IAS Prelims GS Questions and Answers - May 20, 2016

ANSWER: Everest > K2 > Kanchenjunga > Lhotse

Explanation:

• Lhotse is the fourth highest mountain in the world at 8,516 metres (27,940 ft), after Mount Everest, K2, and Kangchenjunga.
• Part of the Everest massif, Lhotse is connected to the latter peak via the South Col. Lhotse means “South Peak” in Tibetan.
• Indian Army mountaineers led by Lieutenant Colonel Ranveer Jamwal and a team of six army mountaineers successfully summited Mount Everest (8848M) at dawn on May 19., 2016.

ANSWER: Cyclone

Explanation:

• It is cyclonic storm in Bay of Bengal.
• The deep depression over west central and adjoining southwest Bay of Bengal further moved northwards and intensified into a cyclonic storm ‘Roanu’ and lay centred over west central Bay of Bengal about 120 km east-southeast of Machilipatnam, 220 km southwest of Vishakhapatnam.
• The system is likely to move north-north eastwards along and off Andhra Pradesh coast and intensify into a severe cyclonic storm.
• Roanu is the name given by Maldives as per the naming convention.

ANSWER: All of the above

Explanation:

• President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee inaugurated an Intelligent Operations Centre (IOC) in Rashtrapati Bhavan and launched a Mobile App ‘Monitor’ for transformation of President’s Estate into a smart township.
• Smart President’s Estate will work around the ‘4H’ theme of a Humane, Hi-tech, Heritage and Happy Township.

ANSWER: Delhi

Explanation:

• According to a report released by the Indian Council of Medical Research, the national capital topped the list in cases of cancer among children in both the genders.
• Lymphomas and leukemias were one of the major cancers seen in Delhi children.

ANSWER: Thiruvananthapuram saw maximum number of cancer cases among girls after Delhi

Explanation:

• According to a report released by the Indian Council of Medical Research, the national capital topped the list in cases of cancer among children in both the genders.
• Lymphomas and leukemias were one of the major cancers seen in Delhi children.
• Following Delhi, Chennai topped the list for cancer among boys while Thiruvananthapuram saw maximum number of cancer cases among girls.
• Kollam stood third in number of cancer cases among children.

ANSWER: If it was not for the Earth’s rotation, global winds would blow in straight north-south lines

Explanation:

• The Coriolis effect is caused by the rotation of the Earth and the inertia of the mass experiencing the effect. Because the Earth completes only one rotation per day, the Coriolis force is quite small, and its effects generally become noticeable only for motions occurring over large distances and long periods of time, such as large-scale movement of air in the atmosphere or water in the ocean.
• This force causes moving objects on the surface of the Earth to be deflected to the right (with respect to the direction of travel) in the Northern Hemisphere and to the left in the Southern Hemisphere.

ANSWER: Greater near the pole

Explanation:

• The horizontal deflection effect is greater near the poles and smallest at the equator, since the rate of change in the diameter of the circles of latitude when travelling north or south, increases the closer the object is to the poles.
• This effect is responsible for the rotation of large cyclones.

ANSWER: Both 1 and 2

Explanation:

• The ‘Global Urban Ambient Air Pollution Database (update 2016)’ released by WHO used data from government and research organisations to prepare the database. It is based on ground measurements of annual mean concentrations of particulate matter (PM 10 and PM 2.5).
• Gwalior and Allahabad, meanwhile, come a close second and third in terms of PM 2.5, while Patna and Raipur are ranked 6th and 7th.
• Delhi now stands 11th among 3,000 cities in 103 countries in terms of fine particulate matter or PM 2.5. Delhi is 25th based on bigger particulate or PM 10 levels.
• Particulate matter affects everyone but causes harm faster to children and senior citizens.

ANSWER: All of the above

Explanation:

• Common causes of air pollution include diesel-fuelled vehicles, heavy construction activities, temperature control in large buildings and use of coal or diesel generators.
• PM 2.5 refers to atmospheric particulates with a diameter less than 2.5 micrometres. Exposure to fine particulates is linked to premature death from heart and lung disease. They trigger or worsen asthma, heart attack, bronchitis and other respiratory problems.
• The WHO states that as urban air quality declines, the risk of stroke, heart disease, lung cancer, and chronic and acute respiratory diseases, including asthma increases.