Daily Current Affairs Quiz: September 02, 2025

Answer: C [1 and 3 only]
Explanation:

Statement 1 is correct: The troposphere is the lowest layer of Earth’s atmosphere, extending up to about 8–18 km, depending on latitude. It is the most active part of the atmosphere and contains clouds, precipitation, storms, and winds. This is due to the presence of water vapor and the direct contact with Earth’s surface heat, making it the primary zone for weather phenomena like rain, snow, thunderstorms, and cyclones.

Statement 2 is incorrect: The temperature in the troposphere decreases with altitude at an average rate of 6.5°C per kilometer. This is known as the normal lapse rate. The Earth’s surface heats the atmosphere from below, so air closer to the surface is warmer than the air at higher altitudes.

Statement 3 is correct: The troposphere holds almost all the atmospheric water vapor, which comes from evaporation from Earth’s surface. Since water vapor is a key driver of weather patterns and cloud formation, its high concentration in this layer supports the occurrence of weather phenomena here. The layers above the troposphere are much drier.

Answer: A [1 and 2 only]
Explanation:

Statement 1 is correct: During an El Niño event, the easterly trade winds that normally blow from South America toward Southeast Asia weaken or even reverse. This disrupts the normal movement of warm surface water westward, allowing it to accumulate in the central and eastern Pacific, altering weather patterns globally.

Statement 2 is correct: El Niño is marked by an abnormal warming of the sea surface temperatures (SSTs) in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean, especially near the coasts of Peru and Ecuador. These warming changes atmospheric pressure patterns and influences global climate systems, including monsoons and rainfall distribution.

Statement 3 is incorrect: El Niño typically causes drought-like conditions in Australia and Southeast Asia, not enhanced rainfall. These regions usually depend on the moist trade winds for rain, but the reversal of wind patterns during El Niño cuts off this moisture flow, resulting in reduced rainfall and even forest fires in some areas.

Answer: B [2 only]
Explanation:

Statement 1 is incorrect: The ITCZ is actually a low-pressure zone near the equator, not a high-pressure belt. It forms because of intense solar heating at the equator, which causes warm, moist air to rise, creating a region of low atmospheric pressure. High pressure zones are typically found around 30° latitudes.

Statement 2 is correct: The ITCZ is formed by the convergence of the northeast trade winds (from the Northern Hemisphere) and southeast trade winds (from the Southern Hemisphere). When these air masses meet at the equator, they are forced to rise due to convection, setting the stage for cloud formation and rain.

Answer: D [1, 2 and 3]
Explanation:

Statement 1 is correct: Ocean currents are significantly influenced by the Coriolis effect. As surface winds move over the ocean, the Coriolis force deflects them, and in turn, deflects the surface water they push. This leads to the formation of gyres in the ocean – clockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and counterclockwise in the Southern Hemisphere. For example, the Gulf Stream and Kuroshio Current follow such patterns.

Statement 2 is correct: Trade winds originate from subtropical high-pressure zones and move toward the equatorial low-pressure zone. Without Coriolis force, these winds would blow straight from north to south (in NH) or south to north (in SH). However, the Coriolis force deflects these winds to the right in the Northern Hemisphere and to the left in the Southern Hemisphere.

Statement 3 is correct: Cyclones are large low-pressure systems where air spirals inward. The Coriolis force is essential for this spiraling motion. In the Northern Hemisphere, it causes counterclockwise rotation. In the Southern Hemisphere, it causes clockwise rotation.

Answer: A [Both Statement 1 and Statement 2 are true, and Statement 2 is the correct explanation of Statement 1.]
Explanation:

Statement 1 is correct: Tropical cyclones, such as hurricanes and typhoons, generally do not form within about 5° latitude of the equator. This is an observed climatological fact. Despite the presence of warm ocean waters, a key requirement, cyclones rarely originate near the equator.

Statement 2 is correct: The Coriolis force, which is essential for the spin and rotation of cyclonic systems, is zero at the equator and increases with latitude. This force deflects moving air and helps generate the rotational structure of cyclones. In the absence of sufficient Coriolis force, air cannot spiral inward, and thus a cyclonic system cannot form.