Which one of the following is the longest parallel of latitude ?
- A.Tropic of Cancer
- B.Tropic of Capricorn
- C.Arctic Circle
- D.Equator
Correct answer
Explanation
The correct answer is D, Equator. Parallels shrink as they move towards the poles, so the 0° parallel, the Equator, is the longest of all.
Parallels of latitude are circles drawn parallel to the Equator. Only the Equator is a great circle: its plane passes through the centre of the Earth and divides it into the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. Its length is about 40,075 km. Every other parallel is a smaller circle, and the length falls steadily until each pole is just a point at 90° N or 90° S.
A is wrong because the Tropic of Cancer at 23.5° N is shorter than the Equator.
B is wrong because the Tropic of Capricorn at 23.5° S is the same length as the Tropic of Cancer, and also shorter.
C is wrong because the Arctic Circle at 66.5° N is shorter still, being closer to the pole.
Exam tip: the Equator is the only parallel that is a great circle; all meridians are of equal length.
Practice Questions
View allThe speakers of major Indian languages belong to how many language families ?
- A.Two
- B.Three
- C.Four
- D.Six
Show answer
The major languages of India belong to four language families: Indo-European (Indo-Aryan), Dravidian, Austric (Austro-Asiatic) and Sino-Tibetan. The Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European family is the largest, spoken by about three-quarters of Indians and including Hindi, Bengali, Marathi, Gujarati, Punjabi and Odia.
Read the full explanation →Which one of the following features is the result of erosion and deposition work of a river?
- A.Pothole
- B.Oxbow lake
- C.Levee
- D.Rapid
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An oxbow lake forms when a river erodes the outer banks of a meander and deposits silt that seals off the loop, so it needs both erosion and deposition.
Read the full explanation →According to Census of India, 2011, which one among the following is the least populated state in India ?
- A.Maharashtra
- B.Madhya Pradesh
- C.Odisha
- D.Punjab
Show answer
Of the four states listed, Punjab had the smallest population in the 2011 Census, about 2.77 crore people. The 2011 Census, the fifteenth census of India, counted about 121 crore people in all.
Read the full explanation →Doldrum are
1. equatorial calms
2. calm and light winds
3. roaring forties
4. variable both in position and in extent
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
- A.1, 2 and 4
- B.2 and 3 only
- C.1 and 3
- D.2, 3 and 4
Show answer
The doldrums are the equatorial belt of calm and light, variable winds, and the belt shifts with the seasons; they have nothing to do with the roaring forties.
Read the full explanation →Which one of the following Indian cities is not located on a river bank ?
- A.Agra
- B.Bhagalpur
- C.Bhopal
- D.Kanpur
Show answer
Bhopal, the capital of Madhya Pradesh, is not built on a river bank; it is known instead as the City of Lakes.
Read the full explanation →