The World Climate

Total Questions: 42

31. With reference to the "EL-NINO", which of the following statement/s is/are correct? [U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 2023]

(1) El Nino involves appearance of warm current of the coast of Peru in eastern pacific.

(2) This warm current increase the temperature of water on the Peruvian coast by 10°C there by increasing the amount of Plankton in the sea. Select the correct answer using the code given below-

Code:

Correct Answer: (a) Only 1
Solution:El-Nino is a complex weather system that appears once every three to seven years, bringing drought, floods and other weather extremes to different parts of the world. The system involves oceanic and atmospheric phenomena with the appearance of warm currents off the coast of Peru in the Eastern Pacific and affects weather in many places including India.

El-Nino is merely an extension of the warm equatorial current which gets replaced temporarily by cold Peruvian current or Humbolt current. This current increases the temperature of water on the Peruvian coast by 10°C.

This results in: (i) the distortion of equatorial atmospheric circulation; (ii) irregularities in the evaporation of sea water; (iii) reduction in the amount of Planktons which further reduces the number of fish in the sea. Hence option(a) is correct answer.

32. Where does the El Nino current flow? [69 B.P.S.C. (Pre), 2023]

Correct Answer: (a) The Pacific Ocean
Solution:El-Nino is a complex weather system that appears once every three to seven years, bringing drought, floods and other weather extremes to different parts of the world. The system involves oceanic and atmospheric phenomena with the appearance of warm currents off the coast of Peru in the Eastern Pacific and affects weather in many places including India.

El-Nino is merely an extension of the warm equatorial current which gets replaced temporarily by cold Peruvian current or Humbolt current. This current increases the temperature of water on the Peruvian coast by 10°C.

This results in: (i) the distortion of equatorial atmospheric circulation; (ii) irregularities in the evaporation of sea water; (iii) reduction in the amount of Planktons which further reduces the number of fish in the sea. Hence option(a) is correct answer.

33. Analyse the following statistical date of temperature and rainfall: [I.A.S. (Pre) 1999]

MonthTemperature (°C)Rainfall (cm)
January6.714.0
February6.713.2
March7.211.4
April8.911.4
May11.18.1
June13.99.6
July15.09.6
August15.012.2
September13.910.4
October11.114.4
November8.914.0
December7.816.8

The climate, to which this data is related to, is:

Correct Answer: (c) Western European type
Solution:The above-mentioned data is related to the western European type of climate (Northern Hemisphere). Its average temperature remains between 15-21°C. Rainfall is in sufficient quantity in every season of the year but as compared to winters, scanty rainfall is received during summer season. In the above-mentioned data, less rainfall is shown in the month of May, June and July.

34. Consider the following climatic conditions (northern hemisphere): [I.A.S. (Pre) 1998]

MonthTemperature (°C)Rainfall (cm)
J3.94.7
F4.45.7
M8.38.2
A14.49.2
M20.09.2
J23.317.7
J27.814.5
A27.814.0
S22.312.7
O18.37.0
N12.25.0
D6.73.5

These are most likely to be found in the natural regions of:

Correct Answer: (a) China type
Solution:Normally rainfall occurs throughout the year in China type of climate region but it occurs more during the summer season. The average temperature of this climatic region during the summer season is between 24°- 26.6°C. Hence, in the above-mentioned climatic chart, the features of China type of climatic conditions is shown.

35. The graph given below shows the mean average monthly temperatures (in "C)and mean monthly rainfall (in cms) of a place: [I.A.S. (Pre) 1995]

This graph is indicative of which one of the climatic zones of the world?

Correct Answer: (a) Wet and dry tropical
Solution:The given graph indicates a wet and dry tropical zone of the world because the temperature ranges here from 15° to 25°C, with the heaviest rainfall in the month of April, May and June and that also not exceeding 25 cm. Hence, option (a) is the correct option.

36. Hekistotherms are plants growing in- [U.P. Lower Sub. (Pre) 2013]

Correct Answer: (c) very low temperature
Solution:Hekistotherms are plants which grow in very low-temperature areas like tundra region, mountains and Alpine forests. Hekistotherms are cold-tolerant plants, also known as plants adapted to the cold climates of polar regions.

The term "hekistotherm" is used in A. L. P. de Candolle's (1874) temperature-based scheme of world vegetation zones.

Other terms: 

  • Megatherms: Plants adapted to hot and humid climates, commonly found in equatorial regions.
  • Mesotherms: Plants adapted to moderate temperatures, commonly found in temperate regions.
  • Microtherms: Plants adapted to cold temperatures, commonly found in tropical regions.

37. 'Vegetation is the true index of climate'. This statement is associated with: [U.P. P.C.S. (Pre) 2018]

Correct Answer: (b) Koppen
Solution:German-Russian botanist and climatologist Vladimir Kop- pen presented a descriptive classification of the world's cli- mate in the year 1884, which was revised and refined in the Years 1918, 1931 and 1936. Koppen has considered veg- etation as the true indicator of climate.

This has made the five vegetation zones of the world proposed by candol in 1874 AD the basis of the division of the world's climate. Later, like Koppen, Thornthwaite also propounded that veg- etation is an indicator of climate and the amount of rainfall and temperature have a substantial effect on vegetation, but took evaporation into account.

On this basis, thornthwaite has given importance to precipitation effectiveness in de- marcation of climate. Thornthwaite has accepted vegetation as an indirect element of climate.

38. In which of the following areas, Mediterranean climate does not prevail? [64th B.P.S.C. (Pre) 2018]

Correct Answer: (d) Pampas
Solution:The Pampas are fertile South American lowlands that cover more than 750,000 km² and include the Argentine province of Buenos Aries, La Pampa, Santa Fe, Entre Rios, Cordoba etc, all of Uruguay and the southernmost Brazillian state, Rio Grande do sul.

The climate is temperate with precipitation of 600 to 1200 mm. The climate is generally temperate, gradually giving away to more subtropical climate in the north and to a semi-arid climate on the western fringes.

39. Variations in the length of day and night time from season to season are due to- [I.A.S. (Pre) 2013]

1. The earth's rotation on its axis

2. The earth's revolution around the sun in an elliptical manner.

3. Latitudinal position of the place.

4. Revolution of the earth on axis

Which of the above-mentioned statement/statements is/are correct?

Correct Answer: (b) 2 and 4 only
Solution:Earth is tilted on its axis. If Earth would not have been tilted on its axis, then days and nights would have been equal everywhere. In the same way, if Earth would not have been revolving around the sun, then there would have been always longer days and shorter nights in one hemisphere and longer nights and shorter days in the other hemisphere. But except the equatorial line, the difference is seen in the length of the days and nights in different seasons. On equatorial line, days and nights are always equal.

40. The annual range of temperature in the interior of the continents is high as compared to coastal areas. What is/are the reason/reasons? [I.A.S. (Pre) 2013]

(1) Thermal difference between land and water.

(2) Variation in altitude between continents and oceans

(3) Presence of strong winds in the interior.

(4) Heavy rains in the interior as compared to coasts.

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

Correct Answer: (a) 1 only
Solution:The reason behind the high annual range of temperature in the interior of the continents is the thermal difference between the land and water. The land gets heated rapidly through the insolation of the sun whereas water gets heated very slowly. Due to this, the weather of the coastal areas remains cold as compared to the terrestrial regions. Hence, option (a) is the correct answer. But other statements given in the codes are not true.