Which of the following statements is true?

Question

UnlockIAS · Accepted Answer

Correct — C. Surface ocean salinity is highest in the subtropical belts around the Tropics of Cancer (23.5°N) and Capricorn (23.5°S). These are zones of high-pressure, descending dry air with very high evaporation and low rainfall, so more water leaves as vapour than is added — concentrating the salts. (At the equator heavy rain and river inflow dilute the water, and near the poles low evaporation plus ice-melt keep salinity low.)

Why the other options are wrong — (a) Two high tides occur in a lunar day of about 24 hours 50 minutes, so successive high tides are roughly 12 hours 25 minutes apart — not 'exactly 12 hours 30 minutes'; the figure and the word 'exactly' are wrong.  (b) The Benguela is a cold current of the ATLANTIC Ocean, flowing north along the south-west coast of Africa (Namibia/South Africa) — not the Pacific.  (d) When the Sun, Earth and Moon are aligned (new/full moon), their gravitational pulls add up to give SPRING tides — the highest tides, not small ones. Small (neap) tides occur when the Sun and Moon are at right angles.

Concept: This 'pick the true statement' item bundles three ocean topics — tides, ocean currents and salinity. Surface salinity varies with latitude: it peaks in the subtropical high-pressure belts (near the Tropics) where evaporation greatly exceeds precipitation, and falls at the equator (rain/rivers) and the poles (low evaporation, ice-melt). Average ocean salinity is about 35 parts per thousand.

State PCS 2023 Q44 — Geography PYQ with Answer

State PCS 2023 Q44 — Geography PYQ with Answer