Daily Current Affairs UPSC: News Based MCQs Quiz | 8th September 2025

Answer: (D) Belarus

Detailed Explanation

Answer: (D) None of the above

Detailed Explanation

• The Asteroid Belt is a region of rocky and metallic bodies between Mars and Jupiter, while the Kuiper Belt is a much larger, donut-shaped region of icy objects, including dwarf planets like Pluto, beyond Neptune’s orbit.
• Both are remnants from the early solar system, but the Kuiper Belt is significantly more massive and contains frozen volatiles like water and methane, whereas the Asteroid Belt primarily consists of rock and metal.

Location and Size

• Asteroid Belt: Located between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter.
• Kuiper Belt: Extends from Neptune’s orbit outwards to about 50 astronomical units (AU). It is far larger, being 20 times wider and 20 to 200 times more massive than the Asteroid Belt.

Composition

• Asteroid Belt: Composed mostly of rocky and metallic materials.
• Kuiper Belt: Contains frozen “ices” like methane, ammonia, and water, in addition to rock.

Contents

• Asteroid Belt: Contains hundreds of thousands of rocky asteroids of various sizes.
• Kuiper Belt: A cold, donut-shaped region home to dwarf planets (such as Pluto), comets, and other frozen remnants from the solar system’s formation.

Answer: (A) 1 only

Detailed Explanation

• The primary purpose of the Farakka Barrage is to divert a sufficient amount of Ganga river water into the Bhagirathi-Hooghly river system through its feeder canal to improve navigability and maintain the water levels at the Kolkata Port. This increased flow helps to flush out silt deposits, which had been hindering ship movements and threatening the port’s survival.
• The 1996 Ganges Water Treaty was a 30-year agreement between India and Bangladesh to share the flow of the Ganges River at the Farakka Barrage during the dry season, with a guaranteed 35,000 cusecs (cubic feet per second) of water for both countries on a rotating 10-day basis.
• Signed in December 1996, the treaty was designed to resolve water-sharing disputes that arose after the FarakkaBarrage was built to maintain the Kolkata port.
• The treaty is set to expire in 2026 and is currently being reviewed for renewal, with discussions focusing on adapting the agreement to current water demands, climate change impacts, and the environmental needs of the shared river systems.

Answer: (C) Both 1 and 2

Detailed Explanation

• The Ravi River originates from the Rohtang Pass in Himachal Pradesh, India, and enters the Punjab plains after forming a gorge near Naina Devi, but it does not enter India through a pass. The Sutlej River enters India through the Shipki La Pass.
• Ravi River’s Origin and Path
• Origin:
• The Ravi River originates from the northern face of the Rohtang Pass in Himachal Pradesh, India.
• Course through India:
• It flows through Himachal Pradesh, primarily the Chamba district, before entering the Punjab plains.
• Entry into Punjab:
• The river enters the Punjab plains after forming a gorge near Naina Devi, and the Bhakra Dam has been constructed at this location.
• Indo-Pak Border:
• It then forms a boundary between India and Pakistan before joining the Chenab River.

• The Sutlej (or Satluj) River originates from the southern slopes of the Kailash Mountain near Lake Mansarovar, specifically from Lake Rakshastal in Tibet, China.

Answer: (C) Both 1 and 2

Detailed Explanation

• The region of Earth’s complete shadow on the Moon is called the umbra. During a lunar eclipse, the Earth blocks direct sunlight, casting this dark, central shadow onto the Moon’s surface.
• Umbra:
• The umbra is the darkest, innermost part of the shadow where the Sun is completely blocked by the Earth.
• Penumbra:
• Surrounding the umbra is the penumbra, a lighter shadow where the Sun is only partially blocked.
• Lunar Eclipses:
• When the entire Moon passes into the Earth’s umbra, it can result in a total lunar eclipse, often giving the Moon a reddish hue

• Red light travels a longer distance than blue light because red light has a longer wavelength and is scattered less by atmospheric particles like fog, smoke, and dust, allowing it to remain visible from further away. This property is why red is used for danger signals, ensuring they are seen from a greater distance.