Daily Current Affairs Quiz: November 12, 2025

Answer: A [1 and 3 only]
Explanation:

Statement 1 is correct: The epicenter is the point on the Earth’s surface directly above the focus (hypocenter), where the earthquake originates. It is usually the location where the shaking is felt most strongly and damage is often greatest.

Statement 2 is incorrect: P-waves (Primary waves) are body waves, not surface waves. They are the fastest seismic waves and travel through both solids and liquids, but they cause the least damage compared to slower surface waves (Love and Rayleigh waves), which cause major destruction.

Statement 3 is correct: The Richter scale, developed by Charles F. Richter in 1935, measures the magnitude of an earthquake i.e., the energy released at the source. It is a logarithmic scale, where each whole number increase represents roughly 32 times more energy release.

Statement 4 is incorrect: Although the Moon lacks tectonic plates, it still experiences “moonquakes”, caused by tidal stresses from Earth’s gravity, meteorite impacts, and thermal expansion of its crust. Hence, earthquakes (or similar seismic events) can occur on the Moon as well.

Answer: C [Both 1 and 2]
Explanation:

Statement 1 is correct: The shadow zones’ characteristics provide crucial evidence for understanding the composition and physical state of Earth’s core. The S-wave shadow zone indicates a liquid outer core, while the P-wave shadow zone helps define the boundary between the solid inner core and the liquid outer core.

Statement 2 is correct: The core-mantle boundary represents a significant change in density and seismic velocity. Seismic waves refract (bend) at this boundary, leading to the formation of shadow zones.

Answer: B [2 and 3 only]
Explanation:

Statement 1 is incorrect: Despite scientific advances, no one can predict the exact time, place, and magnitude of an earthquake with high precision. Earthquakes occur due to sudden release of stress along fault lines, a process that remains highly complex and unpredictable. Current science focuses on forecasting probabilities, not exact predictions.

Statement 2 is correct: Scientists have attempted various earthquake prediction methods, such as monitoring unusual animal behavior, radon gas emissions, changes in groundwater levels, and seismic precursors (like foreshocks or ground deformation). However, these are not consistently reliable indicators.

Statement 3 is correct: To date, no scientifically proven or universally accepted method exists for accurate short-term prediction of earthquakes. Most modern research focuses on seismic hazard assessment and early warning systems that provide only a few seconds’ notice after an earthquake begins.

Answer: A [1, 2 and 4 only]
Explanation:

Statement 1 is correct: Earthquakes occurring under or near the ocean floor can displace large volumes of water, generating tsunamis — massive sea waves capable of traveling thousands of kilometers. The 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami was triggered by a 9.1 magnitude earthquake off Sumatra.

Statement 2 is correct: Strong earthquakes can cause permanent crustal deformation, leading to uplift or subsidence of land. For example, after major quakes, coastal regions may rise or sink, creating new landforms or altering existing drainage patterns.

Statement 3 is incorrect: Earthquakes primarily involve mechanical energy release, not electromagnetic changes. While minor temporary disturbances in the magnetic field may occur locally, there is no significant or lasting impact on the Earth’s overall magnetic field.

Statement 4 is correct: In mountainous or hilly regions, the shaking of the ground during an earthquake can destabilize slopes, triggering landslides, rockfalls, and avalanches. These secondary effects often cause more casualties than the tremors themselves.

Answer: B [1, 2 and 3 only]
Explanation:

Statement 1 is correct: The Earth’s magnetic field is also called the geomagnetic field. It extends from the Earth’s interior into space, where it interacts with solar wind, forming the magnetosphere that protects the planet from charged particles.

Statement 2 is correct: The Earth’s core, particularly the outer core, is made of molten iron and nickel and is too hot for permanent magnetism to exist. Instead, the magnetic field is generated by the geodynamo effect — the movement of these conducting fluids produces electric currents that create the field.

Statement 3 is correct: The geomagnetic field acts as a protective shield against solar wind and cosmic rays, deflecting most charged particles away from the Earth. Without it, the atmosphere could be stripped away over time, as happened on Mars.

Statement 4 is incorrect: The intensity of the Earth’s magnetic field is not uniform. It is strongest at the poles and weakest at the equator due to the geometry of magnetic field lines, which are vertical at poles and horizontal at the equator.