22nd April Static Quiz 2021 (Geography)

In the beginning, all matter forming the universe existed in one place in the form of a “tiny ball” (singular atom) with an unimaginably small volume, infinite temperature and infinite density.
1. At the Big Bang the “tiny ball” exploded violently. This led to a huge expansion. It is now generally accepted that the event of big bang took place 13.7 billion years before the present. The expansion continues even to the present day. As it grew, some energy was converted into matter. Therefore, A is correct.
2. Within 300,000 years from the Big Bang, temperature dropped to 4,500 K and gave rise to atomic matter. The universe became transparent. So, S2 is wrong.

The actual reason for expansion of Universe has not been fully established by the science community even
till date.

Solution: a)
Justification: The moon moves around the earth in about 27 days. It takes exactly the same time to complete one spin. As a result, only one side of the moon is visible to us on the earth.

Option B: Even if the earth was not tilted, you would be able to see only one side of the moon. The geoid shape of earth has nothing to do with our view of the Moon. Even if the earth were to become slightly flatter or rounder, the sight of the moon won’t change much.

Justification: A comet tail—and coma—are features visible in comets when they are illuminated by the Sun and may become visible from Earth when a comet passes through the inner Solar System.

As a comet approaches the inner Solar System, solar radiation causes the volatile materials within the comet to vaporize and stream out of the nucleus, carrying dust away with them. Separate tails are formed of dust and gases, becoming visible through different phenomena; the dust reflects sunlight directly and the gases glow from ionisation. So, 1 is correct.

Statement 2: In the outer Solar System, comets remain frozen and are extremely difficult or impossible to detect from Earth due to their small size. As they get closer to the Sun, ice starts to melt and the glow increases. So, 2 is wrong.

Solution: b)

The composition of ring particles varies; they may be silicate or icy dust. Larger rocks and boulders may also be present. Sometimes rings will have small moons that orbit near the inner or outer edges of rings or within gaps in the rings.

For e.g. the ring swirling around Saturn consists of chunks of ice and dust. Recent evidence suggests that ring systems may be found around other types of astronomical objects, including minor planets, moons, and brown dwarfs

Solution: c)

Statement 1: A shield volcano on Mars, Olympus Mons, is the largest volcano in
the Solar System.
 It is three times taller than Mount Everest and about five hundred km in diameter.
 The surface of Venus is dominated by volcanic features and has more volcanoes than any other planet in the Solar System.
 Mercury is quieter as compared to these two planets, but volcanoes do exist on it.

Statement 2: There is evidence for the existence of ice, as well as water, on the surface of
planets other than earth.
 In 2012, NASA’s Messenger confirmed the discovery of ice in permanently shadowed craters near Mercury planet’s North pole.
 Astronomers have detected that the atmosphere of Venus as well as of Mars contains water vapour.
 But, there isn’t any water on the surface of Venus, in form of rivers, lakes or oceans.
 New findings from NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) provide the strongest evidence yet that liquid water flows intermittently on present-day Mars.