents lay side by side.
3. The Gondwana system of sediments from India is known to have its counterparts in six different landmasses of the Southern Hemisphere.
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
- A1 and 3 only
- B1 and 2 only
- C1, 2 and 3Correct
- D2 and 3 only
Explanation
Correct. All three are valid evidences: matching rock belts across the Atlantic, continuity of mineral deposits like Ghana's gold from the Brazilian shield, and the Gondwana sediment sequence found across six Southern Hemisphere landmasses.
Q2Geography·Earth Structure and GeomorphologyPYQ 2025
Consider the following statements:
Statement I: In the context of effect of water on rocks, chalk is known as a very permeable rock whereas clay is known as quite an impermeable or least permeable rock.
Statement II: Chalk is porous and hence can absorb water.
Statement III: Clay is not at all porous.
Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?
- ABoth Statement II and Statement III are correct and both of them explain Statement I
- BBoth Statement II and Statement III are correct but only one of them explains Statement I
- COnly one of the Statements II and III is correct and that explains Statement ICorrect
- DNeither Statement II nor Statement III is correct
Explanation
Correct. Statement II is true — chalk is porous and absorbs water, explaining its permeability. Statement III is false because clay does have porosity; it is the tiny pore size that makes clay impermeable, not the absence of pores.
Q3Geography·Earth Structure and GeomorphologyPYQ 2025
Consider the following statements:
Statement I: Scientific studies suggest that a shift is taking place in the Earth's rotation and axis.
Statement II: Solar flares and associated coronal mass ejections bombarded the Earth's outermost atmosphere with tremendous amount of energy.
Statement III: As the Earth's polar ice melts, the water tends to move towards the equator.
Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?
- ABoth Statement II and Statement III are correct and both of them explain Statement I
- BBoth Statement II and Statement III are correct but only one of them explains Statement ICorrect
- COnly one of the Statements II and III is correct and that explains Statement I
- DNeither Statement II nor Statement III is correct
Explanation
Correct. Both statements are true, but only Statement III explains Statement I. Redistribution of mass from melting polar ice toward the equator alters Earth's rotational balance and contributes to polar drift. Solar flares do not cause axis shift.
Q4Geography·Earth Structure and GeomorphologyPYQ 2024
Consider the following statements:
Statement I: Rainfall is one of the reasons for weathering of rocks.
Statement II: Rain water contains carbon dioxide in solution.
Statement III: Rain water contains atmospheric oxygen.
Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?
- ABoth Statement II and Statement III are correct and both of them explain Statement ICorrect
- BBoth Statement II and Statement III are correct, but only one of them explains Statement I
- COnly one of the Statements II and III is correct and that explains Statement I
- DNeither Statement II nor Statement III is correct
Explanation
Correct. Dissolved carbon dioxide makes rainwater weakly acidic (carbonic acid), enabling chemical weathering of rocks. Dissolved atmospheric oxygen enables oxidation of iron-bearing minerals. Both processes contribute to rock weathering.
Q5Geography·Earth Structure and GeomorphologyPYQ 2024
Consider the following:
1. Pyroclastic debris
2. Ash and dust
3. Nitrogen compounds
4. Sulphur compounds
How many of the above are products of volcanic eruptions?
- AOnly one
- BOnly two
- COnly three
- DAll fourCorrect
Explanation
Correct. Volcanic eruptions eject solid materials such as pyroclastic debris, ash and dust, and also release gases containing sulphur compounds (SO2, H2S) and nitrogen compounds along with water vapour and CO2.
Q6Geography·Earth Structure and GeomorphologyPYQ 2023
Consider the following statements:
1. The arrival of P-waves is recorded earlier than S-waves on a seismograph.
2. S-waves oscillate in the direction transverse to the direction of wave propagation.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- A1 only
- B2 only
- CBoth 1 and 2Correct
- DNeither 1 nor 2
Explanation
Correct. P-waves are compressional and travel faster, arriving first at seismographs. S-waves are shear (transverse) waves that oscillate perpendicular to the direction of propagation and cannot pass through liquids.
Q7Geography·Earth Structure and GeomorphologyPYQ 2019
The word 'Denisovan' is sometimes mentioned in media in reference to:
- AFossils of a kind of dinosaurs
- BAn early human speciesCorrect
- CA cave system found in North-East India
- DA geological period in the history of Indian subcontinent
Explanation
Correct. Denisovans are an extinct species or subspecies of archaic humans identified from DNA extracted from a finger bone found in Denisova Cave, Siberia. They interbred with both Neanderthals and modern humans.
Q8Geography·Earth Structure and GeomorphologyPYQ 2019
On 21st June, the Sun:
- ADoes not set below the horizon at the Arctic CircleCorrect
- BDoes not set below the horizon at Antarctic Circle
- CShines vertically overhead at noon on the Equator
- DShines vertically overhead at the Tropic of Capricorn
Explanation
Correct. On 21st June (summer solstice), the Sun does not set at the Arctic Circle (66.5°N) — it remains above the horizon for 24 hours. This marks the beginning of the midnight sun at the Arctic Circle.
Q9Geography·Earth Structure and GeomorphologyPYQ 2018
Which of the following is/are the possible consequences of heavy sand mining in riverbeds?
1. Decreased salinity in the water
2. Pollution of groundwater
3. Lowering of the water table
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
- A1 only
- B2 and 3 onlyCorrect
- C1 and 3 only
- D1, 2 and 3
Explanation
Correct. Sand mining pollutes groundwater by removing the natural sand filter and exposing aquifers to contaminants. It also lowers the water table by deepening the riverbed and increasing the rate of water drainage.
Q10Geography·Earth Structure and GeomorphologyPYQ 2014
Which of the following phenomena might have influenced the evolution of organisms?
1. Continental drift
2. Glacial cycles
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
- A1 only
- B2 only
- CBoth 1 and 2Correct
- DNeither 1 nor 2
Explanation
Correct. Continental drift created geographic isolation leading to distinct evolutionary paths (e.g., marsupials in Australia). Glacial cycles repeatedly altered habitats and climates, driving adaptation, speciation, and mass extinctions.
Q11Geography·Earth Structure and GeomorphologyPYQ 2013
Contour bunding is a method of soil conservation used in:
- ADesert margins, liable to strong wind action
- BLow flat plains, close to stream courses, liable to flooding
- CScrublands, liable to spread of weed growth
- DNone of the aboveCorrect
Explanation
Correct. Contour bunding is used on sloping agricultural land to prevent sheet and rill erosion by constructing small embankments along contour lines. None of the listed options correctly describes its application — it is used on hill slopes and undulating terrain.
Q12Geography·Earth Structure and GeomorphologyPYQ 2013
Variations in the length of daytime and night-time from season to season are due to:
- AThe earth's rotation on its axis
- BThe earth's revolution round the sun in an elliptical manner
- CLatitudinal position of the place
- DRevolution of the earth on a tilted axisCorrect
Explanation
Correct. The Earth's axis is tilted at 23.5° to the plane of its orbit. As the Earth revolves around the Sun, this tilt causes different hemispheres to receive varying amounts of sunlight, producing seasonal changes in day and night lengths.