Daily Static MCQs for UPSC & State PSC Exams - Science and Technology (07 July 2023)

Daily Static MCQs Quiz for UPSC, IAS, UPPSC/UPPCS, MPPSC. BPSC, RPSC & All State PSC Exams

Subject : Science and Technology

1. Consider the following statements regarding nuclear fusion and nuclear fission:

1. Nuclear fusion reactions happen only at very low temperatures, say cryogenic temperature range.
2. Nuclear fusion is a carbon-free source of energy, and has negligible radiation risks.
3. Substantially more amount of energy is released in fission process than fusion.

How many of the above statements is/are correct?

(a) Only one
(b) Only two
(c) All three
(d) None

Answer: (A)

Explanation: A large amount of energy is released in both these processes, but substantially more in fusion than fission. For example, the fusion of two nuclei of a heavier isotope of hydrogen, called tritium, produces at least four times as much energy as the fission of a uranium atom which is the normal process of generating electricity in a nuclear reactor. Besides greater energy yield, fusion is also a carbon-free source of energy, and has negligible radiation risks. But fusion reactions happen only at very high temperatures, 10 times the temperature that exists at the core of the Sun, and creating such an extreme environment in a laboratory requires huge amounts of energy. Hence, only statement 2 is correct.

2. Which of the following diseases can be caused through biological warfare?

1. Smallpox
2. Botulism
3. Anthrax
4. Plague

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

(a) 1, 2 and 3 only
(b) 3 and 4 only
(c) 1, 2 and 4 only
(d) All of the above

Answer: (D)

Explanation: Bioterrorism agents are pathogenic organisms or biological toxins that are used to produce death and disease in humans, animals, or plants. Bioterrorist attacks could be caused by virtually any pathogenic microorganism. The bioterrorist agents with highest priority are the causes of anthrax (Bacillus anthracis), botulism (Clostridium botulinum), plague (Yersinia pestis), smallpox (variola major), tularaemia (Francisella tularensis) and viral haemorrhagic fevers (filoviruses and arena viruses). Hence, all are correct.

3. Consider the following statements regarding Internet of Things (IoT), sometimes seen in news:

1. It is an inter-networking of physical devices, vehicles and buildings embedded with electronics, software, sensors and network connectivity.
2. It has the ability to transfer data over a network without requiring human-to-human or human-to-computer interaction.
3. At present, it works only on Virtual Private Networks (VPNs).

How many of the above statements is/are correct?

(a) Only one
(b) Only two
(c) All three
(d) None

Answer: (B)

Explanation: IoT is a system of interrelated computing devices, mechanical and digital machines, objects, or people that are provided with unique identifiers. Thus, it can be said that it is an inter-networking of physical devices, vehicles, buildings and other items—embedded with electronics, software, sensors and network connectivity. The inter-networking has ability to transfer data over a network without requiring human-to-human or human-to-computer interaction. IoT is also dubbed as the infrastructure of the information society. It allows objects to be sensed and controlled remotely across existing network infrastructure. Hence, statement 3 is incorrect.

4. Consider the following statements:

1. X-ray fluorescence is commonly used to study the composition of materials in a non-destructive manner.
2. When the sun gives out solar flares, a large amount of X-ray radiation falls on the moon, triggering X-ray fluorescence.

Which of the above statements is/are incorrect?

(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Answer: (C)

Explanation: Scientists from Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) have mapped out the global distribution of sodium on the Moon’s surface. They used the CLASS instrument (Chandrayaan-2 large area soft X-ray spectrometer) carried by Chandrayaan-2. This is the first effort to provide a global-scale measurement of sodium on the lunar surface using X-ray fluorescent spectra. X-ray fluorescence is commonly used to study the composition of materials in a non-destructive manner. When the sun gives out solar flares, a large amount of X-ray radiation falls on the moon, triggering X-ray fluorescence. Hence, both statements are correct.

5. Wireless mobile charger is replacing USB mobile charger quite rapidly. Wireless mobile charger works on which of the following principle?

(a) Bernoulli’s principle
(b) Kirchhoff's law
(c) Principle of electromagnetic induction
(d) Pascal’s law

Answer: (C)

Explanation: Wireless charging works by transferring energy from the charger to a receiver in the back of the phone via electromagnetic induction. The charger uses an induction coil to create an alternating electromagnetic field, which the receiver coil in the phone converts back into electricity, to be fed into the battery. Hence, option (c) is correct.