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CHSE Odisha Elective Geography study materials
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CHSE Odisha Elective Geography practice questions

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Question 1Physical Geography: Geomorphology, Climatology and Oceanography

Which layer of the Earth's interior is believed to be the source of the convection currents that drive plate movement?

  1. The rigid continental crust of granite
  2. The solid inner core of iron and nickel
  3. The outer core of liquid iron and nickel
  4. The asthenosphere within the upper mantle Correct answer.

Explanation

Heat escaping from the core sets up slow convection in the plastic, partially molten rock of the asthenosphere, and this motion drags the overlying lithospheric plates. The asthenosphere is the layer directly involved in the mechanism of plate tectonics.

Question 2Physical Geography: Geomorphology, Climatology and Oceanography

A river flowing over horizontally bedded sandstone and shale develops a stepped long profile with alternating steep and gentle sections. This type of long profile is best described as:

  1. A graded profile
  2. A knick-point profile Correct answer.
  3. A convex profile
  4. A concave profile

Explanation

Alternating resistant and weak horizontal beds produce a stepped or knick-point profile, because the river erodes the soft beds faster and forms small falls or rapids over the hard beds. A truly graded profile is smooth and concave, adjusted to sea level.

Question 3Physical Geography: Geomorphology, Climatology and Oceanography

Which process of wind erosion involves the abrasion of rock surfaces by sand grains carried close to the ground?

  1. Attrition
  2. Deflation
  3. Hydration
  4. Corrasion Correct answer.

Explanation

Corrasion (abrasion) is the mechanical wearing away of rock by wind-borne sand and silt, concentrated near ground level, which produces features such as undercut pedestal rocks and faceted ventifacts. Deflation is the removal and lifting of loose material rather than the grinding of bedrock.

Question 4Physical Geography: Geomorphology, Climatology and Oceanography

In a limestone region, a surface depression formed by the solutional enlargement of a joint intersection and open to the sky is called a:

  1. Stalactite
  2. Uvala
  3. Doline Correct answer.
  4. Polje

Explanation

A doline (sinkhole) is a closed surface hollow produced by solution along joints and bedding planes in karst limestone. Larger coalesced depressions are uvalas, and very large flat-floored basins are poljes.

Question 5Physical Geography: Geomorphology, Climatology and Oceanography

Which of the following best explains why a cirque glacier eventually leaves a steep backwall and an over-deepened basin floor?

  1. The glacier rotates and plucks rock from its headwall while abrading its floor Correct answer.
  2. Meltwater streams cut a deep V-shaped valley below the ice
  3. Wind scours the hollow during glacial periods
  4. Chemical solution removes limestone beneath the ice

Explanation

Rotational flow in a cirque causes freeze-thaw plucking and quarrying at the headwall, steepening it, while debris-laden ice abrades and deepens the floor into a rock basin. This combination of plucking at the back and abrasion below shapes the classic armchair form.

Question 6Physical Geography: Geomorphology, Climatology and Oceanography

The point on the Earth's surface directly above the focus of an earthquake is known as the:

  1. Shadow zone
  2. Epicentre Correct answer.
  3. Isoseismal line
  4. Seismic gap

Explanation

The epicentre is the surface projection of the focus (hypocentre), the actual rupture point within the crust. Seismic waves radiate from the focus and reach the epicentre first, which usually records the strongest shaking.

Question 7Physical Geography: Geomorphology, Climatology and Oceanography

A volcano built of alternating layers of lava and pyroclastic material, with steep slopes and explosive eruptions, is classified as a:

  1. Shield volcano
  2. Cinder cone
  3. Composite (strato) volcano Correct answer.
  4. Lava dome

Explanation

Composite or strato-volcanoes form where viscous lava and explosive ash alternate, building steep, layered cones such as Fuji and Vesuvius. The alternation of lava and pyroclastic beds is the diagnostic feature.

Question 8Physical Geography: Geomorphology, Climatology and Oceanography

Which type of plate boundary is associated with the formation of new oceanic lithosphere along mid-oceanic ridges?

