Daily Quiz – 2nd Feb 2024

Explanation:

Option (a) is correct.

Trade Wind Deserts

Trade wind, persistent wind that blows westward and toward the Equator from the subtropical high-pressure belts toward the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ).

The aridity of the hot deserts is mainly due to the effects of off-shore Trade Winds, hence they are also called Trade Wind Deserts. Hot, moist air rises into the atmosphere near the Equator. As the air rises, it cools and drops its moisture as heavy tropical rains. The resulting cooler, drier air mass moves away from the Equator. As it approaches the tropics, the air descends and warms up again. The descending air hinders the formation of clouds, so very little rain falls on the land below. The major hot deserts of the world are located on the western coasts of continents between latitudes 15° and 30°N. and S.

Example: Sahara Desert, Great Australian Desert, Arabian Desert, Iranian Desert, Thar Desert, Kalahari and Namib Deserts, etc.

Explanation:

All pairs are correctly matched. Desert inhabitants

The desert inhabitants may be grouped under the following categories:

Primitive hunters and collectors (The Bushmen of Kalahari and

The Bindibu of West Australian deserts),

Nomadic herdsmen (Tuaregs of the Sahara, Mongols of Gobi and the Bedouins of Arabia)

1. Caravan traders
2. Settled cultivators and
3. Mining settlers.

Explanation:

Option (d) is correct.

Mediterranean Type

The Warm Temperate Western Margin Climate is found in relatively, few areas in the world. They are entirely confi ned to the western portion of continental masses, between 30° and 45° north and south of the equator.

The basic cause of this type of climate is the shifting of the wind belts. Though the area around the Mediterranean Sea has the greatest extent of this type of ‘winter rain climate’, and gives rise to the more popular name Mediterranean Climate. Other Mediterranean regions include California (around San Francisco), the south-western tip of Africa (around Cape Town), southern Australia (in southern Victoria and around Adelaide, bordering the St. Vincent and Spencer Gulfs), and south-west Australia (Swanland).

The Mediterranean type of climate is characterized by very distinctive climatic features - a warm summer with off-shore trades, a concentration of rainfall in winter with onshore westerlies, bright, sunny weather with hot dry summers and wet, mild winters and the prominence of local winds around the Mediterranean Sea

(Sirocco, Mistral). Since all regions with a Mediterranean climate are near large bodies of water, temperatures are generally moderate with a comparatively small range of temperature between the winter low and summer high. Areas with this climate receive almost all of their yearly rainfall during the winter season, and may go the summer without having any significant precipitation.

Trees with small broad leaves are widely spaced and never very tall. Though there are many branches they are short and carry few leaves. The absence of shade is a distinct feature of Mediterranean lands. Growth is slow in the cooler and wetter season, even though more rain comes in winter.

The warm, bright summers and cool, moist winters enable a wide range of crops to be cultivated. The Mediterranean lands are also known as the world’s orchard lands. A wide range of citrus fruits such as oranges, lemons, limes, citrons, and grapefruit are grown. Wine production is another specialty

the Mediterranean countries, because the best wine is essentially made from grapes. Some 85 percent of grapes produced, go into wine. The long, sunny summer allows the grapes to ripen and then they are handpicked.

The area is important for fruit cultivation, cereal growing, wine-making and agricultural industries as well as engineering and mining.

Explanation:

All statements are correct. The Hot, Wet Equatorial Climate

The equatorial, hot, wet climate is found between 5o and 10 o north and south of the equator.

The most outstanding feature of the equatorial climate is its great uniformity of temperature throughout the year. The mean monthly temperatures are always around 27°C with very little variation. There is no winter. Cloudiness and heavy precipitation moderate the daily temperature, so that even at the equator itself, the climate is not unbearable. The diurnal range of temperature is small, and so is the annual range.

Precipitation is heavy and well distributed throughout the year.

Annual average is always above 150 cm. In some regions the annual average may be as high as 250 – 300 cm.

There is no month without rain (distinct dry season is absent). The monthly average is above 6 cm most of the times.

