Indian and World Geography forms a core, high-weightage component of both the Preliminary and Main examinations of the UPSC Civil Services Examination. This domain encompasses physical geography (geomorphology, climatology, oceanography, and biogeography), human and economic geography, and comprehensive regional geography spanning India and the globe. Mastery of spatial patterns, geological formations, climatic phenomena, and resource distributions is crucial for civil service aspirants. Practicing structured multiple-choice questions helps candidates develop spatial reasoning, analytical map-reading skills, and precise factual recall required for competitive screening success.
1. Which of the following mountain ranges separates the Indo-Gangetic plain from the Deccan Plateau?
Correct Answer: b) Vindhya and Satpura ranges
Explanation:
The Vindhya and Satpura mountain ranges run parallel to each other across central India, forming a major geographic divide between the northern Indo-Gangetic plain and the southern Deccan Plateau.
2. What is the primary origin of the Western Disturbances that bring winter rainfall to the northern plains of India?
Correct Answer: b) Mediterranean region
Explanation:
Western Disturbances are extratropical storms originating in the Mediterranean region that bring sudden winter rain and snow to the northwestern parts of the Indian subcontinent.
3. Which of the following rivers is an example of an antecedent drainage system in India?
Correct Answer: c) Brahmaputra
Explanation:
Antecedent rivers are those that existed before the upheaval of the Himalayas and cut through the mountain ranges as they rose. Rivers like the Indus, Sutlej, and Brahmaputra are classic examples.
4. Which latitude passes roughly through the middle of India, dividing the country into tropical and subtropical zones?
Correct Answer: b) Tropic of Cancer
Explanation:
The Tropic of Cancer (23.30° N) passes through eight Indian states, dividing the country into two distinct climatic zones: tropical to the south and subtropical/temperate to the north.
5. Which type of soil covers the largest area of the Indian landmass?
Correct Answer: c) Alluvial soil
Explanation:
Alluvial soils are the most widespread and fertile soils in India, covering about 43% of the total land area, primarily deposited by river systems in the northern plains and river valleys.
6. The 'Palghat Gap' is a low mountain pass located in which of the following hill ranges?
Correct Answer: b) Western Ghats
Explanation:
The Palghat Gap is a major break in the Western Ghats mountain chain, located between the Nilgiri Hills to the north and the Anaimalai Hills to the south.
7. Which of the following island groups of India is separated by the Ten Degree Channel?
Correct Answer: a) Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Explanation:
The Ten Degree Channel separates the Andaman group of islands in the north from the Nicobar group of islands in the south in the Bay of Bengal.
8. What is the primary cause of the summer monsoon rainfall in India?
Correct Answer: b) Thermal low pressure over the Indian landmass drawing moisture-laden winds from the Indian Ocean
Explanation:
Intense heating of the Indian subcontinent during summer creates a low-pressure trough that attracts high-pressure moisture-laden winds blowing across the Indian Ocean.
9. Which of the following rivers flows into the Arabian Sea rather than the Bay of Bengal?
Correct Answer: c) Tapi
Explanation:
The Narmada and Tapi are major peninsular rivers that flow westward through rift valleys directly into the Arabian Sea, unlike most other peninsular rivers that flow eastward.
10. Which of the following layers of the atmosphere is characterized by the presence of the ozone layer?
Correct Answer: b) Stratosphere
Explanation:
The stratosphere, situated above the troposphere, contains the ozone layer which absorbs harmful ultraviolet radiation from the sun.
11. The 'Ring of Fire' encircling the Pacific Ocean is best known for:
Correct Answer: b) Frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions
Explanation:
The Pacific Ring of Fire is a major area in the basin of the Pacific Ocean where a large number of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions occur due to plate tectonic boundaries.
12. Which ocean current is a cold current located off the western coast of South America?
Correct Answer: b) Peru (Humboldt) Current
Explanation:
The Peru Current (or Humboldt Current) is a cold, low-salinity ocean current that flows north along the western coast of South America.
13. What is the term used for the upper limit of the mantle, marking the boundary between the crust and the mantle?
Correct Answer: b) Mohorovicic (Moho) discontinuity
Explanation:
The Moho discontinuity is the boundary between the Earth's crust and the solid mantle, characterized by a sharp increase in seismic wave velocities.
