Geography · Physics

Geodesy and Celestial Mechanics

984 Questions

Geodesy and celestial mechanics questions explore Earth measurements, great circles, and planetary motions. These concepts form a crucial part of physical geography and astronomy in competitive exams. Practice these questions to grasp longitudinal and latitudinal calculations.

Longitude and latitude calculationsGreat circle conceptEarths axial precessionLagrangian pointsAtmosphere boundary

Geodesy and Celestial Mechanics Questions

Multiple choice physics units and measurement: error analysis rounding off digits rounding of digits standard form
The Earth's radius is $6371km$. The order magnitude of the Earth's radius is
  1. $10^3$
  2. $10^2$
  3. $10^7$
  4. $10^5$
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation
Order of magnitude is usually written as $10 $ to the $n$th power. The represents the order of magnitude.
e.g., if we write a number $X$ in such a way that
$X = m × 10^n$ then n is order of magnitude.
here, $6371 km = 6371000 m$
$6371000 = 6.371 × 10^6$
we see, $ 6.371 ≥ \sqrt{10}$
so, $0.6371 × 10^7$
, $\dfrac{\sqrt{10}}{\sqrt{10}} ≤ 0.6371 ≤ √10$
7 is our order of magnitude.
Multiple choice physics units and measurement: error analysis rounding off digits rounding of digits standard form

The radius of the earth is given $6.4\times 10^6 m$. What is the order of magnitude of the size of the earth? 

  1. $10^6 m$
  2. $6 \times 10^6 m$
  3. $10^7 m$
  4. $5 \times 10^6 m$
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

When a number rounded to the nearest power of 10, it is called order of magnitude. Here a number which is less than 5 is taken as 1 and a number greater than 5 is taken as 10. 
As $6.4>10, $ so it would be takes as 10. 
The order of magnitude of earth's size $=10\times 10^6=10^7 m$  

Multiple choice physics units and measurement: error analysis rounding off digits rounding of digits standard form

What is the order of magnitude of the distance of a quasar from us if light takes 2.9 billion years to reach us ?  

  1. $2.7\times 10^{25} m$
  2. $ 10^{25} m$
  3. $10^24 m$
  4. $3\times 10^{25} m$
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Here, time taken $t=2.9$ billion years $=2.9\times 10^9$ years $ =2.9\times 10^9\times (365\times 24\times 3600) s=9.14\times 10^{16} s$
Distance $=$ velocity $\times $ time
or $d=(3\times 10^8)\times (9.14\times 10^{16})=2.74\times 10^{25} m$
As $2.74 <5$ so it will be taken as 1. 
Thus, the order of magnitude of distance $d=1\times 10^{25} m=10^{25} m$

Multiple choice

Earth's four major spheres are the ____

  1. hydrosphere, geosphere, lithosphere, asthenosphere

  2. hydrosphere, asthenosphere, lithosphere, biosphere

  3. hydrosphere, atmosphere, geosphere, biosphere

  4. hydrosphere, atmosphere, lithosphere, biosphere
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Earth's four major spheres are the hydrosphere (water), atmosphere (air), geosphere (land/rock), and biosphere (living things).

Multiple choice

How far away is the center of our galaxy?

  1. 25,000-26,000 feet

  2. 25,000-26,000 miles

  3. 25,000-26,000 light years

  4. at the edge of our solar system
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

The center of the Milky Way galaxy is approximately 25,000 to 26,000 light years away from Earth. Feet and miles are units of distance too small for galactic scales.

Multiple choice

How far is Jupiter from the Sun?

  1. 484 000 000

  2. 1 000 000

  3. 2 799 000 000

  4. 600
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Jupiter is approximately 484 million miles from the Sun. The other options represent incorrect distances.

Multiple choice

What was the pointing accuracy of the Hubble Space Telescope?

  1. 0.007 arcseconds

  2. 0.014 arcseconds

  3. 0.021 arcseconds

  4. 0.028 arcseconds
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The Hubble Space Telescope had a pointing accuracy of 0.007 arcseconds, which was much better than any previous space telescope.

Multiple choice

Which coordinate system is commonly used to describe the positions of celestial objects?

  1. Cartesian coordinates

  2. Spherical coordinates

  3. Cylindrical coordinates

  4. Polar coordinates
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Spherical coordinates, consisting of right ascension, declination, and distance, are widely used in astrometry to specify the positions of celestial objects.

Multiple choice

What is the name of the imaginary line that divides the Earth into the Northern and Southern Hemispheres?

  1. Equator

  2. Prime Meridian

  3. Tropic of Cancer

  4. Tropic of Capricorn
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The Equator is the imaginary line that divides the Earth into the Northern and Southern Hemispheres.

Multiple choice

Which parallel of latitude is located at 23.5 degrees north of the Equator?

  1. Tropic of Cancer

  2. Tropic of Capricorn

  3. Arctic Circle

  4. Antarctic Circle
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The Tropic of Cancer is located at 23.5 degrees north of the Equator.

Multiple choice

What is the name of the parallel of latitude that is located at 23.5 degrees south of the Equator?

  1. Tropic of Cancer

  2. Tropic of Capricorn

  3. Arctic Circle

  4. Antarctic Circle
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

The Tropic of Capricorn is located at 23.5 degrees south of the Equator.

Multiple choice

Which circle of latitude is located at 66.5 degrees north of the Equator?

  1. Tropic of Cancer

  2. Tropic of Capricorn

  3. Arctic Circle

  4. Antarctic Circle
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

The Arctic Circle is located at 66.5 degrees north of the Equator.