  1. Convergent boundary
  2. Transform boundary
  3. Divergent boundary Correct answer.
  4. Oblique-slip boundary

Explanation

At divergent (constructive) boundaries, plates move apart and magma rises to fill the gap, cooling to form new oceanic crust along mid-oceanic ridges. Sea-floor spreading is therefore characteristic of divergent margins.

Question 9Physical Geography: Geomorphology, Climatology and Oceanography

A coastal cliff of hard rock retreats mainly through which combination of processes?

  1. Wind abrasion above the high-water mark
  2. Wave quarrying and hydraulic action at the cliff base Correct answer.
  3. Chemical solution of quartz grains
  4. Longshore drift and tidal deposition

Explanation

Cliff retreat is driven by marine erosion concentrated at the base, chiefly hydraulic action (compression of air in cracks) and wave quarrying, which undercut the cliff until it collapses. Subaerial weathering then removes the debris.

Question 10Physical Geography: Geomorphology, Climatology and Oceanography

In the context of isostasy, which statement best explains why a thick continental root extends downward into the mantle?

  1. The crust floats in equilibrium on a denser substratum, with deeper roots beneath higher land Correct answer.
  2. Mantle convection pushes the crust upward from below
  3. Continental crust is denser than the underlying mantle
  4. Erosion removes material and the crust sinks permanently

Explanation

Isostasy is a state of buoyant equilibrium in which lighter crustal blocks float on the denser mantle, so thicker or higher-standing crust has a deeper compensating root. The principle was formalised in the Pratt and Airy models.

Question 11Physical Geography: Geomorphology, Climatology and Oceanography

The instrument used to measure atmospheric pressure continuously and record it on a rotating drum is called a:

  1. Barograph Correct answer.
  2. Thermograph
  3. Anemometer
  4. Hygrometer

Explanation

A barograph is a recording barometer, typically using an aneroid capsule linked to a pen that traces pressure changes on a rotating chart. The continuous trace allows identification of pressure tendencies.

Question 12Physical Geography: Geomorphology, Climatology and Oceanography

Air temperature normally decreases with height in the troposphere, but a layer in which temperature increases with height is described as:

  1. Adiabatic
  2. Inversion Correct answer.
  3. Isothermal
  4. Lapse

Explanation

A temperature inversion is a layer where temperature rises with height instead of falling, often caused by radiative cooling of the surface on clear calm nights or by subsidence aloft. Inversions suppress vertical mixing and trap pollutants.

Question 13Physical Geography: Geomorphology, Climatology and Oceanography

The Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) shifts seasonally. Which statement best explains why it lies north of the equator in July?

  1. The Southern Hemisphere heats faster because of its larger ocean area
  2. The ITCZ follows the path of the jet stream regardless of season
  3. The Northern Hemisphere receives more insolation in July, strengthening low pressure and drawing the ITCZ northward Correct answer.
  4. Earth's rotation tilts the ITCZ toward the North Pole in every season

Explanation

In July the Northern Hemisphere is tilted toward the Sun and receives more intense insolation, so the thermal low and convergence zone migrate northward over land, drawing in the south-west monsoon. This seasonal migration explains the monsoon rhythm of South Asia.

Question 14Physical Geography: Geomorphology, Climatology and Oceanography

The deflection of freely moving air to the right in the Northern Hemisphere is attributed to the:

  1. Centripetal force
  2. Pressure gradient force
  3. Coriolis effect Correct answer.
  4. Frictional force

Explanation

The Coriolis effect arises from the Earth's rotation and deflects moving air to the right in the Northern Hemisphere and to the left in the Southern Hemisphere. It is strongest at the poles and zero at the equator.

Question 15Physical Geography: Geomorphology, Climatology and Oceanography

A parcel of unsaturated air at 25°C rises 1,000 m. Assuming a dry adiabatic lapse rate of 10°C per 1,000 m, its temperature at that height will be:

  1. 10°C
  2. 20°C
  3. 15°C Correct answer.
  4. 35°C

Explanation

Unsaturated air cools at the dry adiabatic rate of about 10°C per 1,000 m of ascent, so rising 1,000 m from 25°C gives 15°C. The parcel cools because it expands into lower pressure.

