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GeographyEasyAsked in: CDS · CDS-II 2020, GK

The four planets closest to the Sun are called

  1. A.terrestrial planets
  2. B.giant planets
  3. C.dwarf planets
  4. D.gas planets

Correct answer

A. terrestrial planets

Explanation

The correct answer is A, terrestrial planets. Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars are called terrestrial planets because, like the earth, they are made of rock and metal.

The word comes from the Latin terra, meaning earth. These inner planets are small and dense, have solid surfaces and have few or no moons: Mercury and Venus have none, Earth has one and Mars has two. They formed close to the Sun, where it was too hot for gases and ices to gather in large amounts, so they kept mainly heavy materials. The four outer planets beyond the asteroid belt are much larger and are mostly gas and ice.

B is wrong because the giant planets are the outer four, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. C is wrong because dwarf planets are small bodies such as Pluto, Ceres and Eris that have not cleared their orbits. D is wrong because gas planets, or gas giants, are Jupiter and Saturn, which lie far from the Sun.

Exam tip: inner four are terrestrial, outer four are Jovian; the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter divides them.

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.