14. Which of the following types of rainfall is caused by the rising of warm, moisture-laden air through convection?
Correct Answer: c) Convectional rainfall
Explanation:
Convectional rainfall occurs when the sun heats the earth's surface, causing air to rise, cool, and condense into cumulus clouds, often resulting in heavy afternoon downpours.
15. Which of the following is the highest peak in the Eastern Ghats of India?
Correct Answer: c) Jindhagada Peak
Explanation:
Jindhagada Peak, located in the Araku Valley of Andhra Pradesh, is recognized as the highest peak in the Eastern Ghats.
16. The 'Sunderbans', the largest mangrove forest in the world, is situated in the delta of which river system?
Correct Answer: b) Ganga-Brahmaputra
Explanation:
The Sunderbans delta is formed by the combined sediment deposition of the Ganga, Brahmaputra, and Meghna rivers across India and Bangladesh.
17. Which strait separates Asia from North America across the Bering Sea?
Correct Answer: b) Bering Strait
Explanation:
The Bering Strait is a sea strait between Cape Dezhnev, Russia (the easternmost point of Asia) and Cape Prince of Wales, Alaska (the westernmost point of North America).
18. What is the primary reason for the formation of coral reefs in tropical shallow marine waters?
Correct Answer: b) Warm water temperatures, clear shallow depths, and symbiotic algae (zooxanthellae)
Explanation:
Coral polyps thrive in warm, clear, shallow tropical waters where sunlight penetrates easily to support photosynthetic zooxanthellae.
19. Which of the following countries shares the longest land border with India?
Correct Answer: c) Bangladesh
Explanation:
India shares its longest land boundary with Bangladesh, measuring approximately 4,096 kilometers.
20. The phenomenon of 'El Nino' is associated with the abnormal warming of surface waters in which ocean?
Correct Answer: c) Pacific Ocean
Explanation:
El Nino is characterized by the abnormal warming of surface sea water in the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean, affecting global weather patterns including Indian monsoons.
21. Which of the following mountain passes connects India with Tibet (China) and is located in Sikkim?
Correct Answer: b) Nathu La
Explanation:
Nathu La is a mountain pass in the Himalayas connecting the Indian state of Sikkim with China's Tibet Autonomous Region.
22. What type of vegetation is typically found in regions with heavy annual rainfall exceeding 200 cm and high temperatures?
Correct Answer: a) Tropical Evergreen Forests
Explanation:
Tropical evergreen forests thrive in areas receiving more than 200 cm of rainfall with a short dry season, featuring tall, dense canopy trees like mahogany and ebony.
23. Which of the following planets in our solar system has the highest density?
Correct Answer: c) Earth
Explanation:
Earth is the densest planet in the solar system due to its heavy iron-nickel core and rocky mantle composition.
24. The 'Great Dividing Range' is a major mountain system located in which country?
Correct Answer: b) Australia
Explanation:
The Great Dividing Range is Australia's most substantial mountain range and the third-longest land-based range in the world.
25. Which of the following is a landlocked sea situated between Europe and Asia?
Correct Answer: c) Caspian Sea
Explanation:
The Caspian Sea is the world's largest inland body of water by area, classified legally and geographically as a landlocked sea or saltwater lake.
26. What is the primary factor responsible for the deflection of winds and ocean currents to the right in the Northern Hemisphere?
Correct Answer: b) Coriolis force caused by Earth's rotation
Explanation:
The Coriolis force, resulting from the rotation of the Earth on its axis, deflects moving objects and winds to the right in the Northern Hemisphere and to the left in the Southern Hemisphere.
27. Which of the following is the deepest oceanic trench in the world?
Correct Answer: c) Mariana Trench
Explanation:
Located in the western Pacific Ocean, the Mariana Trench contains the Challenger Deep, which is the deepest known point in Earth's oceans.
28. Which Indian state has the longest coastline along the Arabian Sea/Bay of Bengal?
Correct Answer: c) Gujarat
Explanation:
Gujarat has the longest coastline among all Indian states, stretching approximately 1,600 kilometers along the western coast.