Question 16Physical Geography: Geomorphology, Climatology and Oceanography

Orographic rainfall occurs when moist air is forced to rise over a mountain barrier. Which condition is most essential for this type of rainfall?

  1. Sufficient moisture and forced ascent leading to adiabatic cooling Correct answer.
  2. Very low humidity and high surface pressure
  3. Strong subsidence on the windward slope
  4. A stable air mass with no vertical motion

Explanation

Orographic rain requires moist air to be forced up the windward slope, where adiabatic cooling raises relative humidity to saturation and triggers condensation. The leeward side then receives little rain, forming a rain shadow.

Question 17Physical Geography: Geomorphology, Climatology and Oceanography

In a tropical cyclone, the calm central region of subsiding air surrounded by the most violent winds is called the:

  1. Eye Correct answer.
  2. Spiral band
  3. Eye wall
  4. Outflow cirrus shield

Explanation

The eye is the low-pressure centre of a tropical cyclone, where air subsides and winds are light, while the surrounding eye wall carries the strongest winds and heaviest rain. The pressure minimum occurs within the eye.

Question 18Physical Geography: Geomorphology, Climatology and Oceanography

Which statement correctly distinguishes weather from climate?

  1. Weather is the short-term state of the atmosphere, whereas climate is the long-term statistical average of weather Correct answer.
  2. Weather refers to long-term averages, whereas climate refers to short-term states
  3. Weather and climate both refer only to precipitation
  4. Climate refers to the atmospheric state at a particular moment, whereas weather refers to averages over decades

Explanation

Weather describes the atmospheric conditions at a given place and time, while climate is the aggregate of weather statistics over a long period, conventionally 30 years. Climate is thus an average pattern, not a single event.

Question 19Physical Geography: Geomorphology, Climatology and Oceanography

The salinity of ocean surface water is generally highest in the subtropical high-pressure belts because:

  1. Sea ice formation removes freshwater and lowers salinity
  2. Evaporation exceeds precipitation, leaving salts behind Correct answer.
  3. Precipitation exceeds evaporation in these belts
  4. River discharge is greatest in these zones

Explanation

In the subtropical belts, high pressure brings clear skies and strong evaporation, removing water vapour while salts remain, so surface salinity rises. Equatorial waters are fresher because heavy rainfall and runoff dilute them.

Question 20Physical Geography: Geomorphology, Climatology and Oceanography

Which factor is chiefly responsible for the vertical layering of the ocean into a mixed layer, a thermocline and deep cold water?

  1. Density differences arising mainly from temperature Correct answer.
  2. Wind-driven surface currents alone
  3. Salinity differences alone
  4. Tidal forces

Explanation

Seawater density depends mainly on temperature and, to a lesser extent, salinity; cold water is denser and sinks below warm water. This stratification creates the mixed surface layer, the thermocline where temperature falls rapidly, and the cold deep zone.

Question 21Physical Geography: Geomorphology, Climatology and Oceanography

Cold ocean currents flowing along the western coasts of continents in the subtropical latitudes are associated with which climatic effect on adjacent land?

  1. Increased rainfall and high humidity
  2. Aridity and the formation of coastal deserts Correct answer.
  3. Tropical rainforest development
  4. Warm, humid summers with frequent thunderstorms

Explanation

Cold currents such as the Peru and Benguela currents chill the air above them, making it stable and reducing convectional rainfall, which contributes to coastal deserts like the Atacama and Namib. Fog is common but rainfall is low.

Question 22Physical Geography: Geomorphology, Climatology and Oceanography

The rising of deep, nutrient-rich water to the surface, often along western coasts where winds blow offshore, is known as:

  1. Longshore drift
  2. Upwelling Correct answer.
  3. Downwelling
  4. Thermohaline circulation

Explanation

Upwelling occurs when prevailing winds push surface water away from a coast, allowing cold, nutrient-rich water from depth to rise and replace it. The resulting nutrients support very productive fisheries.

