Step 1: Understanding groundwater hardness.
Groundwater hardness is determined by the concentration of calcium and magnesium ions dissolved in the water. These ions are the primary contributors to the hardness of water.
Step 2: Analyzing the options.
(A) Mohs' scale of hardness: This scale is used to measure the hardness of minerals, not groundwater.
(B) concentrations of calcium and magnesium: Correct — The hardness of groundwater is typically due to the concentration of these two minerals.
(C) Bernoulli equation: The Bernoulli equation is used to describe the flow of fluids and is not related to water hardness.
(D) Darcy's law: Darcy's law is used to describe the flow of water through porous media, not the hardness of water.
Step 3: Conclusion.
The correct answer is (B) concentrations of calcium and magnesium, as they directly contribute to the hardness of groundwater.
Two boreholes A and B, both inclined towards 270°, penetrate a dipping coal bed at the same point and pass through it entirely in the sub-surface as shown in the figure below. The bed dips towards 270°. The thickness of the coal bed, measured along the borehole A is 10 m and along borehole B is 8 m. The angle between the two boreholes is 20°. The orthogonal thickness \( x \) of the coal bed is ........ m. (Round off to one decimal place) 
A well-developed succession of laminated shale is bound by two volcanic ash beds that were precisely dated as shown in the schematic diagram given below. Assuming a constant sedimentation rate, the age of the fossiliferous limestone bed 65 m above the basal volcanic ash bed is ............ Ma. (Round off to nearest integer) 
The data tabulated below are for flooding events in the last 400 years.
The probability of a large flood accompanied by a glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) in 2025 is ........... \(\times 10^{-3}\). (Round off to one decimal place)
| Year | Flood Size | Magnitude rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1625 | Large | 2 |
| 1658 | Large + GLOF | 1 |
| 1692 | Small | 4 |
| 1704 | Large | 2 |
| 1767 | Large | 2 |
| 1806 | Small | 4 |
| 1872 | Large + GLOF | 1 |
| 1909 | Large | 2 |
| 1932 | Large | 2 |
| 1966 | Medium | 3 |
| 2023 | Large + GLOF | 1 |
A satellite launching vehicle is carrying a lander for Moon mapping.
As shown in the figure below, P is the position where the gravitational forces exerted by Earth and Moon on the vehicle balance out.
The distance \( P \) from the center of the Earth is ........... \(\times 10^5\) km. (Round off to two decimal places)
The isobaric temperature-composition (T–X) phase diagram given below shows the phase relation between components M and N. The equilibrium melting undergone by the rock R to generate the liquid of composition L is .............. % (In integer )