Daily Quiz: UPSC Prelims Marathon – January 26, 2018

Black sea is bordered by six countries —Romania and Bulgaria to the west; Ukraine, Russia, and Georgia to the north and east; and Turkey to the south. Additionally, it is impacted by another 10 nations through the five major rivers that empty into the Black Sea, the largest of which is the Danube River.

Statement 1 is incorrect. Orogenetic force /Orogenic movement is a more complicated deformation of the Earth’s crust, associated with crustal thickening, notably associated with the convergence of tectonic plates. Such plate convergence forms orogenic belts that are characterized by “the folding and faulting of layers of rock, by the intrusion of magma, and by volcanism”.

Statement 2 is correct. Anticlines are folds in which each half of the fold dips away from the crest. Synclines are folds in which each half of the fold dips toward the trough of the fold. You can remember the difference by noting that anticlines form an “A” shape, and synclines form the bottom of an “S.”

Statement 1 is correct. Slate is a fine-grained, foliated, homogeneous metamorphic rock derived from an original shale-type sedimentary rock composed of clay or volcanic ash. Metamorphism is the change of minerals or geological structure which occurs primarily due to heat, pressure, and the introduction of chemically active fluids.

Statement 2 is incorrect. Basalt and granite are igneous rocks. Igneous rocks are formed through the cooling and solidification of magma. Most of the oceanic crust is made from igneous rocks. Granite is intrusive, which means that the magma was trapped deep in the crust and took a longer time to cool down. Basalt is extrusive, meaning it cooled down faster.

Statement 3 is correct. Shale is the most abundant sedimentary rock. It is found in sedimentary basins worldwide.

Statement 1 is correct. Alluvial soils are the mostly available soil in India (about 43%) which covers an area of 143 sq.km. These soils are widespread in northern plains and river valleys. In peninsular-India, they are mostly found in deltas and estuaries. Humus, lime and organic matters are present in it. It is highly fertile.

Statement 2 is correct. In the ancient period, the classification was based on only two things; whether the soil is fertile or sterile. Thus the classification was: Urvara [fertile], Usara [sterile].

Statement 3 is incorrect. Black soils are rich in lime, iron, magnesia and alumina. They  also contain potash. But they lack in phosphorus, nitrogen and organic matter. Black soil covers most of the Deccan Plateau.

Statement 1 is incorrect. The distance between two longitudes decreases towards the poles

whereas the distance between two latitudes remains the same everywhere.

Statement 2 is correct. All the longitudes are equal in length where as length of latitudes is decreasing as we go from equator to poles. Equator is the longest latitude.

Statement 3 is correct. Polaris is directly overhead at the North Pole (90° of latitude); in other words, the angle between Polaris and the horizon at the North Pole is 90°. This angle is called “the altitude” of Polaris. At the Equator (0° of latitude), the North Star is on the horizon, making an angle of 0°.

Shifting Cultivation is known as Ladang in Indonesia, Caingin in Philippines, Milpa in central America & Mexico, Ray in Vietnam, Taungya In Myanmar , Tamarai in Thailand, Chena in Sri Lanka, Conuco in Venezuela, Roca in Brazil, Masole in central Africa.

Karewas are thick deposits of glacial clay and other material embedded with moraine. These deposits are found in the Kashmir valley between pir panjal and Zaskar range in the Himalaya.  Karewas are extremely important for agricultural and horticultural practices in the valley. The world famous variety of saffron which is locally known as zafron is cultivated in the karewas region. The reason of very high production of apples in the Kashmir valley is also the presence of karewa deposits. It is also used for building construction material.