29. The 'Lushai Hills' (or Blue Mountains) are situated in which region of India?
Correct Answer: b) North-East India (Mizoram/Tripura border)
Explanation:
The Lushai Hills are a mountain range located in the southernmost part of Mizoram and extending into Tripura, forming part of the Purvanchal Himalayan ranges.
30. What is 'Regur' soil otherwise commonly known as in India?
Correct Answer: b) Black cotton soil
Explanation:
Regur soil is another name for black soil, which is highly moisture-retentive, rich in clay, and ideal for growing cotton.
31. Which of the following imaginary lines passes through the Greenwich Observatory near London?
Correct Answer: b) Prime Meridian (0° Longitude)
Explanation:
The Prime Meridian, defined as 0° longitude, passes through the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, London, serving as the baseline for global time zones.
32. The 'Atacama Desert', considered one of the driest places on Earth, is located in:
Correct Answer: a) Chile, South America
Explanation:
The Atacama Desert is a plateau in South America covering a strip of land on the Pacific coast, bounded by the Andes mountains, famed for its extreme aridity.
33. Which river forms the famous 'Jonha Falls' and 'Hundru Falls' as it descends the Chota Nagpur Plateau?
Correct Answer: b) Subarnarekha River
Explanation:
The Subarnarekha River and its tributaries form spectacular waterfalls like Hundru Falls and Jonha Falls as they flow across the rugged Chota Nagpur plateau.
34. What is the term for a volcanic cone formed entirely of loose pyroclastic fragments and cinder around a volcanic vent?
Correct Answer: b) Cinder cone volcano
Explanation:
Cinder cones are steep, conical hills of loose volcanic fragments, such as volcanic clinkers or cinder, built around a single volcanic vent.
35. Which of the following strait separates Europe from Africa?
Correct Answer: b) Strait of Gibraltar
Explanation:
The Strait of Gibraltar connects the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea and separates Spain (Europe) from Morocco (Africa).
36. Which Indian state has the highest percentage of its geographical area under forest cover as per recent forest surveys?
Correct Answer: c) Mizoram
Explanation:
Mizoram consistently records the highest percentage of forest cover relative to its total geographical area among all Indian states.
37. What is the primary mineral composition of the Earth's continental crust?
Correct Answer: c) Silica and Aluminum (Sial)
Explanation:
The upper continental crust is predominantly composed of silica and aluminum, often referred to as 'Sial', whereas the oceanic crust is richer in silica and magnesium ('Sima').
38. Which of the following countries does NOT border the Mediterranean Sea?
Correct Answer: c) Switzerland
Explanation:
Switzerland is a landlocked country in Central Europe surrounded by Italy, France, Germany, Austria, and Liechtenstein, with no coastline along the Mediterranean.
39. The 'Lonar Lake' in Maharashtra is famous for its unique origin as a:
Correct Answer: b) Meteorite impact crater in basaltic rock
Explanation:
Lonar Lake is a saline, soda lake created by a hypervelocity meteorite impact into basaltic bedrock during the Pleistocene epoch.
40. What is the name of the wind that blows down the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains in North America, bringing warm and dry conditions?
Correct Answer: b) Chinook
Explanation:
Chinook winds are warm, dry föhn winds that blow down the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains, often rapidly melting snow cover in winter.
41. Which of the following major rivers of India forms an estuary instead of a delta at its mouth?
Correct Answer: c) Narmada
Explanation:
Rivers flowing through rift valleys, such as the Narmada and Tapi, discharge into the Arabian Sea through estuaries rather than depositing sediment to form deltas.
42. The 'Pampas' region, known for extensive wheat cultivation and cattle ranching, is located in:
Correct Answer: b) Argentina, South America
Explanation:
The Pampas are fertile South American lowlands covering more than 750,000 square kilometres, primarily located in Argentina, known for agriculture and livestock.
43. Which of the following is the deepest lake in the world, holding roughly 20% of the world's unfrozen surface freshwater?
Correct Answer: c) Lake Baikal
Explanation:
Lake Baikal, located in Siberia, Russia, is the oldest and deepest freshwater lake in the world by volume.
44. What causes the high tides experienced twice a day in coastal oceans?
Correct Answer: b) Gravitational pull exerted by the Moon and the Sun on Earth's water bodies
Explanation:
Tides are primarily generated by the differential gravitational pull exerted by the Moon and, to a lesser extent, the Sun, coupled with Earth's rotation.
