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GeographyMediumAsked in: SSC CHSL · 12 Oct 2020, Shift 1

What is the range of the intensity scale used in measuring earthquakes?

  1. A.1 to 12
  2. B.1 to 7
  3. C.1 to 15
  4. D.1 to 5

Correct answer

A. 1 to 12

Explanation

The correct answer is A, 1 to 12. The intensity of an earthquake is measured on the Modified Mercalli scale, whose grades run from I to XII. Intensity is not the same thing as magnitude: it records how strongly the shaking was felt at a particular place and how much damage it did, so it is judged from what people report and from the state of buildings, and it falls as you move away from the epicentre. Grade I is picked up only by instruments, grade VI cracks plaster and moves furniture, and grade XII means total destruction with the ground thrown into visible waves. Magnitude, by contrast, measures the energy released at the focus and is given as one number on the Richter scale. B is wrong because 1 to 7 is nearer the everyday span of Richter magnitudes. C is wrong because the Mercalli scale has no grade above XII. D is wrong because five grades cannot cover everything from barely felt to total ruin. Exam tip: Mercalli I to XII is damage felt; Richter is energy released.

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.