Question 23Physical Geography: Geomorphology, Climatology and Oceanography

A tidal pattern in which two high tides and two low tides of nearly equal height occur each lunar day is described as:

  1. Mixed
  2. Spring
  3. Semi-diurnal Correct answer.
  4. Diurnal

Explanation

Semi-diurnal tides show two highs and two lows of similar range each tidal day, which is characteristic of many Atlantic coasts. Diurnal tides show one high and one low, and mixed tides show unequal highs and lows.

Question 24Physical Geography: Geomorphology, Climatology and Oceanography

A subduction zone typically produces which association of landforms and hazards?

  1. Deep oceanic trench, volcanic island arc and deep-focus earthquakes Correct answer.
  2. Rift valley with basaltic fissure eruptions
  3. Mid-oceanic ridge with normal faulting and shallow quakes only
  4. Transform fault with no volcanic activity

Explanation

Where an oceanic plate descends beneath another, a deep trench marks the downbend, an island arc or mountain chain develops above the magma source, and earthquakes reach great depth along the Wadati-Benioff zone. This combination distinguishes subduction margins from other plate boundaries.

Question 25Physical Geography: Geomorphology, Climatology and Oceanography

A peneplain is best described as:

  1. A depositional plain built by repeated lava flows
  2. A nearly level surface of low relief produced by prolonged denudation Correct answer.
  3. A deep glacial trough below sea level
  4. A high plateau uplifted by faulting

Explanation

According to the Davisian cycle, prolonged erosion reduces a landmass to a peneplain, a surface of very low relief close to base level, often marked by isolated residual hills called monadnocks. It is an erosional, not tectonic or depositional, surface.

Question 26Physical Geography: Geomorphology, Climatology and Oceanography

In the rock cycle, which process converts loose sediment into a hard, coherent sedimentary rock?

  1. Foliation under directed pressure
  2. Melting of grains under high heat
  3. Compaction and cementation of grains Correct answer.
  4. Rapid cooling of molten material

Explanation

Lithification is the set of processes that turn loose sediment into solid rock. It involves compaction as overlying material squeezes grains together, plus cementation as dissolved minerals precipitate in the pore spaces and bind the grains. Melting and cooling produce igneous rocks, while foliation is a metamorphic process.

Question 27Physical Geography: Geomorphology, Climatology and Oceanography

Which seismic wave type travels through both solids and liquids and is the first to be recorded at a distant seismograph station?

  1. Rayleigh wave
  2. Love wave
  3. S-wave
  4. P-wave Correct answer.

Explanation

P-waves are compressional body waves that push and pull material along their direction of travel, so they pass through solids, liquids and gases. Because they are the fastest seismic waves, they arrive first at a recording station. S-waves cannot pass through liquids, and Love and Rayleigh waves are slower surface waves.

Question 28Physical Geography: Geomorphology, Climatology and Oceanography

Which layer of the atmosphere contains almost all of the water vapour and the weather phenomena that affect the Earth's surface?

  1. Mesosphere
  2. Thermosphere
  3. Troposphere Correct answer.
  4. Stratosphere

Explanation

The troposphere is the lowest atmospheric layer and holds the great majority of atmospheric water vapour and aerosols. Because it is heated from below and is dynamically unstable, clouds, rainfall and most weather systems develop there. The stratosphere is stable and dry, while the mesosphere and thermosphere lie far above the weather zone.

Question 29Physical Geography: Geomorphology, Climatology and Oceanography

What is the name of the gently sloping submerged margin of a continent that lies between the shoreline and the steeper continental slope?

  1. Abyssal plain
  2. Oceanic trench
  3. Continental rise
  4. Continental shelf Correct answer.

Explanation

The continental shelf is the shallow, gently sloping submerged edge of a continent, typically extending to a depth of about 130 to 200 metres at its break. It is underlain by continental crust and is the most productive part of the ocean for fisheries. The abyssal plain, trench and continental rise are all deeper features.

Question 30Physical Geography: Geomorphology, Climatology and Oceanography

Which erosional process is chiefly responsible for the formation of a V-shaped valley in the upper course of a river?

