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GeographyMediumAsked in: SSC CGL · 12 April 2022, Shift 2

Which of the following dwarf planets lies in the main asteroid belt?

  1. A.Eris
  2. B.Makemake
  3. C.Ceres
  4. D.Haumea

Correct answer

C. Ceres

Explanation

The correct answer is C, Ceres. Ceres is the only dwarf planet that orbits inside the main asteroid belt, the ring of rocky bodies between Mars and Jupiter. Giuseppe Piazzi spotted it in 1801 and it was first called a planet, then an asteroid, and since the International Astronomical Union's definition of 2006, a dwarf planet — the smallest of them. With a diameter of about 940 km it holds roughly a quarter of the mass of the whole belt, and NASA's Dawn spacecraft orbited it in 2015 and found bright salt deposits. Option A is wrong because Eris is a scattered-disc body far beyond Neptune, and its discovery forced the 2006 redefinition. Option B is wrong because Makemake orbits in the Kuiper belt. Option D is wrong because Haumea, with its stretched shape and a thin ring, is also a Kuiper belt object. Exam tip: of the five recognised dwarf planets — Ceres, Pluto, Eris, Makemake and Haumea — only Ceres lies inside the asteroid belt.

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.