Daily Quiz: UPSC Prelims Marathon – December 1

The main process of heating the ocean waters are

(1) by absorption of heat from the sun

(2) by convection of heat through the ocean bottom from the interior of the earth.

The cooling processes are:

(1) by loss of heat to the atmosphere

(2) by evaporation

Lake stratification is the separation of lakes into three layers:

1. Epilimnion: The epilimnion or surface layer is the top-most layer in a thermally stratified lake, occurring above the deeper hypolimnion. It is warmer and typically has a higher pH and higher dissolved oxygen concentration than the hypolimnion.
2. Metalimnion (or thermocline): thermocline (also known as the thermal layer or the metalimnion in lakes) is a thin but distinct layer in a large body of fluid (e.g. water, such as an ocean or lake, or air, such as an atmosphere) in which temperature changes more rapidly with depth than it does in the layers above or below.
3. Hypolimnion: The hypolimnion or under lake is the dense, bottom layer of water in a thermally-stratified lake. It is the layer that lies below the thermocline. Typically the hypolimnion is the coldest layer of a lake in summer, and the warmest layer during winter. Being at depth, it is isolated from surface wind-mixing during summer, and usually receives insufficient irradiance (light) for photosynthesis to occur.

The Nature of the Soil and Vegetation Cover:The nature of soil depends upon its texture, structure and composition. These, qualities vary from soil to soil. Stony or sandy soils are good conductor of heat while black clay soils absorb the heat of the sun’s rays quickly. The bare surface reradiates the heat easily. The deserts are hot in the day and cold in the night. The forest areas have lower range of temperature throughout the year in contrast to non-forested areas.

Slope and the Aspect: The concentration of heat being more on the gentler slope raises the temperature of air above them. Its lesser concentration along steeper slopes lowers the temperature. At the same time, mountain slopes facing the sun are warmer than the slopes which are away from the sun’s rays.

Direction of Mountain Chains:  The mountain chains act as natural barrier for the wind. The on-shore moisture laden winds are forced to rise after striking against the mountain; and give heavy rainfall on the windward side. These winds descending on the leeward side cause very low rainfall

Continentally or the Distance from the Sea: The water is a bad conductor of heat i.e. it takes longer time to heat and longer time to cool. Due to this moderating effect of the sea, places near the coast have low range of temperature and high humidity. The places in the interior of the continent do not experience moderating effect of the sea. These places have extreme temperatures. The places far from the sea have higher range of diurnal (daily) and annual temperatures. Mumbai has relatively lower temperature and higher rainfall than Nagpur, although both are almost situated on the same latitude

The world has been divided into five climatic groups and they are further sub-divided into 13 climatic types. They are as follows:

I Climatic Groups Climatic Types

 (A) Tropical climates (hot all seasons):

(i) Tropical rain forest

(ii) Savanna Climate Am

(iii) Monsoon Climate

(B) Dry climates:  

(iv) Desert Climate

(v) Steppe Climate

(C) Warm temperate rainy or Middle latitude rainy:

(vi) Mediterranean

(vii) China Type Climate climates

(viii)West European Climate

 (D) Humid Middle latitude (severe winters) Climate:              

(ix) Taiga Climate climates

(x) Cool East-coast Climate

(xi) The Continental Climate

(E) Polar climates:                                                                       

(xii) Tundra Climate

(xiii) Ice-cap Climate

In terms of institutions, UNCLOS created the Hamburg-based International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS), the Kingston, Jamaica-headquartered International Seabed Authority (ISA) and the CLCS for global ocean governance.

ITLOS is tasked with the peaceful settlement of contentious issues submitted to it by member states while the CLCS is mandated to scientifically determine the maritime boundaries of states relating to the continental shelf. The ISA is designated to oversee exploitation of resources in the deep sea area.

UNCLOS provides four options for member states to peacefully settle disputes – through ITLOS, the International Court of Justice, an arbitral tribunal constituted in accordance with Annex VII of UNCLOS, and a special arbitral tribunal constituted in accordance with Annex VIII of UNCLOS for one or more of the categories of disputes specified such as fisheries, marine pollution etc. A state party may choose one or more of the options stated above.

Statement 1 and 3 are correct:

IONOSPHERE

(i) This is the fourth layer of the atmosphere. It is located above the mesosphere.

(ii) This layer spreads upto the height of 400 kms. from the surface of the earth. The width of this layer is about 300 kms.

(iii) The temperature starts increasing again with increasing height in this layer.

(iv) Electrically charged currents flows in the air in this sphere. Radio waves are reflected back on the earth from this sphere and due to this radio broadcasting has become possible.

Note: ‘Meteors’ or falling stars occur in the MESOSPHERE

The Dead Sea, also called the Salt Sea, is a salt lake bordering Jordan to the east, and Israel to the west. Its surface and shores are 427 metres below sea level, Earth’s lowest elevation on land.