Daily Answer Writing

Model Answer

Flash floods pose a significant threat to communities in low-lying areas of India, leading to devastating consequences. The frequent occurrence of these floods can be attributed to several key factors:

Reasons for Frequent Occurrences of Flash Floods

1. Short but Intense Rainfall: Events such as cloudbursts and thunderstorms can lead to heavy rainfall over a short period, overwhelming the ground’s ability to absorb water. This is particularly common in the Himalayan regions during the monsoon season, as well as in coastal areas like Orissa, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu .
2. Changed Characteristics of Drainage Surfaces: Urbanization, wildfires, and other landscape changes reduce the ground’s absorption capacity, leading to increased runoff. The concretization of surfaces prevents water from being absorbed, exacerbating the flooding situation .
3. Himalayan Terrain: The geography of the Himalayan region, characterized by narrow gorges and steep slopes, contributes to flash floods. Rivers can become temporarily dammed by debris, creating lakes that, when overflowed, release large volumes of water downstream, inundating settlements .

Impact of Flash Floods on Low-Lying Regions

1. Damage to Infrastructure and Economy: Flash floods can severely damage critical infrastructure, including roads, bridges, and power plants. This not only disrupts local economies but also places a financial burden on recovery efforts .
2. Loss of Life: Historical data shows that flash floods can lead to significant loss of life. For instance, the 2013 Uttarakhand floods resulted in approximately 6,000 fatalities due to heavy rainfall and cloudbursts .
3. Loss of Agricultural Lands: Many settlements in the Himalayan region are located on fertile fluvial terraces, which are highly vulnerable to flooding. The breaching of landslide-induced dams can devastate these agricultural lands, impacting food security and livelihoods .

The increasing frequency of flash floods, coupled with human activities such as deforestation and encroachment on floodplains, has heightened the risks associated with these natural disasters in India.

Model Answer

Deserts are formed primarily due to a lack of precipitation, resulting in arid environments with sparse vegetation. Annual rainfall in these regions is typically less than 250 mm. Factors like atmospheric circulation, cold ocean currents, rain shadow effects, distance from the sea, and polar conditions contribute to their formation, leading to distinct desert types.

Types of Deserts and Their Characteristics

1. Subtropical Deserts
   • Formation: Caused by global air circulation patterns where hot, moist air rises near the Equator, loses moisture, and descends as dry air near the Tropics.
   • Characteristics: Extremely hot and dry with minimal cloud cover.
   • Examples: Sahara Desert (Northern Africa), Kalahari Desert (Southern Africa), Tanami Desert (Australia).
2. Coastal Deserts
   • Formation: Cold ocean currents, such as the Humboldt and Benguela currents, cool the air and create fog, reducing rainfall despite high humidity.
   • Characteristics: Moderate temperatures, frequent fog, and very dry land.
   • Examples: Atacama Desert (Chile), Namib Desert (Southern Africa).
3. Rain Shadow Deserts
   • Formation: Moist air loses precipitation on windward mountain slopes. The dry air descending on the leeward side creates arid conditions.
   • Characteristics: Dry and often surrounded by mountainous regions.
   • Examples: Death Valley (USA), Patagonian Desert (Argentina).
4. Interior Deserts
   • Formation: Located deep within continents, where incoming air loses all moisture before reaching these areas.
   • Characteristics: Harsh, arid climate with significant temperature variations.
   • Examples: Gobi Desert (China and Mongolia).
5. Polar Deserts
   • Formation: Extreme cold prevents moisture accumulation, resulting in arid conditions.
   • Characteristics: Frigid temperatures, ice-covered landscapes, and minimal precipitation.
   • Examples: Arctic and Antarctic regions.

Global Significance

Deserts cover about one-fifth of Earth’s land area and support around 1 billion people. However, desertification due to climate change and human activities poses challenges in semi-arid regions.

Model Answer

Differences in Formation and Role of Ozone in the Troposphere and Stratosphere

1. Formation:

• Tropospheric Ozone (Bad Ozone):
  • Formed through photochemical reactions involving volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) in the presence of sunlight.
  • Primary sources: Emissions from vehicles, industrial facilities, gasoline vapors, and chemical solvents.
  • (Source: US EPA)
• Stratospheric Ozone (Good Ozone):
  • Produced naturally when solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation splits molecular oxygen (O₂) into individual oxygen atoms. These atoms combine with O₂ to form ozone (O₃).
  • This process is continuous in the stratosphere under the influence of UV radiation.
  • (Source: World Meteorological Organization)

2. Role:

• Tropospheric Ozone:
  • Harmful to health, causing respiratory problems, asthma, and lung tissue damage.
  • Major component of urban smog, it also damages vegetation, reduces crop yields, and harms ecosystems.
  • (Source: WHO)
• Stratospheric Ozone:
  • Acts as a protective shield by absorbing harmful UV-B radiation from the sun.
  • Prevents skin cancer, cataracts, and damage to crops and marine ecosystems.
  • Threatened by ozone-depleting substances (ODS) like chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs).
  • (Source: UNEP)

Strategies to Mitigate Tropospheric Ozone

1. Fossil Fuels and Transport:

• Use vapor recovery nozzles at gas pumps to reduce emissions.
• Promote cleaner-burning gasoline and catalytic converters to lower VOCs and NOx.
• Enforce strict emission limits for power plants and industries.

