Physical Geography: Practice Questions with Answers
Landforms, climate, oceans, and physical processes. Try each question first: tap an option to check it, and the explanation appears below.
Question 1Medium
Which specific type of chemical weathering involves the reaction of minerals with atmospheric or dissolved carbon dioxide to form soluble carbonates?
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✅ C. Carbonation
Carbonation is the chemical reaction where carbon dioxide dissolved in rainwater forms weak carbonic acid, which reacts with calcium carbonate in rocks like limestone to produce soluble calcium bicarbonate, facilitating cave formation and karst topography. Oxidation involves the combination of metallic minerals with oxygen to form oxides like rust, whereas hydrolysis entails water molecules directly breaking down silicate crystal lattices. Solution refers to the simple dissolving of soluble minerals such as halite without chemical transformation. Karst landscapes provide classic examples of groundwater sculpture through carbonation.
Question page →Question 2Easy
Which soil type, locally known as Tikra or Matasi, is most extensively found in the upland tracts and undulating slopes of the Chhattisgarh Plain?
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✅ B. Red and Yellow Soil
Red and yellow soils cover the vast majority of the geographical area of Chhattisgarh, with local variations such as Matasi, Kanhar, Dorsa, and Bhata representing different fertility gradients and topographic positions. Matasi is a sandy-clay loam found on upper slopes, while Kanhar is a deep clayey soil found in low-lying valley bottoms.
Question page →Question 3Medium
In the study of climatology, which of the following air masses is characterized by being extremely cold and dry, originating over high-latitude ice sheets during winter months?
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✅ C. Continental arctic
Continental arctic air masses form over the ice-covered surfaces of the Arctic and Antarctic regions, possessing exceptionally low temperatures and very low moisture content due to intense surface cooling and stable atmospheric conditions. Maritime tropical air masses are warm and humid, whereas continental polar air masses are cold but typically less extreme than arctic masses. Moisture properties of air masses are determined by the underlying geographical surface characteristics of their source regions.
Question page →Question 4Medium
Which type of mass wasting involves a slow, gradual, and continuous downslope movement of soil and regolith under the influence of gravity?
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✅ C. Soil creep
Soil creep is characterized by an extremely slow, continuous downslope movement of soil and regolith driven primarily by gravity, visibly indicated by tilted utility poles and curved tree trunks. Sudden mass wasting events like rockfalls or debris flows operate through rapid gravity-driven detachment rather than gradual displacement. Geomorphology questions frequently contrast slow mass movements with rapid catastrophic landslides.
Question page →Question 5Medium
In the context of fluvial geomorphology, which of the following describes a stream whose course has been inherited from an older geological surface, cutting across newly uplifted structures regardless of rock hardness?
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✅ B. Superimposed stream
A superimposed stream flows across a landscape and maintains its course over newly exposed underlying geological structures that bear no relationship to the original surface topography. An antecedent stream maintains its path because it existed before the tectonic uplift occurred across its path. Recognizing drainage patterns helps geologists reconstruct the chronological tectonic history of mountain belts.
Question page →Question 6Hard
In the context of the geomorphological evolution of the Eastern Himalayas, the deeply incised transverse gorges cut by rivers such as the Siang and Subansiri through rapidly uplifting mountain blocks are classic examples of which river type?
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✅ A. Antecedent drainage
Rivers like the Siang and Subansiri exhibit antecedent drainage, meaning they established their courses before the rapid tectonic uplift of the Himalayas and maintained their paths by down-cutting at a rate equal to the mountain uplift. Superimposed streams flow on an overlying rock structure that has been eroded to expose an older underlying discordance, which is not the primary mechanism of these major Himalayan gorges. Antecedent river systems provide crucial geological evidence regarding the chronological uplift of the Himalayan mountain belt.
Question page →Question 7Easy
Which type of seismic wave is a body wave that compresses and dilates the rock in the direction the wave is traveling, being the fastest-moving seismic wave?
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✅ C. P-wave
Primary waves or P-waves are compressional body waves that travel faster than any other seismic waves, pushing and pulling the ground in the direction of wave propagation. Secondary waves are transverse and slower, while surface waves like Rayleigh and Love waves travel only along the Earth's crust.
