MCQs on Sinkholes, Caves, Stalactites, and Stalagmites – World Geography
Q1. What is the primary cause of sinkhole formation?
a) Earthquakes
b) Volcanic activity
c) Dissolution of soluble rocks
d) Glacial erosion
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Correct Answer: c) Dissolution of soluble rocks
Explanation: Sinkholes form when soluble rocks like limestone, dolomite, or gypsum dissolve, causing the ground to collapse.
Q2. Which type of rock is most commonly associated with the formation of caves?
a) Granite
b) Basalt
c) Limestone
d) Sandstone
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Correct Answer: c) Limestone
Explanation: Limestone is a soluble rock that dissolves in water, creating underground passages and caves.
Q3. What are stalactites?
a) Upward-growing mineral deposits on cave floors
b) Icicle-shaped formations hanging from cave ceilings
c) Horizontal mineral deposits on cave walls
d) Large boulders found inside caves
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Correct Answer: b) Icicle-shaped formations hanging from cave ceilings
Explanation: Stalactites are formed by the slow deposition of minerals, mainly calcite, from dripping water on cave ceilings.
Q4. What are stalagmites?
a) Upward-growing mineral deposits on cave floors
b) Icicle-shaped formations hanging from cave ceilings
c) Horizontal mineral deposits on cave walls
d) Large boulders found inside caves
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Correct Answer: a) Upward-growing mineral deposits on cave floors
Explanation: Stalagmites are formed by the slow deposition of minerals, mainly calcite, from dripping water on cave floors.
Q5. When stalactites and stalagmites join together, they form a:
a) Column
b) Flowstone
c) Stratum
d) Speleothem
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Correct Answer: a) Column
Explanation: Columns are formed when stalactites and stalagmites grow and eventually meet, creating a single, continuous structure.
Q6. Which of the following is a common feature of karst topography?
a) Sinkholes
b) Sand dunes
c) Glacial moraines
d) Volcanic craters
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Correct Answer: a) Sinkholes
Explanation: Karst topography is characterized by the dissolution of soluble rocks, leading to the formation of sinkholes, caves, and underground drainage systems.
Q7. What is the process of cave formation in soluble rocks called?
a) Erosion
b) Deposition
c) Speleogenesis
d) Weathering
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Correct Answer: c) Speleogenesis
Explanation: Speleogenesis is the process of cave formation in soluble rocks, typically through the dissolution of limestone or other soluble rocks.
Q8. Which of the following is NOT a type of cave?
a) Lava tube cave
b) Sea cave
c) Solution cave
d) Tectonic cave
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Correct Answer: d) Tectonic cave
Explanation: Tectonic caves are not a recognized type of cave. The other options are types of caves formed by different processes: lava tube caves by volcanic activity, sea caves by wave action, and solution caves by the dissolution of soluble rocks.
Q9. What is the scientific study of caves called?
a) Geomorphology
b) Speleology
c) Hydrology
d) Paleontology
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Correct Answer: b) Speleology
Explanation: Speleology is the scientific study of caves, their formation, and their physical and biological characteristics.
Q10. Which of the following is a famous cave system in India?
a) Ajanta Caves
b) Carlsbad Caverns
c) Mammoth Cave
d) Waitomo Caves
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Correct Answer: a) Ajanta Caves
Explanation: The Ajanta Caves are a series of ancient rock-cut Buddhist cave monuments in India, known for their paintings and sculptures.
Q11. What is the primary agent responsible for the formation of stalactites and stalagmites?
a) Wind
b) Groundwater
c) Glaciers
d) Rivers
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Correct Answer: b) Groundwater
Explanation: Groundwater, rich in dissolved minerals like calcite, is responsible for the formation of stalactites and stalagmites as it drips and evaporates, leaving behind mineral deposits.
Q12. Which of the following is a type of sinkhole?
a) Cover-collapse sinkhole
b) Lava tube
c) Moraine
d) Drumlin
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Correct Answer: a) Cover-collapse sinkhole
Explanation: Cover-collapse sinkholes occur when the overlying soil and rock collapse into an underlying cavity, creating a sinkhole.
Q13. In which country can you find the world’s largest known cave, Hang Son Doong?
a) Thailand
b) Vietnam
c) Indonesia
d) Malaysia
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Correct Answer: b) Vietnam
Explanation: Hang Son Doong, the world’s largest known cave, is located in Vietnam.
Q14. What is the primary mineral found in stalactites and stalagmites?
a) Quartz
b) Feldspar
c) Calcite
d) Gypsum
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Correct Answer: c) Calcite
Explanation: Calcite is the primary mineral found in stalactites and stalagmites, as it is the main component of limestone, which dissolves in water and is redeposited as these formations.
Q15. What type of cave is formed by the dissolution of soluble rocks?
a) Solution cave
b) Lava tube cave
c) Sea cave
d) Glacier cave
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Correct Answer: a) Solution cave
Explanation: Solution caves are formed by the dissolution of soluble rocks, typically limestone, creating underground passages and chambers.
Q16. Which of the following features is associated with karst topography?
a) Doline
b) Sand dune
c) Glacial moraine
d) Volcanic crater
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Correct Answer: a) Doline
Explanation: Dolines are depressions or sinkholes in the ground surface, typically found in karst topography.
Q17. What is the term for a large sinkhole that has merged with other sinkholes?
a) Uvala
b) Polje
c) Doline
d) Cenote
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Correct Answer: a) Uvala
Explanation: Uvalas are large sinkholes that have merged with other sinkholes, forming a larger depression in the ground surface.
Q18. What is the term for a vertical shaft in a cave that connects the surface to an underground passage?
a) Cenote
b) Doline
c) Chimney
d) Pit
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Correct Answer: d) Pit
Explanation: Pits are vertical shafts in caves that connect the surface to an underground passage, often formed by the collapse of the cave ceiling or the dissolution of soluble rocks.
Q19. What is the term for a cave system that is partially or completely filled with water?
a) Aquifer
b) Subterranean river
c) Cenote
d) Flooded cave
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Correct Answer: d) Flooded cave
Explanation: Flooded caves are cave systems that are partially or completely filled with water, often due to a high water table or the presence of an underground river.
Q20. What is the term for a cave with an opening that is large enough for humans to enter?
a) Grotto
b) Chamber
c) Cavern
d) Speleothem
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Correct Answer: a) Grotto
Explanation: A grotto is a small cave or cave-like chamber with an opening large enough for humans to enter, often found near water sources or in coastal areas.