Geography · Environmental Studies

Oceanography and Hydrology

1,673 Questions

Find relevant questions on oceanography and hydrology that address aquatic ecosystems and physical geography. The topics include coastal landforms, coral reefs, ocean salinity, and tidal patterns. These concepts frequently appear in civil services and state level administrative examinations.

Coral reef structuresCoastal landformsOcean salinity patternsGlacial retreat impactsMangrove ecosystems

Oceanography and Hydrology Questions

Multiple choice

Which of the following could replace 'imaginary' as used in the passage?

Directions: Read the following passage carefully and select the most suitable option according to the corresponding number in the passage.

The Hydrosphere is an imaginary (1) sphere. However, its importance is not imaginary. The hydrosphere contains all the water that is above, below, or upon the surface of the earth. It also includes (2) the water inside plants and animals. The larger part of the earth's hydrosphere is salt water. The water cycle pureifys (3) the atmosphere and surface water by removing (4) pollutants. It (5) supplies usable water to living things on land. It does so by purifying the saltwater of the oceans and by turning (6) it into fresh water. All life thus depends upon an "active hydrosphere." That means an intact or undamaged hydrosphere with a running (7) water cycle. Since all living things use water inside their bodies, an active hydrosphere and life travel hand in hand (8).

  1. fantastic

  2. hypothetical

  3. real

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

'Imaginary' means something that is not real, a situation that is just thought of. Hypothetical also means the same. Therefore, it is the correct answer.

Multiple choice

Which of the following could replace 'turning' as used in the passage?

Directions: Read the following passage carefully and select the most suitable option according to the corresponding number in the passage.

The Hydrosphere is an imaginary (1) sphere. However, its importance is not imaginary. The hydrosphere contains all the water that is above, below, or upon the surface of the earth. It also includes (2) the water inside plants and animals. The larger part of the earth's hydrosphere is salt water. The water cycle pureifys (3) the atmosphere and surface water by removing (4) pollutants. It (5) supplies usable water to living things on land. It does so by purifying the saltwater of the oceans and by turning (6) it into fresh water. All life thus depends upon an "active hydrosphere." That means an intact or undamaged hydrosphere with a running (7) water cycle. Since all living things use water inside their bodies, an active hydrosphere and life travel hand in hand (8).

  1. fixing

  2. converting

  3. rotating

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

Here turning means changing the form. Therefore, the most appropriate option is converting.

Multiple choice

Which of the following options best corrects/completes statement IV?

Directions: This passage contains errors and an omission. Choose the correct option to complete the passage.
Statement I: It is a matter of common experience that ice floats at water.
Statement II: Howsoever large the size of ice may be it will not sink.
Statement III: Even icebergs which are huge masses of ice continuing floating in the sea.
Statement IV: Do you know _________________?                                         

  1. why ice floats on water

  2. why ice floated on water

  3. why ice was floated on water

  4. why ice float over water
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

(1) is the only grammatically correct sentence. Therefore, it is the correct answer.

Multiple choice

Which of the following pairs is not correctly matched?

  1. Rain water - Purest form of water

  2. River water - Largest source of water on Earth

  3. Lakes - A large area of water surrounded by lands

  4. Seawater - Source of common salt
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Oceans are the largest source of surface water, comprising approximately 97 percent of Earth's surface water.

Multiple choice

Which of the following statements is/are correct?

a. Only 2.5% of world's total volume of water is freshwater. b. India has about 6.5% of world's total volume of freshwater resources. c. 96.5% of the total volume of Earth’s water exists as oceans.

  1. a and c

  2. only a

  3. a, b and c

  4. b and c
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

India has about 4% of world's total volume of freshwater resources. Only 2.5% of world's total volume of water is freshwater. 96.5% of the total volume of Earth’s water exists as oceans.  

Multiple choice

Assertion (A): Oceanic salinity is higher along Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn. Reason (R): Increased evaporation coupled with relatively more insolation along these latitudes causes higher oceanic salinity.

  1. Both (A) and (R) are true and (R) is the correct explanation of (A).

  2. Both (A) and (R) are true, but (R) is not the correct explanation of (A).

  3. (A) is true, but (R) is false.

  4. (A) is false, but (R) is true.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

 On an average, salinity decreases from equator towards the poles. It may be mentioned that the highest salinity is seldom recorded near the equator; though this zone records high temperature and evaporation but high rainfall reduces the relative portion of salt. Thus, the equator accounts for only 35% salinity. The highest salinity is observed between 20°- 40° N 36% because this zone is characterized by high temperature, high evaporation but significantly low rainfall.

Multiple choice

Consider the following statements:

  1. Ocean currents are slow-surface movements of water in the ocean.
  2. Ocean currents assist in maintaining Earth’s heat balance.
  3. Ocean currents are set in motion primarily by prevailing winds.
  4. Ocean currents are affected by the configuration of the ocean.

Which of the above statements are correct?

  1. 1 and 2

  2. 2, 3 and 4

  3. 1, 3 and 4

  4. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Ocean currents are not slow most of the time and can be subsurface currents also. So, statement 1 is wrong. But 2’, ‘3’ and ‘4’ statements are correct. 

Multiple choice

Consider the following statements:

  1. Total land area of Earth is approximately 1475 lakh square kilometres.
  2. Ratio of land area to water area of Earth is approximately 1 : 4.
  3. Maximum percentage of Earth’s water is in the Pacific Ocean.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. 1 and 3

  2. 2 and 3

  3. 1 only

  4. 3 only
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Total land area of Earth is 148226000 km2. So, the ratio of land area to water area of Earth is approximately 1 : 3.