Question page →Question 8Hard
Assess the geomorphic processes and depositional landforms associated with glacial action: Statement I: Drumlins are streamlined, teardrop-shaped hills composed of glacial till that indicate the direction of former ice sheet movement. Statement II: Eskers are winding ridges of stratified sand and gravel deposited by meltwater streams flowing within or beneath stagnant glacial ice. Which of the following is correct?
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✅ C. Both Statement I and Statement II are correct
Both statements accurately characterize prominent glacial depositional features formed during continental ice sheet retreat. Drumlins consist of unsorted till molded into asymmetric hills with their steeper upstream sides facing the direction from which the ice advanced. Eskers represent sorted fluvial deposits left behind when subglacial tunnel streams drop their sedimentary load as glacial activity ceases. Glacial landforms provide key evidence for reconstructing past ice ages and paleoclimatic shifts.
Question page →Question 9Medium
Which term describes a gentle, dome-shaped hill composed of glacial till left behind underneath a retreating or advancing ice sheet, oriented parallel to the direction of ice flow?
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✅ B. Drumlin
A drumlin is a streamlined, elongated, dome-shaped hill formed by glacial action consisting of till, aligned parallel to the direction of ice movement. In contrast, kames are irregular mounds of stratified drift, eskers are winding ridges of sand and gravel deposited by meltwater streams, and moraines are ridges of unsorted debris dropped directly by melting glaciers. Glacial depositional landforms serve as key indicators of past ice sheet extents during the Pleistocene epoch.
Question page →Question 10Medium
Examine the microclimatic lapse rate and humidity characteristics in mountainous tropical terrain: Statement I: Relative humidity generally exhibits high values throughout the year in the forested valleys of the Western Ghats due to abundant evapotranspiration and dense vegetation cover. Statement II: Absolute humidity increases infinitely with altitude regardless of ambient temperature changes. Which of the following is correct?
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✅ C. Statement I is correct and Statement II is incorrect
Statement I is correct because dense tropical evergreen canopies continuously release moisture via transpiration, maintaining elevated atmospheric moisture levels. Statement II is incorrect because absolute humidity, which measures the actual mass of water vapor in a given volume of air, typically decreases with altitude as colder air holds significantly lower vapor capacities. Understanding moisture distribution assists in analyzing tropical montane ecosystems and microclimates.
Question page →Question 11Easy
Which of the following layers of the Earth's atmosphere is characterized by a continuous decrease in temperature with height and contains the ozone layer within its upper boundary?
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✅ B. Stratosphere
The stratosphere is the second major layer of Earth's atmosphere, extending from the tropopause up to about 50 kilometers. Unlike the underlying layer where temperature drops with altitude, the stratosphere experiences an increase in temperature with height due to the absorption of ultraviolet radiation by the ozone layer located in its upper region. The troposphere features decreasing temperatures throughout its depth, while the mesosphere lies above the stratopause. Tropospheric weather phenomena are generally absent in the stable stratospheric layer.
Question page →Question 12Medium
Which of the following processes is primarily responsible for the mechanical breakdown of exposed rocks in arid desert environments due to extreme diurnal temperature fluctuations?
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✅ B. Exfoliation and thermal expansion
Thermal expansion and contraction resulting from extreme daily temperature variations cause different minerals within rocks to expand and contract at unequal rates, leading to granular disintegration and exfoliation. Carbonation, hydration, and oxidation are chemical weathering processes requiring moisture and chemical reactants rather than arid thermal stress. Mechanical weathering breaks rock down without altering its chemical composition. Desert varnish frequently coats exposed rock surfaces in these arid settings.
Question page →Question 13Easy
Which major river valley in Sikkim is carved out primarily as a steep, U-shaped glacial trough before transitioning into a V-shaped fluvial valley in its lower reaches?
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✅ A. Teesta River Valley
The Teesta River valley in Sikkim showcases classic glaciated U-shaped upper sections formed during past glacial periods, which gradually transform into deep V-shaped valleys due to rapid vertical river incision as the stream descends through steep Himalayan terrain. Other river choices are completely unrelated to the Himalayan topography of Sikkim and lie in peninsular or northern plains regions. The Teesta originates from the Pahunri glacier and serves as the lifeline of Sikkim, supporting diverse endemic flora and fauna along its steep gradient.
Question page →Question 14Medium
Which of the following climatic factors is primarily responsible for the sudden onset of the Southwest Monsoon (Edavappathy) over the coast of Kerala around early June?
