Skip to content
GK24
Prime
GeographyEasyAsked in: CDS · CDS-I 2019, GK

Atmospheric conditions are well-governed by humidity. Which one among the following may best define humidity?

  1. A.Form of suspended water droplets caused by condensation
  2. B.Deposition of atmospheric moisture
  3. C.Almost microscopically small drops of water condensed from and suspended in air
  4. D.The moisture content of the atmosphere at a particular time and place

Correct answer

D. The moisture content of the atmosphere at a particular time and place

Explanation

The correct answer is D, the moisture content of the atmosphere at a particular time and place. Humidity is the amount of water vapour present in the air.

Air holds water as invisible vapour, and the amount it can hold rises with temperature. Absolute humidity is the actual mass of water vapour in a given volume of air, while relative humidity is that amount shown as a percentage of what the air could hold at the same temperature. When relative humidity reaches 100 percent the air is saturated; cooling it further, below the dew point, makes the vapour condense into dew, fog or cloud. Humidity is measured with a hygrometer.

Option A is wrong because suspended droplets formed by condensation describe fog or cloud, not humidity. Option B is wrong because the deposition of atmospheric moisture describes dew, frost or other precipitation. Option C is wrong because tiny drops condensed from the air and suspended in it are cloud or mist droplets, which are liquid water, not vapour.

Exam tip: humidity = water vapour; relative humidity in percent; hygrometer measures it.

Practice Questions

View all
Q2.GeographyAsked in: CDS · CDS-II 2017, GKMedium

Which of the following statements is/are correct? 1. Himalayan rivers have their origin in the snow-covered areas, hence are dry in winter season. 2. Rivers of the Peninsular Plateau have reached maturity. 3. Himalayan rivers depict all the three stages of normal cycle of erosion. Select the correct answer using the code given below.

  1. A.2 only
  2. B.1 and 3 only
  3. C.2 and 3 only
  4. D.1, 2 and 3
Show answer
Correct answer: C. 2 and 3 only

Himalayan rivers are perennial, so statement 1 is wrong, while statements 2 and 3 are correct. Himalayan rivers such as the Ganga, Indus and Brahmaputra rise from glaciers and snowfields and also get monsoon rain, so they flow all year round, including in winter.

Q3.GeographyAsked in: CDS · CDS-II 2017, GKMedium

Which of the following statements related to latitude are true? 1. Rainfall, temperature and vegetation vary with latitude. 2. The difference between the longest day and the shortest day increases with latitude. 3. Indira Point is located approximately at 6°45' N latitude. Select the correct answer using the code given below.

  1. A.1 and 2 only
  2. B.1 and 3 only
  3. C.2 and 3 only
  4. D.1, 2 and 3
Show answer
Correct answer: D. 1, 2 and 3

All three statements about latitude are true. Latitude decides how directly the Sun's rays strike a place, so temperature, rainfall and the type of vegetation change from the equator towards the poles, from hot, wet rainforests to cold tundra.

Q4.GeographyAsked in: CDS · CDS-II 2017, GKMedium

Which of the following lakes is/are situated in Ladakh? 1. Tso Kar 2. Pangong Tso 3. Tsomgo 4. Tso Moriri Select the correct answer using the code given below.

  1. A.1 only
  2. B.2 and 3
  3. C.1, 2 and 4
  4. D.2 and 4 only
Show answer
Correct answer: C. 1, 2 and 4

Tso Kar, Pangong Tso and Tso Moriri are high-altitude lakes of Ladakh, while Tsomgo lies in Sikkim. Pangong Tso, at about 4,350 metres, is a long, narrow lake that stretches from Ladakh into Tibet, and most of its length lies on the Chinese side.