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GeographyEasyAsked in: NDA · NDA-I 2026, GAT

Quartzite is metamorphosed from which one of the following rocks?

  1. A.Pegmatite
  2. B.Limestone
  3. C.Sandstone
  4. D.Shale

Correct answer

C. Sandstone

Explanation

The correct answer is C, Sandstone. When sandstone, made mostly of quartz grains, is put under great heat and pressure, the grains fuse together and the rock turns into quartzite.

Metamorphism changes an existing rock without melting it. In quartzite the quartz grains recrystallise and lock into one another, so the rock becomes very hard and breaks across the grains rather than around them. This makes quartzite one of the toughest rocks and a useful building and road material. The Delhi and Aravalli ranges contain large quartzite beds.

A is wrong because pegmatite is a coarse-grained igneous rock, not the parent of quartzite. B is wrong because limestone changes into marble under metamorphism. D is wrong because shale changes into slate, and with more heat and pressure into schist.

Exam tip: sandstone to quartzite, limestone to marble, shale to slate, granite to gneiss, coal to graphite.

Practice Questions

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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.