45. Which of the following hill stations is NOT located in the Lesser Himalayas (Himachal or Uttarakhand)?
Correct Answer: c) Udhagamandalam (Ooty)
Explanation:
Ooty (Udhagamandalam) is a hill station located in the Nilgiri Hills of the Western Ghats in southern India, not in the Himalayas.
46. What type of rocks are formed from the cooling and solidification of molten magma or lava?
Correct Answer: c) Igneous rocks
Explanation:
Igneous rocks are formed when magma (underground) or lava (on the surface) cools and solidifies into crystalline mineral structures.
47. Which strait connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden?
Correct Answer: b) Bab-el-Mandeb
Explanation:
Bab-el-Mandeb is a strait located between the Horn of Africa and the Middle East, connecting the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and Arabian Sea.
48. Which of the following is the highest waterfall in India?
Correct Answer: b) Kunchikal Falls
Explanation:
Kunchikal Falls, formed by the Varahi river in Karnataka, is widely accepted as the highest tiered waterfall in India, dropping approximately 455 meters.
49. The 'Savanna' biome is primarily characterized by:
Correct Answer: b) Grasslands with scattered individual trees, found in tropical and subtropical regions
Explanation:
Savannas are mixed woodland-grassland ecosystems characterized by the trees being sufficiently widely spaced so that the canopy does not close.
50. Which canal links the Mediterranean Sea directly with the Red Sea, eliminating the need to circumnavigate Africa?
Correct Answer: b) Suez Canal
Explanation:
The artificial sea-level Suez Canal in Egypt connects the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea, providing a vital maritime trade route between Europe and Asia.
51. Which of the following rivers is known as the 'Sorrow of Bihar' due to its devastating floods caused by frequent course changes?
Correct Answer: b) Kosi River
Explanation:
The Kosi River originates in Tibet and flows through Nepal and Bihar, notorious for shifting its course westward and causing massive catastrophic floods.
52. What is the primary economic activity associated with the Mediterranean climate regions?
Correct Answer: b) Citrus fruit cultivation, viticulture (grapes), and olive farming
Explanation:
Mediterranean climates, characterized by warm dry summers and mild wet winters, are ideal for specialized agriculture such as citrus fruits, olives, and grapes (wine production).
53. Which tectonic plate is subducting beneath the South American plate to form the Andes mountain range?
Correct Answer: b) Nazca Plate
Explanation:
The Andes mountain range was formed by the ongoing subduction of the oceanic Nazca Plate beneath the continental South American Plate.
54. What are 'Barchans' in geomorphology?
Correct Answer: b) Crescent-shaped sand dunes formed by wind action in desert environments
Explanation:
Barchans are crescent-shaped sand dunes with horns pointing downwind, typically formed in areas with unidirectional wind and limited sand supply.
55. Which of the following states in India has the largest reserves of crude oil and petroleum?
Correct Answer: a) Maharashtra
Explanation:
Maharashtra offshore fields, specifically Bombay High located in the Arabian Sea off the coast of Mumbai, account for the largest share of India's domestic crude oil production.
56. The 'Great Barrier Reef' runs parallel to the coast of which Australian state?
Correct Answer: b) Queensland
Explanation:
The Great Barrier Reef, the world's largest coral reef system, is located off the coast of Queensland in northeastern Australia.
57. Which of the following mountain ranges is the oldest fold mountain system in India?
Correct Answer: c) Aravalli Range
Explanation:
The Aravalli Range is one of the oldest fold mountain ranges in the world, stretching across northwestern India from Gujarat to Delhi.
58. What is the term given to the point on the Earth's surface directly above the focus of an earthquake?
Correct Answer: b) Epicenter
Explanation:
The epicenter is the point on the Earth's surface directly above the hypocenter (or focus), where an earthquake originates underground.
59. Which of the following oceans is shaped roughly like the letter 'S'?
Correct Answer: c) Atlantic Ocean
Explanation:
The Atlantic Ocean is characterized by its distinct elongated 'S' shape, separating the Americas from Europe and Africa.