  1. Solution of limestone by groundwater
  2. Lateral erosion by meandering flow
  3. Vertical downcutting by turbulent flow Correct answer.
  4. Abrasion by wind-blown sand

Explanation

In the upper course the river has a steep gradient and high energy, so it cuts downward into its bed. This vertical erosion, aided by abrasion and hydraulic action, deepens the channel faster than the valley sides are worn back, producing a narrow V-shaped cross-profile. Lateral erosion dominates lower courses, while wind abrasion and limestone solution form quite different landforms.

Question 31Physical Geography: Geomorphology, Climatology and Oceanography

Which type of cloud is characteristically thin, wispy and composed mainly of ice crystals at high altitude?

  1. Nimbostratus
  2. Cumulonimbus
  3. Cirrus Correct answer.
  4. Stratus

Explanation

Cirrus clouds form high in the troposphere where temperatures are far below freezing, so they consist largely of ice crystals. Their fibrous, feather-like appearance results from wind shearing the ice crystals into streaks. Cumulonimbus and nimbostratus are deep precipitating clouds, and stratus is a low, grey layer cloud.

Question 32Physical Geography: Geomorphology, Climatology and Oceanography

A river carries a load of fine silt into a lake and deposits it where the current suddenly slows. Which landform is most likely to develop at that point?

  1. A waterfall
  2. A gorge
  3. A delta Correct answer.
  4. A plunge pool

Explanation

When a river enters standing water its velocity falls abruptly, so its competence to carry sediment drops and material is deposited. Repeated deposition at the mouth builds a delta, which is often layered and distributes water through distributary channels. Waterfalls, gorges and plunge pools are erosional features linked to steep gradients and resistant rock.

Question 33Physical Geography: Geomorphology, Climatology and Oceanography

A rock stratum is folded into an arch in which the beds dip away from a central axis, and the oldest beds are exposed in the core. This structure is a:

  1. Syncline
  2. Unconformity
  3. Graben
  4. Anticline Correct answer.

Explanation

An anticline is an upward-arching fold whose limbs dip away from the crest, so erosion of the crest exposes the oldest strata in the core. A syncline is a downward fold with the youngest beds at its centre. Grabens and unconformities are fault and erosion features rather than folds.

Question 34Physical Geography: Geomorphology, Climatology and Oceanography

Two places lie at the same latitude. One is on a windward coast and the other on a leeward coast of the same continent at mid-latitudes. Which explanation best accounts for the windward coast being cooler in summer?

  1. It has thinner air because of higher elevation
  2. It lies closer to the equator
  3. It is affected by onshore winds from cool ocean water Correct answer.
  4. It receives more direct overhead sunlight

Explanation

At the same latitude the two places receive similar insolation, so the difference must come from atmospheric and oceanic influence. Onshore winds at a windward coast bring air that has crossed cool ocean water, moderating summer temperatures, whereas leeward coasts receive warmed continental air. Latitude, elevation and insolation are held constant or do not explain the contrast.

Question 35Physical Geography: Geomorphology, Climatology and Oceanography

Warm, moist air is forced to ascend a mountain range. Which sequence describes the expected conditions on the windward slope and the leeward slope respectively?

  1. Cold and dry; warm and humid
  2. Cloudy with heavy rain; warm and dry Correct answer.
  3. Clear and dry; cloudy with heavy rain
  4. Cloudy with drizzle; cold and snowy

Explanation

As moist air rises on the windward slope it cools adiabatically, reaches its dew point and forms cloud, producing heavy orographic rainfall. After crossing the crest, the air descends, warms adiabatically and becomes drier, creating a rain-shadow on the leeward side. This asymmetry is the defining signature of orographic effects.

Question 36Physical Geography: Geomorphology, Climatology and Oceanography

At a coastal station the atmospheric pressure falls steadily for several hours while winds strengthen and the sky darkens. Which interpretation is most consistent with these observations?

  1. An approaching low-pressure system is intensifying Correct answer.
  2. A sea breeze is reversing into a land breeze
  3. A stable anticyclone is building over the station
  4. A cold front has already passed and pressure is rising

Explanation

Falling pressure accompanied by strengthening winds and thickening cloud indicates that a cyclonic low-pressure system is approaching and deepening. In a low, air converges and rises, producing cloud and precipitation, while the pressure gradient tightens and winds increase. Anticyclones and post-frontal conditions show rising or high pressure.

