Prelims 2024

Q. Consider the following statements:

Statement-I: Thickness of the troposphere at the equator is much greater as compared to poles.
Statement-II: At the equator, heat is transported to great heights by strong convectional currents.

Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?
(a) Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II explains Statement-I
(b) Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct, but Statement-II does not explain Statement-I
(c) Statement-I is correct, but Statement-II is incorrect
(d) Statement-I is incorrect, but Statement-II is correct
Correct answer: (a) Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II explains Statement-I

Question from UPSC Prelims 2024 GS Paper

Explanation : 

Statement-I: Thickness of the troposphere at the equator is much greater as compared to poles.

– The troposphere is indeed thicker at the equator (about 16-17 km) compared to the poles (about 8-9 km)
– This makes Statement-I correct

Statement-II: At the equator, heat is transported to great heights by strong convectional currents.

– At the equator, there is intense solar heating of the surface
– This heating causes strong convection currents
– These convection currents carry heat and moisture to higher altitudes
– Statement-II is therefore correct

Now, let’s analyze the relationship between the statements:
– The strong convectional currents at the equator directly cause the greater thickness of the troposphere
– The heat transported upward by convection expands the air and pushes the tropopause (upper boundary of troposphere) higher
– This explains why the troposphere is thicker at the equator
– Therefore, Statement-II is the cause and Statement-I is the effect

The correct answer is (a) Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II explains Statement-I.

Check Demo Video

UPSC Factory

Master UPSC offline! 📚🎯 4000+ Prelims PYQs, Mains model answers, NCERT books, Syllabus tracker, topper notes, past papers.
Give it a try, you will love it !!💯

UPSC Factory for Android
Conquer UPSC offline! 🚀 PYQs (Prelims & Mains), Test Series, Syllabus Tracker.
Give it a try, you will love it 💯