60. Which river basin in India supports the highest human population density?
Correct Answer: b) Ganga Basin
Explanation:
The Ganga river basin features extremely fertile alluvial soils and perennial water availability, supporting one of the highest human population densities on earth.
61. What are 'Katabatic winds'?
Correct Answer: b) Drainage winds that carry high-density cold air down a slope under the force of gravity
Explanation:
Katabatic winds (or gravity winds) occur when cold, dense air flows downward from high elevations, such as ice sheets or mountain peaks, driven by gravity.
62. Which of the following is the world's largest island by land area?
Correct Answer: c) Greenland
Explanation:
Greenland, located between the Arctic and Atlantic oceans, is the world's largest non-continental island.
63. What type of climate is characterized by hot, wet summers and cool, dry winters, heavily influenced by seasonal wind reversals?
Correct Answer: c) Monsoon climate
Explanation:
The tropical monsoon climate is defined by distinct seasonal reversals of wind direction and heavy precipitation concentrated during summer months.
64. Which of the following passes links Lhasa with Kathmandu across the Himalayas?
Correct Answer: c) Kodari (Zhangmu) Pass
Explanation:
The Kodari pass on the Araniko Highway connects Nepal with Tibet (China), serving as an important trans-Himalayan trade and transit route.
65. The 'Dogger Bank', famous as one of the world's richest fishing grounds, is located in which sea?
Correct Answer: a) North Sea
Explanation:
Dogger Bank is a large sandbank in a shallow area of the North Sea off the east coast of England, providing ideal nutrient-rich conditions for commercial fisheries.
66. Which state in India is the leading producer of mica?
Correct Answer: b) Andhra Pradesh
Explanation:
Andhra Pradesh is the leading producer of mica in India, followed by Rajasthan and Jharkhand, contributing significantly to the mineral's output from the Nellore mica belt.
67. What is the name of the supercontinent that existed during the late Paleozoic and early Mesozoic eras, comprising all major landmasses before breaking apart?
Correct Answer: c) Pangaea
Explanation:
Pangaea was a supercontinent that assembled during the late Paleozoic era and began to break apart about 175 million years ago into Laurasia and Gondwana.
68. Which of the following islands is situated closest to the equator?
Correct Answer: b) Maldives
Explanation:
The island nation of Maldives lies just south-west of India, straddling the equator in the Indian Ocean.
69. What is the primary mineral composition of the Earth's core?
Correct Answer: c) Iron and Nickel (Nife)
Explanation:
The Earth's core is composed primarily of heavy metals, predominantly iron and nickel, often referred to by the geochemical abbreviation Nife.
70. Which of the following countries is crossed by both the Equator and the Tropic of Capricorn?
Correct Answer: a) Brazil
Explanation:
Brazil is crossed in the north by the Equator and in the south by the Tropic of Capricorn, making it unique among South American nations.
71. The 'Karakoram Highway', one of the highest paved international roads in the world, connects Pakistan with which country?
Correct Answer: b) China
Explanation:
The Karakoram Highway connects Pakistan (Punjab province) to China (Xinjiang region) through the Khunjerab Pass across the Karakoram mountain range.
72. Which soil type is formed under conditions of high temperature and heavy rainfall with alternate wet and dry periods, causing intense leaching?
Correct Answer: c) Laterite soil
Explanation:
Laterite soils develop in tropical regions with heavy seasonal rainfall and high temperatures where intense leaching washes away silica, leaving iron and aluminum oxides.
73. What is the term for a steep-sided, narrow, coastal valley that was originally carved by glaciers and subsequently flooded by the sea?
Correct Answer: b) Fjord
Explanation:
A fjord is a long, deep, narrow body of water that reaches far inland, formed when a glacier retreats and seawater floods the glaciated U-shaped valley.
74. Which of the following cities in India is located closest to the Standard Meridian (82.5° E)?
Correct Answer: c) Mirzapur
Explanation:
India's Standard Meridian (82.5° E longitude) passes near Mirzapur in Uttar Pradesh, serving as the baseline for Indian Standard Time (IST).
75. The 'Great Basin Desert' is a prominent cold desert located in which country?
Correct Answer: a) United States
Explanation:
The Great Basin Desert is the largest US desert, spanning much of the Intermountain West between the Sierra Nevada and the Rocky Mountains.
