Daily Quiz: UPSC Prelims Marathon – November 3

The Black Sea lies between southeastern Europe and Asia Minor. It is connected to the Aegean Sea through the Bosporus, the Sea of Marmara, and the Dardanelles, and has been of critical importance to regional commerce throughout the ages.

This major inland 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.

1. 38^th Parallel- Forms boundary between North Korea and South Korea
2. 49^th Parallel- Forms boundary between USA and Canada.
3. 17^th Parallel- Forms boundary between North Vietnam and South Vietnam before they were united.

Statements 1 and 2 are correct:

Troposphere

• It is the atmospheric layer between the earth’s surface and an altitude of 8 km at the poles and 18 km at the equator.
• The thickness is greater at the equator, because the heated air rises to greater heights.
• The troposphere ends with the Tropopause.
• The temperature in this layer, as one goes upwards, falls at the rate of 5°C per kilometer, and reaches -45°C at the poles and -80°C over the equator at Tropopause (greater fall in temperature above equator is because of the greater thickness of troposphere – 18 km).
• The fall in temperature is called ‘lapse rate’. (more about this in future posts)

Statements 3 and 4 are incorrect:

• Thermosphere layer helps in radio transmission. In fact, radio waves transmitted from the earth are reflected back to the earth by this layer.
• Meteorites entering from the space burn up in Mesosphere.

MONSOON SEASON

Causes and salient features of Indian Monsoon:

• Shift of ITCZ
• Onset or burst of Monsoon and its relation to the shift of southern branch of STWJS to the north of Himalayas and Tibet
• Role of Tibetan plateau o Role of Jet Steams
• Tele-connections: El-Nino and La-Nina, Southern Oscillation (ENSO)
• Two branches of South West Monsoon
• Progress and withdrawal of the Monsoon
• North-East Monsoon and rain in Tamil Nadu
• Spatial and temporal variation in rainfall

Carbon monoxide (CO)

• Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colorless, odorless, tasteless and highly toxic gas that is slightly less dense than air. It is short-lived (stay only few months) in the atmosphere.
• Carbon monoxide is produced from the exhaust of internal combustion engines and from incomplete combustion of various other fuels. Iron smelting also produce carbon monoxide as a byproduct.
• It forms when there is not enough oxygen to produce carbon dioxide (CO2).
• In the presence of oxygen, carbon monoxide burns with a blue flame, producing carbon dioxide.
• Worldwide, the largest source of carbon monoxide is natural in origin, due to photochemical reactions in the troposphere.
• Other natural sources of CO include volcanoes, forest fires, and other forms of combustion.

The Sumatran Rhinoceros is listed as Critically Endangered under IUCN list

• These species are found in the foothills of the Himalayas in Bhutan and north-eastern India, all the way through southern China, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Borneo in Indonesia and the islands of Sumatra.
• The chief threats to these species are poaching and reduced population feasibility. These animals were hunted for their horns, skin and for some medicinal purposes.

The Himalayan brown bear belongs to the list of critically endangered animals

• These are found in the Northern India, Northern Pakistan, Northern Afghanistan, Tibet and Nepal.
• It is Omnivorous and hibernate during the winter
• The major threat was loss of appropriate habitat and unscientific anthropogenic activities.

The Kondana Soft-furred Rat is listed as the ‘critically endangered’ species under IUCN.

• It is an endemic species to India.
• It is found in Singharh plateau near Pune in Maharashtra State.
• The main threats to these species are loss of habitat, overgrazing of vegetation and annoyance from archaeological site and tourists.
• It is listed in the considered as vermin according to the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.

Giant Otters are Found only in South America

Out of the eight planets, mercury, venus, earth and mars are called as the inner planets as they lie between the sun and the belt of asteroids the other four planets are called the outer planets. Alternatively, the first four are called Terrestrial, meaning earth-like as they are made up of rock and metals, and have relatively high densities. The rest four are called Jovian or Gas Giant planets. Jovian means Jupiter-like. Most of them are much larger than the terrestrial planets and have thick atmosphere, mostly of helium and hydrogen.