Arrange the following water bodies and river in ascending order of size (smallest to largest) considering typical areal extent: (A) Brahmaputra (river), (B) Atlantic (ocean), (C) Chilka (lake), (D) Bay of Bengal (sea).

Introduction / Context:
Logical ordering by magnitude requires comparative knowledge of different geographical entities. A lake, a river (considering its surface spread at any given time), a sea (bay), and an ocean differ vastly in typical areal extent. We must sequence them from smallest to largest in a broadly accepted, everyday sense.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Entities: Chilka Lake (C), Brahmaputra River (A), Bay of Bengal (D), Atlantic Ocean (B).
• Use typical areal footprint comparisons: lake < river surface area < sea < ocean.

Concept / Approach:
Chilka is a large lagoon-lake but is still tiny compared to the surface area spanned by a major river system. A sea (bay) is a subdivision of an ocean and is vastly greater in areal extent than lakes or the narrow surface ribbon of a river. The ocean is the largest category. Therefore, the natural ascending chain is lake → river → sea → ocean.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Smallest: Chilka (C).Next: Brahmaputra (A) when considered by surface spread relative to a lake vs a full sea.Then: Bay of Bengal (D) as a large sea (bay).Largest: Atlantic (B), an ocean.Thus: (C), (A), (D), (B).

Verification / Alternative check:
Size classes are hierarchical: ocean > sea > river surface spread > lake. While river basin areas are huge, the question focuses on meaningful areal extents as water bodies, not catchment land areas, preserving the selected order.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• Placing ocean before sea, river, or lake violates magnitude classes.
• Putting the sea below the river or lake reverses natural size hierarchy.

Common Pitfalls:
Confusing river basin area with the surface area of the water body; the basin includes land, which is not relevant to this comparison.

Final Answer:
(C), (A), (D), (B)