76. Which of the following rivers originates near the Mansarovar Lake in Tibet and flows through Ladakh into Pakistan?
Correct Answer: c) Indus
Explanation:
The Indus River originates in the Tibetan Plateau near Lake Mansarovar, flows northwest through Ladakh, and enters Pakistan to empty into the Arabian Sea.
77. What is the term for the flat, sediment-covered floor of the deep ocean basins, typically lying between 4,000 and 6,000 meters below sea level?
Correct Answer: b) Abyssal plain
Explanation:
Abyssal plains are vast, flat regions on the deep ocean floor situated between continental rises and mid-oceanic ridges.
78. Which of the following is the largest peninsula in the world?
Correct Answer: b) Arabian Peninsula
Explanation:
The Arabian Peninsula, situated in Southwest Asia, is the world's largest peninsula, covering approximately 3.2 million square kilometers.
79. Which type of clouds are typically associated with heavy thunderstorms, lightning, and torrential rain?
Correct Answer: b) Cumulonimbus clouds
Explanation:
Cumulonimbus clouds are dense, towering vertical clouds associated with thunderstorms and atmospheric instability, often producing heavy rain and hail.
80. Which of the following countries does NOT share a border with Myanmar?
Correct Answer: b) Vietnam
Explanation:
Myanmar is bordered by India, Bangladesh, China, Laos, and Thailand. Vietnam is located further east across Indochina and does not share a border with Myanmar.
81. What causes the phenomenon of 'Aurora Borealis' (Northern Lights) in the polar skies?
Correct Answer: b) Interaction of solar wind charged particles with gases in Earth's upper atmosphere (ionosphere)
Explanation:
Aurora Borealis occurs when charged particles from the sun collide with atmospheric gases like oxygen and nitrogen in the high-latitude ionosphere.
82. Which mountain pass links the Kullu Valley with Lahaul and Spiti valleys in Himachal Pradesh?
Correct Answer: a) Rohtang Pass
Explanation:
Rohtang Pass is a high mountain pass on the eastern Pir Panjal range of the Himalayas, connecting the Kullu valley with the Lahaul and Spiti valleys of Himachal Pradesh.
83. Which of the following is the world's largest inland sea or saltwater lake by surface area?
Correct Answer: b) Caspian Sea
Explanation:
The Caspian Sea is classified as the world's largest inland water body by area, bounded by Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Turkmenistan.
84. What is the primary factor determining the altitudinal zonation of vegetation in mountainous regions like the Himalayas?
Correct Answer: b) Decrease in temperature with increasing altitude (lapse rate)
Explanation:
As altitude increases, air temperature drops significantly (normal lapse rate), creating distinct ecological zones ranging from tropical forests at the base to alpine tundra and snowcaps at high peaks.
85. Which of the following islands of Japan is the largest in geographic area and population?
Correct Answer: b) Honshu
Explanation:
Honshu is the main and largest island of Japan, home to major cities like Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto.
86. What is the term for a prolonged period of abnormally low rainfall leading to a severe water shortage in a region?
Correct Answer: b) Drought
Explanation:
A drought is an extended period of deficient precipitation resulting in water scarcity, crop damage, and environmental stress.
87. Which of the following passes connects Mumbai and Pune across the Western Ghats?
Correct Answer: b) Bhor Ghat
Explanation:
Bhor Ghat is a mountain pass located on the crest of the Western Ghats between Karjat and Khandala, carrying the road and railway line between Mumbai and Pune.
88. Which ocean is bounded by Asia, Australia, and the Americas, and contains the deepest oceanic trenches?
Correct Answer: c) Pacific Ocean
Explanation:
The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's oceanic divisions, spanning from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south.
89. What is the primary mineral extracted from the Khetri mines in Rajasthan?
Correct Answer: b) Copper
Explanation:
Khetri in Jhunjhunu district, Rajasthan, is renowned for its extensive copper mining and smelting operations managed by Hindustan Copper Limited.
90. Which type of seismic waves are the fastest-moving body waves that can travel through both solid rock and liquid layers of the Earth?
Correct Answer: b) P-waves (Primary waves)
Explanation:
Primary (P) waves are compressional body waves that travel faster than other seismic waves and can propagate through both solid and liquid media.
