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. Which of the following mountain ranges form the longest mountain chain in the world?
[A] The Rockies of North America
[B] The Andes of South America
[C] The Transantarctic Range
[D] The Great Dividing Range of Australia
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [The Andes of South America]
Notes:
Andes is the world’s longest above-water mountain range, spanning over 4,300 miles. It’s located on the South American continent and crosses the borders of seven countries:
Venezuela, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Argentina.
The Andes stretches from Tierra del Fuego in the south to the continent’s northernmost coast on the Caribbean Sea. It’s also known for its volcanoes.
The longest mountain range on Earth is the mid-sea edge, which spans over 40,389 miles. Around 90% of the mid-sea edge framework is under the sea. The mid-ocean ridge system is part of every ocean in the world and marks the boundaries of the oceanic plates. It rises to 6,600 feet above the deepest part of the ocean basin.
2. Maximum share in earth’s mass and volume is shared by ___?
[A] Crust
[B] Mantle
[C] Inner Core
[D] Outer Core
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Mantle]
Notes:
Although the core and mantle are about equal in thickness, the core actually forms only 15 percent of the Earth’s volume, while the mantle comprises 84 percent. The crust makes up the remaining 1 percent.
3. Which of the following is the name given to the minor planets revolving between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter? (UPSC Prelims 1979).
[A] Asteroids
[B] Comets
[C] Meteors
[D] Novas
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Asteroids]
Notes:
Asteroids are small and rocky objects that orbit the sun. Asteroids orbit the sun. They are much smaller than planets. There are lots of asteroids in our solar system. Most of them live in the main asteroid belt—a region between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. Some asteroids are hundreds of miles in diameter, but many more are as small as pebbles. Most asteroids are made of different kinds of rocks, but some have clays or metals, such as nickel and iron.
4. What is a continental shelf? (UPSC Prelims 1980).
[A] It is a part of the ocean which is really an extension of the land mass, but submerged
[B] It is that part where the ocean commences
[C] It is a land mass which is surrounded by water on all sides
[D] It is a part of the continent that is submerged in relatively shallow sea
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [It is a part of the ocean which is really an extension of the land mass, but submerged]
Notes:
A continental shelf is the edge of a continent lying beneath the ocean. This shelf extends from the coastline of a continent to a drop off point called the shelf break. The shelf break is where the underwater edge of a continent shelf begins to rapidly slope downwards towards the ocean floor depths.
5. Which island is located geographically in America but politically in Europe?
[A] Alexander Islands
[B] Bathurst Island
[C] Christmas Island
[D] Greenland
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [Greenland]
Notes:
Greenland is geographically a part of the North America as it lies on the North American tectonic plate, however, culturally and politically, it is associated with Europe as it is located in the territory of the Kingdom of Denmark.
6. Which of the following is the largest glacier in the Alps?
[A] Baltoro Glacier
[B] Perito Moreno Glacier
[C] Aletsch Glacier
[D] Franz Josef Glacier
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Aletsch Glacier]
Notes:
The Aletsch Glacier is the largest Glacier in the Alps, in Switzerland. It is located between the cantons of Bern and Valais on the Bernese Alps to the east of the Gemini Pass. It is nearly 23 km long and has a volume of about 15.4 cubic km.
7. Which is the earliest stage of the Big Bang epoch ?
[A] Planck epoch
[B] Unification epoch
[C] Inflationary epoch
[D] Electroweak epoch
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Planck epoch ]
Notes:
Planck epoch is the time immediately after the Big Bang that lasted for one Planck second. It is the earliest stage of the Big Bang.
8. How long does it take for the sun to complete one rotation?
[A] 20 days
[B] 60 days
[C] 40 days
[D] 27 days
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [27 days ]
Notes:
The sun on an average, rotates around its axis every 27 days. It spins the fastest at its equator (27 days) and 31 days around the pole.
9. Cassini Mission was sent to study?
[A] Saturn
[B] Jupiter
[C] Mars
[D] Neptune
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Saturn]
Notes:
The Cassini Mission or Cassini–Huygens space-research mission was a mission to study Saturn sent in collaboration among NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA), and the Italian Space Agency (ASI). It was named after astronomers Giovanni Cassini and Christiaan Huygens. It was launched in 1997 and ended in 2017 after 20 years of service.
10. Which type of igneous rock forms the majority of the Oceanic crust?
[A] Granite
[B] Quartzite
[C] Basalt
[D] Diorite
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Basalt]
Notes:
Basalt makes up of almost 99% of the oceanic crust. Of the Igneous rocks, 66% are basalt and gabbro.
