1. Which of the following planets is known as ‘Morning Star’?
(a) Mercury
(b) Venus
(c) Mars
(d) Jupiter
2. Which planet of the solar system spins on its axis at the fastest rate?
(a) Mercury
(b) Earth
(c) Jupiter
(d) Saturn
3. Which planet is known as the ‘Watery Planet’ ?
(a) Mercury
(b) Earth
(c) Mars
(d) Jupiter
4. Which planet looks reddish in the night sky? [Hotel Management 1991]
(a) Mercury
(b) Mars
(c) Jupiter
(d) Saturn
5. The correct sequence of planets in the descending order of their equatorial diameter is :
(a) Mars, Mercury, Uranus, Earth
(b) Earth, Mars, Mercury, Uranus(c) Mercury, Uranus, Mars, Earth
(d) Uranus, Earth, Mars, Mercury
6. Which of the following is the largest of the inner planets? [IAS 1990]
(a) Venus
(b) Mercury
(c) Mars
(d) Earth
7. In 1610, Galileo Galilei discovered four moons of which planet?
(a) Saturn
(b) Jupiter
(c) Neptune
(d) None of these
8. In order of their distances from the Sun, which of the following planets lie between
Mars and Uranus? [IAS 2008]
(a) Earth and Jupiter
(b) Jupiter and Saturn
(c) Saturn and Earth
(d) Saturn and Neptune
9. The planet Mercury is difficult to be observed most of the time because:
(a) it gets hidden behind Venus
(b) it goes too far away from the Earth
(c) it being too close to the Sun, gets hidden by the glare of the sun
(d) it cannot be seen at night as at that time no sunlight falls on it.
10. Comets revolve around: [NDA 1990]
(a) sun
(b) earth
(c) venus
(d) no single heavenly body
11) On a half-moon night the angle between the moon and the sun when measured from earth is about
(a) 45°
(b) 60°
(c) 900
(d) 1800
12) Consider a specific point on the surface of the earth (say, the city of Delhi). The temperature at a given time of day (say, 12.00 noon) will in general be higher in summer than in winter. This is because
(a) the earth is closer to the sun in summer than in winter
(b) sun-rays falling on the earth are inclined more towards the surface of the earth in winter
(c) evaporation of water from atmospheric precipitation occurring in winter alone
(d) the axis of the earth is inclined more towards the sun in winter
13) The length of its day and the tilt of its axis are almost identical to those of the earth’. This is true of
(a) Uranus
(b) Neptune
(c) Saturn
(d) Mars
14) Consider the following pairs.
Rocks Formation process
1. Loess Mechanically formed
2. Limestone Organically formed
3. Potash Chemically formed
Which of the pairs is/are correctly matched?
(a) 1 and 2
(b) 1 and 3
(c) 2 and 3
(d) 1, 2 and 3
15) Which of the following processes are diastrophism?
1. Orogenic processes
2. Epeirogenic processes
3. Earthquakes
4. Plate tectonics
Choose the correct answers from the codes given below
(a) 1, 2 and 3 only
(b) 2, 3, and 4 only
(c) 1, 2 and 4 only
(d) All the above
16) Which of the following is not a landform?
(a) Delta
(b) Meander
(c) Sinkholes
(d) Floodplains
17) The highest peak in the Himalayas i.e. Mount Everest is a
(a) Cirque
(b) Horns
(c) Glacial valleys
(d) Aretes
18) Which of the following are the erosional features of the waves and currents in coastal landforms.
1. Cliffs
2. Terraces
3. Caves
4. Stacks
Choose the correct answers from the codes given below
(a) 1, 2 and 3 only
(b) 2, 3, and 4 only
(c) 1, 2 and 4 only
(d) All the above
19) Consider the following statements.