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✅ A. Intense continental low-pressure trough over north-west India drawing the Arabian Sea branch
The sudden onset of the Southwest Monsoon over Kerala is driven by the intense continental low-pressure trough that develops across northwest India during summer, creating a powerful pressure gradient that draws the moisture-laden Arabian Sea branch northward. The reversal of trade winds is a broader seasonal phenomenon, and the Tibetan Plateau acts as a high-level heat source rather than a cooling mechanism during the peak summer months. This localized thermal contrast is critical for setting off the monsoon rains along the western coast.
Question page →Question 15Hard
Analyze the dynamics of global atmospheric circulation cells: Statement I: The Hadley cell is a thermally driven direct circulation cell where warm air rises near the equator, flows poleward aloft, descends in the subtropical high-pressure belt, and returns via surface trade winds. Statement II: The Ferrel cell is driven thermally by intense surface cooling at the poles, causing dense air to sink and flow equatorward. Which of the following is correct?
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✅ B. Statement I is correct but Statement II is incorrect
Statement one is correct as the Hadley cell operates through direct thermal convection powered by intense equatorial heating and subtropical subsidence. Statement two is incorrect because the Ferrel cell is not thermally driven; rather, it is an indirect circulation cell maintained mechanically by the momentum transfer from the adjacent Hadley and Polar cells. Polar cells are thermally driven by intense radiational cooling over high-latitude ice sheets.
Question page →Question 16Easy
Which of the following atmospheric layers is characterized by a continuous decrease in temperature with height and contains approximately 85 percent of the total mass of the atmospheric gases?
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✅ B. Troposphere
The troposphere is the lowest layer of Earth's atmosphere, extending from the surface up to about eight kilometers at the poles and eighteen kilometers at the equator, where temperature decreases uniformly with increasing altitude at the normal lapse rate. Other layers like the stratosphere exhibit temperature increases due to ozone absorption, while the mesosphere and thermosphere lie much higher with vastly different thermal profiles. Understanding atmospheric stratification is essential for analyzing weather phenomena and climatic patterns across different global regions.
Question page →Question 17Medium
What is the primary atmospheric circulation cell located between 30 degrees and 60 degrees latitude in both hemispheres?
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✅ B. Ferrel Cell
The Ferrel cell functions as the middle atmospheric circulation cell situated between 30 degrees and 60 degrees latitude in both hemispheres, characterized by surface westerlies. It contrasts with the Hadley cell near the equator and the Polar cell near the high latitudes which have entirely different thermal dynamics. Global wind systems and atmospheric circulation cells are standard topics in physical geography.
Question page →Question 18Hard
In the micro-geomorphology of Haryana, the local depression areas that accumulate rainwater and form temporary shallow lakes or marshes during the monsoon are known as:
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✅ B. Dabs
Dabs or low-lying depressions collect surface runoff during intense monsoon events, creating temporary wetlands and marshy tracts in various districts of Haryana. Choes are hill torrents, and Bhangar refers to upland older alluvium. These natural depressions play a crucial role in local groundwater recharge and support diverse migratory bird populations.
Question page →Question 19Medium
Which of the following glacial lakes in Himachal Pradesh is situated at the base of the Deo Tibba and Shigri glacier systems and serves as a major tourist and trekking destination?
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✅ A. Chandratal Lake
Chandratal Lake is a high-altitude wetland situated near the source of the Chandra River in the Lahaul and Spiti district, celebrated for its crescent shape and proximity to major Himalayan glaciers. Surajtal is the source of the Bhaga River near Bara-lacha la pass. High-altitude glacial tarns are critical indicators of regional climate fluctuations in the upper Himalayas.
Question page →Question 20Medium
What is the primary atmospheric phenomenon responsible for the generation of the Coriolis force, which deflects winds to the right in the Northern Hemisphere and to the left in the Southern Hemisphere?
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✅ B. Rotation of the Earth on its axis
The Coriolis force is an apparent deflection of moving objects, including wind systems, caused exclusively by the rotational motion of the Earth on its axis, directing winds toward the right in the Northern Hemisphere and the left in the Southern Hemisphere. This force varies with latitude and wind velocity, influencing global atmospheric circulation cells. Other cyclical motions like annual revolution do not generate this inertial deflection.
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