2. Agriculture:

• Reduce emissions through intermittent aeration in rice fields.
• Use selective breeding to minimize emission intensity while increasing crop productivity.

3. Waste Management:

• Separate and treat biodegradable waste for compost or bioenergy.
• Upgrade wastewater treatment plants with gas recovery systems.

4. Policy and Monitoring:

• Implement programs like the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) and the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP).
• Monitor long-range ozone pollution under the Gothenburg Protocol.

5. Public Awareness:

• Encourage carpooling and community-driven emission reduction practices.

By addressing emissions and implementing these strategies, we can effectively mitigate the harmful impacts of tropospheric ozone while safeguarding human health and ecosystems.

Model Answer

Lakes Formed by Earth’s Movements and Their Significance

Formation of Lakes Due to Earth’s Movements

1. Tectonic Lakes:
   • Formed by depressions caused by sagging, bending, or fracturing of the Earth’s crust.
   • Examples: Lake Baikal (world’s deepest freshwater lake), Caspian Sea, Lake Titicaca, and Wular Lake in India.
2. Rift Valley Lakes:
   • Created by the sinking of land between two parallel faults, forming deep valleys that fill with water.
   • Examples: East African Rift Valley Lakes (Tanganyika, Malawi, Rudolf), and Dead Sea.

Economic Significance of Lakes

1. Transportation and Commerce:
   • Serve as cheap and efficient routes for transporting bulk materials like coal and cement.
   • Example: Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Waterway in North America is a vital commercial hub.
2. Industrial Growth:
   • Proximity to lakes fosters industrial development, e.g., HOMES Districts in the USA near Great Lakes, and Wuhan in China near Lake Poyang.
3. Water Supply and Storage:
   • Reservoirs provide drinking water and support industrial needs, e.g., Lake Thirlmere (UK) supplies water to Manchester, and Okhla Reservoir (India) supports Delhi.
4. Hydropower Generation:
   • Lakes provide clean energy, e.g., Bhakra Nangal Dam (India) and Lake Erie (USA).
5. Mineral Resources:
   • Lakes yield salts and minerals like borax and gypsum, supporting local economies.

Ecological Significance of Lakes

1. Nutrient Cycling:
   • Crucial in the carbon and nitrogen cycles, supporting aquatic ecosystems.
2. Flood and Drought Regulation:
   • Absorb excess rainwater to prevent floods and release water during dry periods to sustain river ecosystems.
3. Climate Moderation:
   • Large lakes stabilize local climates and enhance rainfall patterns.
4. Biodiversity Conservation:
   • Provide habitats for diverse flora and fauna, e.g., Chilika Lake and Bhitarkanika (India).

Need for Conservation

Lakes face threats from climate change and human activities. Integrated conservation plans involving local populations and government agencies are essential for preserving these invaluable resources.

Model Answer

Ocean salinity refers to the total dissolved salts in seawater, usually measured in grams of salt per kilogram of seawater or parts per thousand (ppt). The general range of ocean salinity is between 33-37 ppt.

1. Evaporation: Higher evaporation rates increase salinity. When temperatures are high and humidity low, more water evaporates, leaving behind a higher concentration of salt. This results in increased salinity, especially in tropical areas with intense heat and low rainfall.
2. Precipitation: Salinity and precipitation are inversely related. Higher precipitation dilutes the seawater, reducing salinity. Conversely, in areas with less rainfall, salinity tends to be higher.
3. River Inflow: Rivers bring fresh water into the ocean, lowering salinity in the areas where the freshwater mixes with seawater, such as in estuaries.
4. Atmospheric Pressure and Wind: In anticyclonic conditions, stable air and high temperatures reduce rainfall and increase evaporation, leading to higher salinity. Wind and ocean currents help redistribute salinity across different regions.
5. Global Warming: Rising temperatures and changes in ice melt patterns can influence salinity by affecting the evaporation and precipitation cycles, as well as increasing the influx of fresh water from melting ice.

Spatial Distribution of Ocean Salinity

1. Vertical Distribution: Salinity varies with depth. In higher latitudes, salinity increases with depth due to denser water at lower levels. A distinct zone, called the halocline, marks sharp changes in salinity.
2. Horizontal Distribution: Salinity generally decreases from the equator to the poles. However, the highest salinity is found in tropical regions (20-40° North), where high evaporation, humidity, and minimal rainfall prevail. In contrast, polar regions have lower salinity due to melting ice inflows.

Regional Distribution:

• The average salinity of the open ocean is between 33-37 ppt.
• The Red Sea, being landlocked, has a higher salinity of around 41 ppt due to limited rainfall and high evaporation.
• The Mediterranean Sea also exhibits high salinity because of high evaporation rates.
• In the Pacific Ocean, salinity decreases from 35 ppt in the northern hemisphere to around 31 ppt due to melting Arctic waters.
• The average salinity of the Indian Ocean is 35 ppt, with lower salinity in the Bay of Bengal due to river inflows, while the Arabian Sea experiences higher salinity due to high evaporation and minimal freshwater influx.