GK Express of 03/02/2026

🚆 GK Express 2.0

Discipline • Clarity • Competitive Preparation

TODAY’S FOCUS → WORLD AND INDIAN PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY

🧠 Thought of the Day

“Civilization exists by geological consent, subject to change without notice.”

— Will Durant

📰 Current Affairs (Geography)

1. 
   Lithium Discovery in India: The Geological Survey of India (GSI) has established significant lithium-inferred resources (G3) in the Salal-Haimana area of Reasi District, Jammu & Kashmir. This is crucial for India's EV ambition.
2. International Wetlands Day - 2026: Every year on 2 February, people around the globe come together to celebrate World Wetlands Day — an international moment to recognize and raise awareness about some of the planet’s most vital ecosystems: our freshwater and coastal wetlands.
   Wetlands are among the most productive ecosystems on Earth.
3. Bharat Parv 2026:
   
   Bharat Parv 2026, a six-day national cultural and tourism festival, was organised by the Ministry of Tourism from 26th–31st January 2026 at the Red Fort, New Delhi, as part of the Republic Day celebrations.

📘 Concept of the Day

Subject: PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY

Concept: Plate Tectonics Theory

The Earth's outer shell (Lithosphere) is divided into several plates that glide over the mantle. The interaction of these plates creates major landforms.

1. Divergent Boundary: Plates move apart. Magma rises to form new crust. (e.g., Mid-Atlantic Ridge).

2. Convergent Boundary: Plates collide. One may subduct under the other. Forms mountains and volcanoes. (e.g., Himalayas, Andes).

3. Transform Boundary: Plates slide past each other horizontally. Causes earthquakes but no volcanoes. (e.g., San Andreas Fault).

🤔 Think About This

Tap a question to reveal the answer

1. Why are tropical cyclones not formed at the Equator?

Explanation:
Tropical cyclones require a significant Coriolis Force to create the rotation of the storm. The Coriolis Force is zero at the Equator and increases towards the poles. Without this force, the low-pressure center cannot develop into a cyclonic vortex (circular storm), even if the water is warm enough. Hence, cyclones rarely form within 5 degrees latitude of the equator.

2. Differentiate between Himalayan Rivers and Peninsular Rivers.

Himalayan Rivers:
• Nature: Perennial (flow all year) as they are fed by both glaciers and rain.
• Course: Long courses, performing intense erosion in upper reaches (forming gorges).
• Example: Ganga, Indus, Brahmaputra.

Peninsular Rivers:
• Nature: Seasonal (rain-fed). They may dry up in summer.
• Course: Shorter, fixed courses with adjusted valleys.
• Example: Godavari, Krishna, Kaveri.

📝 Let’s Write an Exam

Q.1 (UPSC PYQ)
Variations in the length of daytime and nighttime from season to season are due to:

A) The earth’s rotation on its axis

B) The earth’s revolution around the sun in an elliptical manner

C) Latitudinal position of the place

D) Revolution of the earth on a tilted axis

Answer: D
• The revolution of the Earth around the Sun combined with the tilt of the Earth's axis (23.5 degrees) causes the variation in the length of day and night.
• If the axis were not tilted, day and night would be equal (12 hours) everywhere throughout the year.

Q.2 (UPSC PYQ)
Which one of the following is the correct sequence of the given Indian cities in the order of their sun setting?

A) Kohima, Imphal, New Delhi, Jodhpur

B) Kohima, Imphal, Jodhpur, New Delhi

C) Imphal, Kohima, New Delhi, Jodhpur

D) Imphal, Kohima, Jodhpur, New Delhi

Answer: A (Kohima -> Imphal -> New Delhi -> Jodhpur)
• The sun sets earlier in the East and later in the West.
• Order from East to West: Kohima (Nagaland) is furthest East, followed by Imphal (Manipur), then New Delhi, and finally Jodhpur (Rajasthan) in the West.

✍️ Answer These Questions

1. Which channel separates the Andaman Islands from the Nicobar Islands?

2. Which layer of the atmosphere contains the Ozone layer?

GK Express @ Juniors Hostel
Curated with discipline by Nikhil Dasari