Question 37Physical Geography: Geomorphology, Climatology and Oceanography

A sample of seawater has a salinity of 35 parts per thousand. Approximately what mass of dissolved salts is contained in 2 kilograms of this seawater?

  1. 70 grams Correct answer.
  2. 350 grams
  3. 35 grams
  4. 7 grams

Explanation

A salinity of 35 parts per thousand means 35 grams of dissolved salts per 1,000 grams of seawater. Two kilograms is 2,000 grams, so the salt mass is 35 multiplied by 2, which equals 70 grams. The other values misapply the ratio or confuse parts per thousand with a percentage.

Question 38Physical Geography: Geomorphology, Climatology and Oceanography

Wind blowing parallel to a straight coastline in the Northern Hemisphere drives surface water offshore. Which vertical motion and coastal effect are expected?

  1. Downwelling, bringing oxygen-rich water downward
  2. Convection caused by tidal forces rather than wind
  3. No vertical motion because wind acts only at the surface
  4. Upwelling, bringing cold nutrient-rich water to the surface Correct answer.

Explanation

Offshore-directed transport of surface water, produced by winds and Coriolis deflection, draws deeper water upward to replace it. This upwelling brings cold, nutrient-rich water to the surface and supports highly productive fisheries. Downwelling occurs where surface water converges and sinks, the opposite situation.

Question 39Physical Geography: Geomorphology, Climatology and Oceanography

An area experiences a spring tide. Which alignment of the Sun, Earth and Moon produces this condition?

  1. Earth at aphelion with the Moon at perigee
  2. Moon at its greatest distance from Earth
  3. Sun, Moon and Earth in a straight line Correct answer.
  4. Sun and Moon at right angles as seen from Earth

Explanation

Spring tides occur when the gravitational effects of the Sun and Moon reinforce each other, which happens at new moon and full moon when the three bodies are nearly aligned. The combined tractive force produces the largest tidal range. At quadrature the two forces partly cancel and neap tides result.

Question 40Physical Geography: Geomorphology, Climatology and Oceanography

Which statement best explains why a transform fault boundary generates shallow-focus earthquakes but little or no volcanic activity?

  1. The crust is too thin to support a magma chamber
  2. Plates diverge and magma rises to fill the gap
  3. Plates slide past each other without significant magma generation Correct answer.
  4. One plate descends and melts at depth

Explanation

At a transform boundary lithospheric plates move horizontally past one another, and friction along the fault is released as shallow earthquakes. Because neither plate is being pulled apart nor pushed down, there is little decompression melting or flux melting to supply magma. Volcanism is therefore rare, in contrast to divergent and convergent boundaries.

Question 41Physical Geography: Geomorphology, Climatology and Oceanography

A mass-movement event in which a coherent block of rock slides downslope along a curved, concave-up failure surface is classified as a:

  1. Debris flow
  2. Solifluction
  3. Rockfall
  4. Slump Correct answer.

Explanation

A slump is a rotational slide in which material moves along a curved slip plane, leaving a steep back scarp and a bulging toe. The moving mass tends to remain largely coherent during the initial failure. Rockfalls involve free fall, debris flows are rapid mixtures of water and sediment, and solifluction is slow flow of saturated soil in periglacial areas.

Question 42Physical Geography: Geomorphology, Climatology and Oceanography

A drainage basin underlain by impermeable clay with sparse vegetation and steep slopes receives an intense storm. Which runoff response is most likely?

  1. A high, rapid peak discharge Correct answer.
  2. A steady base flow sustained by groundwater
  3. No change in discharge because infiltration is high
  4. A low, delayed peak discharge

Explanation

Impermeable clay limits infiltration, sparse vegetation removes interception and evapotranspiration losses, and steep slopes speed water to the channel. These conditions produce a large proportion of overland flow, so discharge rises quickly to a high peak and then falls rapidly. The opposite conditions give low, delayed peaks and sustained base flow.

