IAS Prelims : Science and Tech (set 1)
1. Which of the following about swine flu is correct?
(a) It is a respiratory disease caused by virus that is endemic in pigs.
(b) The symptoms are the same as the seasonal flu -- cough, sore throat, and body aches.
(c) Swine flu is transmitted from person to person by inhalation or ingestion of droplets containing virus from people sneezing or coughing; it is not transmitted by eating cooked pork products.
(d) All the above.
Answer: (d)
Explanation: It is a respiratory disease caused by virus that is endemic in pigs. The symptoms are the same as the seasonal flu -- cough, sore throat, and body aches. Swine flu is transmitted from person to person by inhalation or ingestion of droplets containing virus from people sneezing or coughing; it is not transmitted by eating cooked pork products. The recent outbreak of swine flu in India is due to influenza virus H1N1.
2. What is Thai Sacbrood ?
(a) A bacterial disease in human causing harm to lungs.
(b) A bacterium in soil which enhances soil fertility.
(c) A viral disease affecting honey bee colonies.
(d) A camel type of Thailand.
Answer: (c)
Explanation: Thai Sacbrood is a viral disease affecting honey bee colonies. The disease kills bees when they are larvae and hence there is no multiplication of bee colonies.
3. Consider the following statements.
1. ‘MySecurity.in’ is a web portal that will be a platform for innovation in the field of security related web applications.
2. It will be launched by Ministry of Home affairs.
3. Any individual, company, student, NGO etc can develop and deploy on this portal such security applications which may be useful to the people.
Which of the above statements are correct?
(a) 1 and 2.
(b) 1 and3.
(c) 2 and 3.
(d) 1, 2 and 3.
Answer: (d)
Explanation: Union Home Minister Shri Rajnath Singh has decided to launch a web portal ‘MySecurity.in’ that will be a platform for innovation in the field of security related web applications. Any individual, company, student, NGO etc can develop and deploy on this portal such security applications which may be useful to the people. It will enable the general public to get access to a large number of security related applications.
The main objective of launching the web portal ‘MySecurity.in’ is to promote innovation in developing security related applications as well as offer to the people safe and trusted applications for their security needs. People will have options to choose the applications best suited for their requirements.
Application developers, meeting the basic screening criteria, will be allowed hardware and middleware resources in a cloud based environment to deploy their applications. An expert group constituted by MHA will also evaluate the application on parameters like usefulness, innovation, public acceptance, technology used, maintenance, updation, feedback mechanism etc.
4. Consider the following statements.
1. IRNSS is an Independent regional navigation satellite system being developed by India.
2. IRNSS will provide Standard Positioning Service (SPS) only.
3. IRNSS satellites revolve round the earth at the height of about 18,000 km from the earth's surface.
Which of the above statements are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 1 and3
(c) 2 and 3
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: (a)
Explanation: IRNSS is an Independent regional navigation satellite system being developed by India. It is designed to provide accurate position information service to users in India as well as the region extending up to 1500 Km from its boundary, which is its primary service area. IRNSS will provide two types of services, namely, Standard Positioning Service (SPS) which is provided to all the users and Restricted Service (RS), which is an encrypted service provided only to the authorized users. The IRNSS System is expected to provide a position accuracy of better than 20 metres in the primary service area.
The IRNSS space segment consists of seven satellites, with three satellites in geostationary orbit and four satellites in inclined geosynchronous orbit. Thus, IRNSS satellites revolve round the earth at the height of about 36,000 km from the earth's surface. Applications of IRNSS include land, sea and air navigation, disaster management, vehicle tracking and fleet management, integration with mobile phones, provision of precise time, mapping and navigation aid for hikers and travelers, visual and voice navigation for drivers. It can track people or vehicles and can be of immense use in disaster situations like the recent one in Uttarakhand. Even the Railways may find it useful to track its wagons. Apart from India, its benefits would extend to a range of 1500 km in the region.
5. Consider the following statements about NISAR
1. Its purpose is to measure the changes on earth’s land surface, ice surface, glaciers, earthquakes and volcanoes.
2. The data will be used to understand climate change and predict natural disasters.
Which of the above statements are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both
(d) None
Answer: (c)
Explanation: NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) mission will be launched in 2020. Its purpose is to measure the changes on earth’s land surface, ice surface, glaciers, earthquakes and volcanoes. The data will be used to understand climate change and predict natural disasters. NISAR will be the first satellite mission to use two different radar frequencies (L-band and S-band). Hence it can capture resolution even less than a centimeter of earth’s surface.
6. Consider the following statements about GSLV Mk3
1. It can carry up to 4500 to 5000 kg satellites.
2. It is a 4 stage vehicle.
3. It will use cryogenic engine and not solid and liquid propellants.
Which of the above statements are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 3 only
(c) 2 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: (a)
Explanation: GSLV Mk-3 is the latest version of GSLV. It can carry up to 4500 to 5000 kg satellites. Until now, India relied on EU’s Arianespace launch vehicle to send those INSAT-4 satellites. It will consist of 3 stages. 1st stage will have solid propellant, 2nd stage will have liquid propellant and 3rd stage will be cryogenic engine. GSLV MK-3 will make ISRO a competitive player in commercial launches of foreign satellites.
7. What is the purpose of India’s Mars orbiter mission?
(a) Study its surface
(b) study its atmosphere
(c) Study its mineral composition
(d) All the above
Answer: (d)
8. What is Kessler Syndrome ?
(a) A disease where human talk while sleeping.
(b) A rare viral disease causing respiratory problems.
(c) A problem found in space launch vehicles.
(d) Proliferation of space debris in low earth orbit.
Answer: d
Explanation: The Kessler syndrome (also called the Kessler effect, proposed by the NASA scientist Donald J. Kessler in 1978, is a scenario in which the density of objects in low Earth orbit (LEO) is high enough that collisions between objects could cause a cascade—each collision generating space debris which increases the likelihood of further collisions. One implication is that the distribution of debris in orbit could render space exploration, and even the use of satellites, unfeasible for many generations.
9. What is Japanese Encephalitis ?
(a) A viral disease which affects brain.
(b) A fungal disease which affects kidneys.
(c) A bacterial infection affecting elder people.
(d) An allergic reaction to dust and pollens.
Answer: (a)
Explanation: Encephalitis is an inflammation of the brain. Japanese encephalitis is a disease caused by the mosquito-borne Japanese encephalitis virus. The Japanese encephalitis virus is a virus from the family Flaviviridae. Domestic pigs and wild birds (especially herons) are reservoirs of the virus; transmission to humans may cause severe symptoms. The symptoms include high fever, headache, vomiting, confusion and, in severe cases, seizures, paralysis and coma. The disease can result in brain damage. Children and elderly people are especially at risk of developing a severe form of encephalitis. Mortality of this disease varies but is generally much higher in children.
10. Which of the following is not a life-style disease?
(a) Type 2 Diabetes
(b) Cancer
(c) Malaria
(d) Heart disease
Answer: (c)
Explanation: A disease associated with the way a person or group of people lives. Common lifestyle diseases include heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, asthma, chronic liver disease, COPD, diabetes, stroke and osteoporosis. The risk of developing these diseases depend on a lot of factors including the type of work you do, your work environment, physical activity and your susceptibility to stress. Other contributing factors include poor posture, kind of foods you eat and poor sleeping habits.
