Geography MCQs with answers Page - 4

There are droplets of sulphuric acid and acidic crystals in
the atmosphere of Venus. The smooth surfaces of these
droplets of sulfuric acid and crystals reflect light very
well, which is one reason why Venus is so bright.

Astronomy is the scientific study of celestial bodies such as stars, planets, comets, galaxies, and the universe as a whole.

It involves observing and understanding the motion, composition, and properties of these celestial objects.


Other Options Explained:

(A) Astrology → A belief system that claims celestial bodies influence human life (not a science).

(B) Astronautics → The science of space travel and spacecraft design.

(D) Astrophysics → A branch of astronomy that studies the physical and chemical properties of celestial bodies and cosmic phenomena.


Thus, the correct answer is (C) Astronomy.

Although Mercury is the closest planet to the Sun, it does not have an atmosphere to trap heat. As a result, its temperature varies greatly between day and night.

Venus, on the other hand, has a thick atmosphere made of carbon dioxide, which causes an intense greenhouse effect, trapping heat and making it the hottest planet in the solar system.

The surface temperature of Venus can reach around 467°C (872°F), which is hotter than Mercury.


Other Options Explained:

(A) Mercury → Closest to the Sun but lacks an atmosphere to retain heat (~430°C in the daytime, but drops to -180°C at night).

(C) Mars → Much colder due to a thin atmosphere (~-63°C on average).

(D) Jupiter → A gas giant with no solid surface and much lower temperatures.


Thus, the correct answer is (B) Venus.

Venus is called the "Morning Star" and also the "Evening Star" because it is the brightest planet visible in the sky just before sunrise and just after sunset.

It shines brightly due to its thick atmosphere, which reflects a lot of sunlight.


Other Options Explained:

(A) Mercury → Sometimes visible near sunrise or sunset but not as bright as Venus.

(C) Mars → Known as the "Red Planet," not a morning star.

(D) Jupiter → A bright planet but not called the morning star.


Thus, the correct answer is (B) Venus.

A cosmic year (also called a galactic year) is the time it takes for the Sun to complete one full orbit around the center of the Milky Way galaxy.

This period is estimated to be about 225–250 million Earth years.


Other Options Explained:

(A) Parsec → A unit of distance in astronomy, equal to 3.26 light-years.

(B) Astronomical year → The time Earth takes to complete one orbit around the Sun (365.25 days).

(D) Light year → The distance light travels in one year (9.46 trillion km), not a measure of time.


Thus, the correct answer is (C) Cosmic year.

The blue color of the sky is due to Rayleigh scattering, where sunlight interacts with air molecules and scatters shorter (blue) wavelengths more than longer (red) wavelengths.

If there were no Sun, there would be no sunlight to scatter.

In the absence of light, the sky would appear black, just like space.


Other Options Explained:

(A) Orange & (B) Red → These colors appear during sunrise and sunset due to scattering but require sunlight.

(C) White → White light appears when all wavelengths are scattered equally, which happens only in certain conditions (e.g., fog or clouds).


Thus, the correct answer is (D) Black.

The rings of Saturn were discovered by Galileo Galilei in 1610 when he first observed Saturn using his telescope.

However, due to the limitations of his telescope, Galileo initially thought the rings were two large moons or handles on either side of Saturn.

Later, in 1655, Christiaan Huygens correctly identified them as rings using a more powerful telescope.


Other Options Explained:

(A) Copernicus → Developed the heliocentric model but did not observe Saturn's rings.

(B) Newton → Formulated the laws of motion and gravity but did not discover Saturn's rings.

(D) None of the above → Incorrect, as Galileo was the first to observe them.


Thus, the correct answer is (C) Galileo.

The Milky Way is a barred spiral galaxy, meaning it has a central bar-shaped structure with spiral arms extending outward.

It consists of a disk, a central bulge, and a halo of stars and dark matter.


Other Options Explained:

(A) Circular → Incorrect, as galaxies are not perfectly circular.

(B) Elliptical → Some galaxies are elliptical, but the Milky Way is spiral-shaped.

(D) None of the above → Incorrect, since the Milky Way is confirmed to be a spiral galaxy.


Thus, the correct answer is (C) Spiral.

On 21st June, the Summer Solstice occurs in the Northern Hemisphere.

During this time, the North Pole is tilted toward the Sun, causing it to receive continuous daylight for 24 hours.

This phenomenon is called Midnight Sun, where the Sun does not set at all.


Other Options Explained:

(A) 0 h → Incorrect, as the North Pole experiences continuous daylight on this day.

(B) 12 h → Incorrect, as daylight lasts much longer than 12 hours.

(C) 18 h → Incorrect, because the daylight lasts full 24 hours at the North Pole.


Thus, the correct answer is (D) 24 h.

The Indian Standard Meridian (82.5° E longitude) is the reference longitude for Indian Standard Time (IST).

It passes through the states of Uttar Pradesh (UP), Madhya Pradesh (MP), Chhattisgarh, Odisha (Orissa), and Andhra Pradesh (AP).


Other Options Explained:

(A) AP and Karnataka → Incorrect, as Karnataka is not on the Indian Standard Meridian.

(B) AP and Tamil Nadu → Incorrect, as Tamil Nadu is not on the meridian.

(C) Karnataka and Tamil Nadu → Incorrect, as neither state is on the Indian Standard Meridian.


Thus, the correct answer is (D) Orissa and AP.