In which one of the following soils, the salt content is so high that common salt is obtained by evaporating the saline water in some areas?
- A.Peaty soil
- B.Alluvial soil
- C.Laterite soil
- D.Arid soil
Correct answer
Explanation
The correct answer is D, Arid soil. In parts of the dry west, arid soils hold so much salt that common salt is made by evaporating the saline water.
Arid soils are found mainly in western Rajasthan and nearby dry areas. They are red to brown, sandy in texture and saline, and they are poor in humus and moisture because rainfall is low and evaporation is high. Heat draws water upward, leaving salts near the surface; in the lower horizons a hard kankar layer of calcium carbonate stops water from soaking in. With irrigation, as in the Indira Gandhi Canal area of Rajasthan, these soils can be made productive.
A is wrong because peaty soils form in wet, waterlogged areas rich in decaying organic matter, such as parts of Kerala, the Sundarbans and Odisha. B is wrong because alluvial soils of the river plains are fertile and are not known for salt making. C is wrong because laterite soils come from heavy leaching under high rainfall, which removes salts.
Exam tip: arid soil = sandy, saline, low humus, kankar layer below; peaty soil = high organic matter, waterlogged areas.
Practice Questions
View allAs per Census 2011, which one of the following is the correct descending order of States in India in respect of sex ratio (female per thousand of males)?
- A.West Bengal - Madhya Pradesh - Uttarakhand - Jammu and Kashmir
- B.Madhya Pradesh - West Bengal - Jammu and Kashmir - Uttarakhand
- C.Uttarakhand - West Bengal - Madhya Pradesh - Jammu and Kashmir
- D.West Bengal - Uttarakhand - Madhya Pradesh - Jammu and Kashmir
Show answer
In Census 2011 their sex ratios were about 963, 950, 931 and 889 females per 1,000 males. Census 2011 put India's overall sex ratio at 943.
Read the full explanation →Consider the following statements about a geographical feature :
1. The feature is in close proximity to the Malacca Strait.
2. The Government of India proposed an international container transhipment port in this region.
3. The region is one of the most critical nesting grounds for the endangered leatherback sea turtle.
4. The region is home to dense forest, rich coral reefs and sea grass meadows.
Which one among the following geographical features is described above?
- A.Galathea Bay
- B.Gulf of Mannar
- C.Gulf of Kutch
- D.Palk Strait
Show answer
Galathea Bay, on the south-east coast of Great Nicobar Island, fits all four clues. Great Nicobar is the southernmost island of India, and its tip, Indira Point, lies only about 150 km from the northern entrance of the Malacca Strait, one of the world's busiest shipping lanes.
Read the full explanation →Which one of the following pairs of Island and Sea/Ocean is NOT correctly matched?
- A.Cyprus : Mediterranean Sea
- B.Falkland : Atlantic Ocean
- C.Chagos : North Pacific Ocean
- D.Islas Cocos : Indian Ocean
Show answer
The Chagos Archipelago lies in the central Indian Ocean, not in the North Pacific. The Chagos Islands lie south of the Maldives, roughly 500 km away, and include Diego Garcia, the site of a major military base.
Read the full explanation →Which of the following statements about tropical rain forests are correct?
1. The soils of tropical rain forests are quite infertile.
2. The vegetation is evergreen, enabling photosynthesis to take place year around.
3. They have been described as 'deserts covered by trees'.
4. They are most productive land-based ecosystem.
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
- A.2 and 4 only
- B.1, 3 and 4 only
- C.1, 2 and 3 only
- D.1, 2, 3 and 4
Show answer
All four statements are true of tropical rain forests. These forests grow near the Equator, in the Amazon, the Congo basin and South-East Asia, with heavy rain and high heat all year.
Read the full explanation →Which of the following are components of Geographic Information System (GIS)?
1. Data
2. Hardware
3. Software
4. People
Select the answer using the code given below.
- A.1 and 4 only
- B.2 and 3 only
- C.1, 2 and 3 only
- D.1, 2, 3 and 4
Show answer
A GIS needs data, hardware, software and people working together; methods are usually named as the fifth component. A Geographic Information System captures, stores, analyses and displays information tied to locations on the Earth.
Read the full explanation →