Consider the following statements :
Statement I :
The amount of dust particles in the atmosphere is more in subtropical and temperate areas than in equatorial and polar regions.
Statement II :
Subtropical and temperate areas have less dry winds.
Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?
Show answer
Answer: C. Statement I is correct: dust is highest in subtropical and temperate belts, where dry winds pick up and carry fine particles from deserts and dry lands; equatorial and polar regions have less. Statement II is wrong: these belts actually have MORE dry winds, which is the reason for the extra dust. So Statement I is correct but Statement II is not.
Watch for: Statement II flips the real cause: it is the presence of dry winds, not their absence, that loads these belts with dust.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. Wrong: Statement II is false, so it cannot explain Statement I.
- B. Wrong: Statement II is false, so both cannot be correct.
- D. Wrong: Statement I is true and Statement II is false, not the other way round.
Source to check: NCERT Class XI, Fundamentals of Physical Geography, chapter 'Composition and Structure of Atmosphere' (Dust Particles).
Answer from the official UPSC key. Written and fact-checked by AI against the official key. Spotted a mistake? Report it.