There are two periods of maximum rainfall, April and October [shortly after the equinox]. Least rain fall occurs in June and December [solstice]. The double rainfall peaks coinciding with the equinoxes are a characteristic feature of equatorial climates not found in any other type of climate.

High temperature and abundant rainfall support a luxuriant tropical rain forest. In the Amazon lowlands, the forest is so dense that it is called ‘selvas’.

It comprises a multitude of evergreen trees that yield tropical hardwood, e.g. mahogany, ebony, greenheart, cabinet wood. Lianas, epiphytic and parasitic plants are also found. Trees of single species are very scarce in such vegetation.

Explanation:

• At COP 21 in Paris, on 12 December 2015, Parties to the UNFCCC reached a landmark agreement to combat climate change and to accelerate and intensify the actions and investments needed for a sustainable low carbon future. It was only “agreed” by 195 nations in Paris at the conference.
• The agreement will enter into force only after 55 countries that account for at least 55% of global emissions have deposited their instruments of ratification
• Developed countries will work to define a clear roadmap on ratcheting up climate finance to USD 100 billion (not USD 1000 billion) by 2020.

Explanation:

The Indira Gandhi administration of India nationalized coal mining in phases – coking coal mines in 1971–72 and non-coking coal mines in 1973. With the enactment of the Coal Mines (Nationalization) Act, 1973, all coal mines in India were nationalized in May 1973. Coal sector was nationalised in two phases under Indira Gandhi Government in 1972. ii. The coal Blocks are allocated through Auctions not on lottery basis.

The coal sector is the monopolistic sector in India. India holds 5th biggest coal reserves in the world but due to incapacity of coal production by monopolistic firms, it imports coals to meet the shortages of domestic supply.

Explanation:

• The most significant characteristic of Indian coal is its high ash content, which varies from 35 to 45 per cent, compared with that of coal in other parts of the world, which is around 15 per cent.Besides high ash content, another reason for entrained gasifiers (that operate at higher temperatures than fluidised bed gasifiers), commonly used in IGCC plants abroad, being not suitable for Indian coal is its high ash fusion temperature of about 1,500 degree

Explanation:

• Statement 1 is correct: Climate group is an international non-profit founded in 2003, with offices in London, New York, New Delhi, Amsterdam and Beijing.  It has grown its network to include over 500 multinational businesses in 175 markets worldwide.
• Statement 2 is incorrect: EP100 is a global initiative led by The Climate Group and the Alliance to Save Energy. (and not by International Energy Agency)
• Statement 3 is correct: The Climate Group’s global EP100 initiative brings together a growing group of energy-smart companies committed to improving their energy productivity and doing more with less green-house gas emission. By integrating ambitious energy targets into business strategy, leading companies are driving innovation in energy efficiency and increasing competitiveness while delivering on emissions reduction goals.
• Statement 4 is correct: EP100 has a global reach, with member companies operating in more than 130 markets around the world. India’s own Mahindra group is one of the leaders in the ongoing battle to cut energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions by increasingly switching to renewable energy.
• Statement 5 is incorrect: Climate Group is the Secretariat to the Under2 Coalition and not the International Energy Agency and works with governments to accelerate climate action through four work streams:
• Pathways
• Policy action
• Transparency
• Diplomacy

Explanation:

• National Air Quality Index (AQI) is a tool for effective communication of air quality status to people in terms which are easy to understand. It transforms complex air quality data of various pollutants into a single number (index value), nomenclature and colour.
• There are six AQI categories, namely Good, Satisfactory, Moderately Polluted, Poor, Very Poor, and Severe.
• It considers eight pollutants namely:
• Carbon Monoxide (CO), hence, 2 is correct.
• Nitrogen Dioxide (NO₂), hence, 3 is correct.
• Sulphur Dioxide (SO₂), hence, 4 is correct.
• Ozone (O₃),
• PM 2.5,
• PM 10,
• Ammonia (NH₃),
• Lead (Pb).

Therefore, option b is the correct answer.