Current set IAS · 2021 Q88

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Q88 (IAS/2021) Geography › World Physical Geography › Ocean water properties Official Key

Consider the following statements: 1. In the tropical zone, the western sections of the oceans are warmer than the eastern sections owing to the influence of trade winds. 2. In the temperate zone, westerlies make the eastern sections of oceans warmer than the western sections. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Result

Your answer: — · Correct: C

Explanation

The correct answer is Option 3 (Both 1 and 2). The temperature distribution of ocean waters is significantly influenced by prevailing wind systems and surface currents.

Statement 1 is correct: In the tropical zone, Trade Winds blow from east to west. These winds push the warm surface waters toward the western margins of the oceans (e.g., the western Pacific near Indonesia). Consequently, the eastern sections experience the upwelling of cold subsurface water to replace the displaced warm water, making the western sections significantly warmer.
Statement 2 is correct: In the temperate zone, the Westerlies blow from west to east. These winds carry relatively warmer water from the lower latitudes toward the eastern sections of the oceans (western coasts of continents like Europe). This phenomenon, combined with the poleward movement of warm currents, ensures that the eastern sections of oceans in temperate latitudes are warmer than their western counterparts.

Since both statements accurately describe the interaction between planetary winds and ocean temperature distribution, Option 3 is the right choice.

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Don’t just practise – reverse-engineer the question. This panel shows where this PYQ came from (books / web), how the examiner broke it into hidden statements, and which nearby micro-concepts you were supposed to learn from it. Treat it like an autopsy of the question: what might have triggered it, which exact lines in the book matter, and what linked ideas you should carry forward to future questions.

Q. Consider the following statements: 1. In the tropical zone, the western sections of the oceans are warmer than the eastern sections owin…

At a glance

Origin: Books + Current Affairs Fairness: Moderate fairness Books / CA: 7.5/10 · 2.5/10

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This is a classic 'Mechanism over Fact' question. It doesn't ask you to name currents but to apply the physics of wind-driven circulation (Gyres). If you understood *why* the Gulf Stream exists (Trades pushing water west, Coriolis turning it north), this was a sitter. If you only memorized lists of warm/cold currents, Statement 2 was a trap.

How this question is built

This question can be broken into the following sub-statements. Tap a statement sentence to jump into its detailed analysis.

Statement 1: In the tropical zone, are the western sections of oceans warmer than the eastern sections (sea-surface temperature distribution)?
Statement 2: Are trade winds responsible for making western sections of tropical oceans warmer than their eastern sections?
Statement 3: In the temperate zone, are the eastern sections of oceans warmer than the western sections (sea-surface temperature distribution)?
Statement 4: Do the westerly winds (westerlies) cause the eastern sections of temperate-zone oceans to be warmer than the western sections?

Statement 1

In the tropical zone, are the western sections of oceans warmer than the eastern sections (sea-surface temperature distribution)?

Origin: Direct from books Fairness: Straightforward Book-answerable

From standard books

Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Manjunath Thamminidi, PMF IAS (1st ed.) > Chapter 26: Tropical Cyclones > UPSC Mains 2014] Tropical cyclones are largely confined to the South China Sea, Bay of Bengal and Gulf of Mexico. Why? > p. 368

Presence: 5/5

“[UPSC Mains 2014] Tropical cyclones are largely confined to the South China Sea, Bay of Bengal and Gulf of Mexico. Why? Other ways to put this question: • Why does the northern hemisphere experience twice the number of tropical cyclones compared to the southern hemisphere?• The conditions favourable for tropical cyclone development are more prevalent in the Northern Hemisphere. Bring out the reasons.• The most favourable areas for tropical cyclogenesis are the vast tropical western part of the oceans of the northern hemisphere. Explain. (Tropical western ocean warm ocean currents; tropical eastern oceans cold ocean currents)”

Why this source?

Explicitly identifies the tropical western parts of oceans as warm and tropical eastern parts as cold.
Connects warm western tropical oceans to higher likelihood of tropical cyclone formation, implying a pronounced SST contrast.

Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 4: Climate of India > Possible Causes of El-Nino > p. 13

Presence: 4/5

“The appearance of El-Nino leads to a warm phase of the Pacific or negative SOI. Now, the ascending branch of the Walker Cell shifts to the central regions of the Pacific Ocean and the descending air branch to the south-eastern parts of the ocean (Fig. 4.12). As upwelling off the South American coast decreases, the sea surface temperature rises. This leads to weaker trade winds, less accumulation of warm water on the western half of the Pacific Ocean, weakening of the Equatorial under current, heavy rain and floods along the South American coast and poor monsoon or monsoon failure over the subcontinent.”

Why this source?

Describes the normal accumulation of warm water on the western half of the Pacific and how El Niño weakens that accumulation.
Explains that reduced upwelling off South America raises eastern SSTs only during El Niño, implying the default state is warmer in the west.

Statement analysis

This statement analysis shows book citations, web sources and indirect clues. The first statement (S1) is open for preview.

Statement analysis

This statement analysis shows book citations, web sources and indirect clues. The first statement (S1) is open for preview.

Statement analysis

This statement analysis shows book citations, web sources and indirect clues. The first statement (S1) is open for preview.

How to study

This tab shows concrete study steps: what to underline in books, how to map current affairs, and how to prepare for similar questions.

Micro-concepts

Discover the small, exam-centric ideas hidden in this question and where they appear in your books and notes.

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Explanation

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SIMILAR QUESTIONS

Consider the following statements : 1. In the world, the tropical deserts occur along the western margins of continents within the trade wind belt. 2. In India, the East Himalayan region gets high rainfall from north-east winds. Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?

Consider the following statements : 1. The winds which blow between 30° N and 60° S latitudes throughout the year are known as westerlies. 2. The moist air masses that cause winter rains in North-Western region of India are part of westerlies. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Consider the following statements : 1. Biodiversity hotspots are located only in tropical regions. 2. India has four biodiversity hotspots i.e., Eastern Himalayas, Western Himalayas, Western Ghats and Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?