1. Barchans are crescent shaped sand dunes.
2. The points or wings of barchans are directed towards the direction of wind.
3. Parabolic dunes form when sandy surfaces are partially covered with vegetation.
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
(a) 1 and 2
(b) 1 and 3
(c) 2 and 3
(d) 1, 2 and 3
20. In which of the following region the Canyons and trenches are observed?
(a) Continental Slope
(b) Continental Shelf
(c) Continental rise
(d) Deep Sea Plain
21. The cold and dense air blowing down the mountain slope during the night is known as:
(a) anabatic wind
(b) khamsin
(c) katabatic wind
(d) harmattan
22. When the wind is deflected due to the rotation of the Earth, it is called as: [NDA 1994]
(a) geostropic wind
(b) polar wind
(c) westerlies
(d) trade winds
23. Which of the following statements is incorrect?
(a) Roaring forties are the southern latitudes where Westerlies are prevalent
(b) Monsoons are local seasonal winds
(c) Doldrum belt lies between 10°N and 10°S latitudes
(d) Horse latitudes are found between Trade winds and Westerlies
24. Which one of the following is not a correct example of tropical cyclone? [NDA 1994]
(a) Tornadoes
(e) Typhoons
(b) Hurricanes
(c) Nor westers
25. Match the following:
A. Canada 1. Buran
B. Egypt 2. Khamsin
C Argentina 3. Foehn
D. Siberia 4. Chinook
5. Zonda
A B C D
(a) 2 5 3 1
(b) 4 2 5 1
(c) 1 4 5 3
(d) 4 5 3 2
26. Temperate cyclones bring along with them:
(a) pleasant weather
(b) snowfall and hail
(c) thunderstorms and torrential rainfall
(d) mild rainfall
27. Winds blow:
(a) in regions of low pressure
(b) from a region of high pressure to a region of low pressure
(c) from a region of low pressure to .a region of high pressure
(d) in regions of high pressure
28. Doldrums are belts of low atmospheric pressure obtained in the regions adjoining the equator to a distance of :
(a) 5 degree latitude towards the north only
(b) 5 degree latitude towards the south only
(c) 5 degree latitude towards north and south
(d) 15 degree latitude towards north and south
29. The chemically inactive gas present in the atmosphere is :
(a) nitrogen
(b) argon
(c) water vapour
(d) oxygen
30. Doldrums are: [NDA 1995]
(a) high latitudes with heavy snow
(b) equatorial zone with low pressure
(c) high pressure areas on mountains
(d) sub-polar zone with high pressure
31. With reference to the sub-tropical high pressure belt, consider the following statements:
1. It is affected by Earth’s rotation and descent of winds from higher altitudes.
2. It is dynamically induced and characterized with anti-cyclonic conditions.
Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct? [IAS 2009]
(a) 1 only
(b) Both 1 and 2
(c) 2 only
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
32. Atmospheric pressure exerted on earth is due to:
(a) Gravitational pull of the earth
(b) Rotation of earth
(c) Revolution of earth
(d) Uneven heating of earth
33. The Sea breeze blows during: [Senior Observer’s Exam 1991]
(a) day from land to sea
(b) day from sea to land
(c) night from land to sea
(d) night from sea to land
34. The instrument used for finding out wind-direction is :
(a) anemometer
(b) wind vane
(c) wind gauze
(d) hygrometer
35. ‘Beaufort Scale’ is used to measure:
(a) air pressure
(b) wind velocity
(c) wind direction
(d) humidity
36. Lapse rate is related to the decrease of : [IFS 1998]
(a) wind velocity with an ascent of 300 feet
(b) humidity with an ascent of 450 feet
(c) temperature at 1°F for an ascent of 330 feet
(d) pressure with an ascent of 500 feet
37. Which of the following constituents of the atmosphere are important from the climatic point of view ? [IFS 1993]
1. Nitrogen
2. Oxygen
3. Carbon dioxide
(a) 1 and 2
(b) 2 and 3
(c) 1, 2 and 3
(d) only 3
38. The Trade winds are caused by:
(a) rotation of the earth
(b) revolution of the earth
(c) inflowing movement of air along the earth’s surface towards the equator
(d) none of these
39. Temperature generally decreases towards the poles because: [IAS 2004]
(a) Air movement is generally towards the. equator
(b) Cold polar air masses prevent surface heating of the land
(c) Cold surfaces do not absorb solar energy as readily as warm surfaces
(d) Progressively lesser solar energy per unit area falls on the earth’s surface as we move to polar regions
40. What is the correct sequence of the following zonal pressure belts?
1. Subpolar low
2. Equatorial low
3. Polar high
4. Subtropical high
Select the correct answer using the codes given below:
(a) 2, 3, 1, 4
(b) 1, 4, 2, 3
(c) 2, 4, 1, 3
(d) 1, 3, 2, 4
41. Which one of the following statements is correct? [IAS 2004]
(a) Jet streams are best developed in winters
(b) Jet streams have often developed oscillations
(c) Jet streams greatly influence our surface weather
(d) All the above three are correct in respect of jet streams
42. Arrange the following gases of the atmosphere in increasing order by volume:
1. Nitrogen
2. Oxygen
3. Carbon dioxide
4. Argon
(a) I, II, III, IV
(b) l, II, IV, III
(c) III, IV, II, I
(d) IV, III, II, I
43. Land masses are heated and cooled much faster than water bodies. Identify the true statements in this regard:
1. Land gets heated by conduction
2. Water has higher specific heat
3. Only the surface layers of water are heated
4. Water gets heated by convection
(a) I, II and III
(b) II and III
(c) I and IV
(d) I, II and IV
44. When can one record the lowest temperature of air?
(a) Just before sunrise
(b) At midnight
(c) At 3 a.m.
(d) No fixed time
45. What helps to maintain the heat budget on the surface of the earth?
(a) Incoming insolation in short waves and terrestrial radiation in long waves
(b) The atmosphere absorbs heat
(c) Incoming solar radiation is reflected
(d) The earth absorbs heat
46. The water content in the atmosphere:
(a) is independent of temperature
(b) increases as temperature increases
(c) decreases as temperature increases
(d) either increases or decreases with temperature increase
47. An upper air wind system with very high velocities in certain parts of the atmosphere is called:
(a) a cyclone
(b) an anticyclone
(c) jet stream
(d) a tsunami
48. Which one of the following conditions is NOT necessary for precipitation to occur? [NDA 2002]
(a) The air must be warm
(b) The air must be saturated
(c) The air must be cooled below its dew point
(d) The air must contain hygroscopic particles
49. Very strong and cold icy winds that blow in the Polar regions are called: [CPO SI 2003]
(a) typhoons
(b) tornadoes
(c) blizzards
(d) polar winds
50. The plane of contact of the troposphere and stratosphere is known as :
(a) mesosphere
(b) ionosphere
(c) stratopause
(d) tropopause