World & Physical Geography MCQs
World Geography Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) Quiz for State and UPSC Civil Services Examinations. Objective Questions on Physical Geography and World Geography for competitive examinations.
1. Who is known as father of geography?
[A] Plato
[B] Aristotle
[C] Ptolemy
[D] Eratosthenes
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [Eratosthenes]
Notes:
Eratosthenes coined the word Geography. Geo means- Earth; Graphos means- Description; Geography means- Earth description. Eratosthenes calculated the circumference of the Earth and also tilt axis of the Earth. He is known as Father of Geography.
2. Standard time zones can be defined by geometrically subdividing the Earth’s spheroid into how many parts?
[A] 12
[B] 24
[C] 36
[D] 48
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [24]
Notes:
Standard time zones are typically defined by subdividing the Earth’s spheroid into 24 parts, with each part corresponding to a time zone that is typically 15 degrees wide. This means that the Earth is divided into 24 time zones, each separated by an hour, starting at the Prime Meridian, which is 0 degrees longitude, and extending eastward and westward around the globe.
3. Identify the correct geographical location of the McMurdo Dry Valleys, known for housing hypersaline water bodies on dry land.
[A] Africa
[B] Central Asia
[C] North America
[D] Antarctica
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [Antarctica]
Notes:
The McMurdo Dry Valleys, renowned for their hypersaline lakes like Lake Vanda with a striking salinity of over 35%, which is 10 times more than typical ocean water, are located in Antarctica. Despite this, the most saline water body globally is not found here but at the Gaet’ale Pond. This site, situated in the Danakil Depression in Afar, Ethiopia, holds an even higher concentration of salt, accurately representing the diversity of extreme environments on Earth.
4. Crystal formation can be found more commonly in which of the following types of rocks?
[A] Intrusive igneous rocks
[B] Extrusive igneous rocks
[C] Metamorphic rocks
[D] Sedimentary rocks
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Intrusive igneous rocks]
Notes:
When an igneous rock has cooled quite slowly at depth inside the earth, it is known as intrusive rock. As the molten material solidifies below the surface, it cools very slowly and forms rocks with large crystals. Granite is an example of it.
5. Which of the following is Cold Ocean current? (UPSC Prelims 1989)
[A] Labrador
[B] Gulf Stream
[C] Kuro Shio
[D] None of these
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Labrador]
Notes:
The Labrador Current is a cold current in the North Atlantic Ocean which flows from the Arctic Ocean south along the coast of Labrador and passes around Newfoundland, continuing south along the east coast of Nova Scotia. It is a continuation of the West Greenland Current and the Baffin Island Current.
6. Where is the volcanic mountain, Mount St. Helens located? (UPSC Prelims 2005)
[A] Chile
[B] Japan
[C] Philippines
[D] USA
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [USA]
Notes:
Mount St. Helens is an active stratovolcano located in Skamania County, Washington, in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. Mount St. Helens is 34 miles (55 km) west of Mount Adams, in the western part of the Cascade Range. These “sister and brother” volcanic mountains are approximately 50 miles (80 km) from Mount Rainier, the highest of Cascade volcanoes.
7. Which is the longest river in Asia?
[A] Amazon River
[B] Yangtze River
[C] Ganges River
[D] Yellow River
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Yangtze River]
Notes:
The Yangtze River is the longest river in Asia. It is third longest river in the world. It flows entirely within China. It is also the longest river in the world to flow within one country.
8. The Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram, a graphical tool is used to classify which of the following?
[A] Stars
[B] Planets
[C] Galaxies
[D] Volcanoes
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Correct Answer: A [Stars ]
Notes:
Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram is used by the astronomers to classify stars based on their luminosity, temperature, spectral type and colour.
9. Which among the following is a hypothesized area at the edge of the Solar system?
[A] Oort cloud
[B] Comets
[C] Proxima Centauri
[D] Meteor
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Oort cloud]
Notes:
Oort cloud is the remains of the early stages of our solar system’s formation. It spans beyond the orbits of Neptune and Pluto. It was discovered by Dutch astronomer Jan Hendrik Oort in 1950.
10. In which Epoch did the Homo sapiens evolve?
[A] Eocene
[B] Oligocene
[C] Miocene
[D] Pleistocene
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [Pleistocene ]
Notes:
The Homo sapiens evolved in the chibanian age of the Pleistocene epoch