Question 43Physical Geography: Geomorphology, Climatology and Oceanography

A tropical cyclone strengthens over the ocean but weakens rapidly after making landfall. Which combination of factors best explains the weakening?

  1. Stronger Coriolis effect over land and colder upper air
  2. Loss of warm ocean moisture source and increased surface friction Correct answer.
  3. Higher sea-surface temperature and lower atmospheric pressure
  4. Increased latent heat supply and reduced surface friction

Explanation

A tropical cyclone draws its energy from the latent heat released when water vapour condenses, and that vapour comes from warm ocean water. Once over land the moisture supply is cut off and increased surface roughness dissipates the low-level circulation, so the storm decays. The Coriolis effect does not increase over land.

Question 44Physical Geography: Geomorphology, Climatology and Oceanography

A mid-latitude cyclone in the Northern Hemisphere develops a wave on a polar front. Which sequence of frontal evolution is expected as the system matures?

  1. Stationary front, then anticyclogenesis, then warm-sector cooling
  2. Cold front formation, then dissipation, then warm front formation
  3. Wave formation, then warm and cold fronts, then occlusion Correct answer.
  4. Occlusion, then wave formation, then warm-sector development

Explanation

The polar-front model begins with a small wave on a quasi-stationary front, which amplifies as warm air pushes poleward and cold air pushes equatorward. Distinct warm and cold fronts then develop around the low, and as the cold front catches up with the warm front the system occludes. After occlusion the cyclone gradually decays.

Question 45Human and Population Geography

In population geography, which term describes the number of live births per 1,000 people in a population in a given year?

  1. Crude death rate
  2. Crude birth rate Correct answer.
  3. Total fertility rate
  4. Infant mortality rate

Explanation

The crude birth rate expresses live births in a year relative to the total mid-year population, conventionally per 1,000 persons. It is called 'crude' because it ignores age and sex composition of the population.

Question 46Human and Population Geography

A country has a natural increase rate of zero while its crude birth rate remains high. Which condition best explains this situation?

  1. The crude death rate is also high Correct answer.
  2. Mass immigration is balancing the births
  3. The total fertility rate has fallen below replacement
  4. Life expectancy has risen sharply

Explanation

Natural increase equals the crude birth rate minus the crude death rate. If births are high yet natural increase is nil, deaths must be equally high, a pattern typical of early stages of demographic transition.

Question 47Human and Population Geography

Which population pyramid shape most characteristically indicates a young, rapidly growing population?

  1. Narrow base with a broad top
  2. Bulging middle with a narrow base
  3. Straight-sided with equal bars
  4. Broad base tapering sharply upward Correct answer.

Explanation

A broad base shows a large proportion of children, while sharp tapering upward reflects high mortality with age. This expansive pyramid is typical of high-fertility, high-mortality populations.

Question 48Human and Population Geography

The dependency ratio of a population is calculated by comparing which groups?

  1. Employed persons with unemployed persons
  2. Rural residents with urban residents
  3. Males with females in the working ages
  4. Persons below 15 and above 64 with persons aged 15 to 64 Correct answer.

Explanation

The dependency ratio relates the economically dependent ages, usually under 15 and 65 and over, to the working-age population of 15 to 64. It shows how many dependents each 100 workers must support.

Question 49Human and Population Geography

Which stage of the demographic transition model is marked by high birth rates and rapidly falling death rates, producing the fastest population growth?

  1. Stage two Correct answer.
  2. Stage four
  3. Stage one
  4. Stage three

Explanation

In stage two, better food supply and health care reduce mortality while fertility remains high, so natural increase peaks. The gap between births and deaths is widest here.

Question 50Human and Population Geography

In the demographic transition model, which change usually triggers the decline in birth rates during stage three?

  1. Improved child survival combined with social change and family planning Correct answer.
  2. A rise in death rates among the elderly
  3. A sharp fall in the number of women of childbearing age
  4. Government bans on rural-to-urban migration

Explanation

Once infant and child mortality falls, parents feel less need for many births, and urbanisation, education and contraception further reduce desired family size. These social and economic shifts drive fertility decline.