Consider the following statements :

Statement I :Scientific studies suggest that a shift is taking place in the Earth’s rotation and axis.
Statement II :Solar flares and associated coronal mass ejections bombarded the Earth’s outermost atmosphere with tremendous amount of energy.
Statement III : As the Earth’s polar ice melts, the water tends to move towards the equator.

Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?
(a)    Both Statement II and Statement III are correct and both of them explain Statement I
(b)    Both Statement II and Statement III are correct but only one of them explains Statement I
(c)    Only one of the Statements II and III is correct and that explains Statement I
(d)    Neither Statement II nor Statement III is correct

The correct answer is (b) Both Statement II and Statement III are correct but only one of them explains Statement I.

Explanation

Statement I: Correct. Scientific studies, particularly from NASA, have confirmed that the Earth’s axis of rotation is drifting (a phenomenon called polar wander). This shift has accelerated in recent decades.
Statement II: Correct.This statement is a correct scientific fact. Solar flares and Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) are powerful events that release massive amounts of energy and charged particles, which interact with the Earth’s magnetosphere and upper atmosphere (causing auroras, for example).
- Does it explain Statement I?No. These are surface/atmospheric phenomena. The Earth’s rotation and axis are governed by its mass distribution and angular momentum. A solar flare does not have the mechanism to change the mass balance of the entire planet in a way that would cause the observed axial shift.
Statement III: Correct.This is also a correct scientific fact. When ice sheets at the poles (like Greenland and Antarctica) melt, the water flows into the oceans. Due to the planet’s rotation, this redistributed water tends to move away from the poles and bulge slightly towards the equator.
- Does it explain Statement I?Yes. This is the primary scientifically accepted reason for the recent accelerated shift. This movement of mass from the poles to the equator changes the Earth’s moment of inertia, much like a figure skater moving their arms out to slow a spin. This massive redistribution of weight on the planet’s surface causes the axis of rotation to drift.

Conclusion

Statement II is a correct fact, but it is unrelated to Statement I.
Statement III is a correct fact, and it is the direct cause of the phenomenon in Statement I.

Therefore, both statements II and III are correct, but only one of them (Statement III) explains Statement I.