UPSC Quiz – 2024 : IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs Quiz 22nd March 2024

IASbaba Daily Prelims Quiz

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The Current Affairs questions are based on sources like ‘The Hindu’, ‘Indian Express’ and ‘PIB’, which are very important sources for UPSC Prelims Exam. The questions are focused on both the concepts and facts. The topics covered here are generally different from what is being covered under ‘Daily Current Affairs/Daily News Analysis (DNA) and Daily Static Quiz’ to avoid duplication. The questions would be published from Monday to Saturday before 2 PM. One should not spend more than 10 minutes on this initiative.

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Question 1 of 5

1. Question

Consider the following statements about Asbestos

Asbestos is a generic term for a group of six silicate minerals with similar but distinct properties.
It is non-flammable even at very high temperatures and is extremely flexible and durable.
India is by far the world’s second largest asbestos producing country.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

a) Only one
b) Only two
c) All three
d) None of the above

Correct

Solution (b)

Statement Analysis

Statement 1

Statement 2

Statement 3

Correct

Incorrect

· Asbestos is a generic term for a group of six silicate minerals with similar but distinct properties.

· These are generally divided into two sub-groups; serpentine and amphiboles. Serpentine asbestos (chrysotile or white asbestos) was the most commonly used type of asbestos.

Properties:

· These are resistant to heat and corrosion.

· It is non-flammable even at very high temperatures and is extremely flexible and durable.

· It has good tensile strength.

· It has low heat conductivity and high resistance to electricity.

· India’s asbestos requirement is met through imports from Russia, Kazakhstan, Brazil and China.

· Russia and Kazakhstan produce the largest volumes of asbestos in the world, totaling 700,000 metric tons and 230,000 metric tons, respectively, in 2022.

Context: Recently, the United States’ Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a comprehensive ban on all forms of the deadly carcinogen asbestos.

Incorrect

Solution (b)

Statement Analysis

Statement 1

Statement 2

Statement 3

Correct

Incorrect

· Asbestos is a generic term for a group of six silicate minerals with similar but distinct properties.

· These are generally divided into two sub-groups; serpentine and amphiboles. Serpentine asbestos (chrysotile or white asbestos) was the most commonly used type of asbestos.

Properties:

· These are resistant to heat and corrosion.

· It is non-flammable even at very high temperatures and is extremely flexible and durable.

· It has good tensile strength.

· It has low heat conductivity and high resistance to electricity.

· India’s asbestos requirement is met through imports from Russia, Kazakhstan, Brazil and China.

· Russia and Kazakhstan produce the largest volumes of asbestos in the world, totaling 700,000 metric tons and 230,000 metric tons, respectively, in 2022.

Context: Recently, the United States’ Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a comprehensive ban on all forms of the deadly carcinogen asbestos.

Question 2 of 5

2. Question

Consider the following statements about Lianas

Lianas are plants with long, flexible, climbing stems that are rooted in the ground.
Lianas are referred to as structural or mechanical parasites.
They have lower carbon sequestering capacity compared to trees.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

a) Only one
b) Only two
c) All three
d) None of the above

Correct

Solution (c)

Statement Analysis

Statement 1

Statement 2

Statement 3

Correct

· Lianas (also known as vines, climbing plants or climbers) are plants with long, flexible, climbing stems that are rooted in the ground, and usually have long dangling branches.

· They particularly thrive in disturbed forest areas — such as those affected by logging, natural treefalls, landslides — because they can quickly grow towards the forest canopy using trees as support.

· Lianas, or woody vines, have been referred to as structural or mechanical parasites. Although they are rooted in the soil, they depend upon host plants or other external objects for their mechanical support.

· Studies suggest that lianas may be detrimental to the host trees.

· Lianas use their climbing ability, resilience to climatic stress, and efficient water and nutrient usage to outcompete trees for sunlight and resources.

· They compete for sunlight in the canopy and suppress trees.

· Their lower carbon sequestering capacity compared to trees further exacerbates the threat to carbon storage.

Context: As the world grapples with rising temperatures, a groundbreaking study led by the University of the Sunshine Coast, Australia exposes an unlikely menace of Lianas.

Incorrect

Solution (c)

Statement Analysis

Statement 1

Statement 2

Statement 3

Correct

· Lianas (also known as vines, climbing plants or climbers) are plants with long, flexible, climbing stems that are rooted in the ground, and usually have long dangling branches.

· Studies suggest that lianas may be detrimental to the host trees.

· Lianas use their climbing ability, resilience to climatic stress, and efficient water and nutrient usage to outcompete trees for sunlight and resources.

· They compete for sunlight in the canopy and suppress trees.

· Their lower carbon sequestering capacity compared to trees further exacerbates the threat to carbon storage.

Context: As the world grapples with rising temperatures, a groundbreaking study led by the University of the Sunshine Coast, Australia exposes an unlikely menace of Lianas.

Question 3 of 5

3. Question

Consider the following statements about International Seabed Authority (ISA)

It is an autonomous international organization established in 1984 to enforce United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)
The ISA is responsible for granting licenses related to the exploration and exploitation of mineral resources in the international seabed.

Choose the incorrect statement:

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

Correct

Solution (a)

Statement Analysis

Statement 1

Statement 2

Incorrect

Correct

· It is an autonomous international organization established in 1994 to regulate mining and related activities in the international seabed beyond national jurisdiction, an area that includes most of the world’s oceans.

· The ISA came into existence upon the entry into force of the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which codified international law regarding territorial waters, sea lanes, and ocean resources.

· ISA is the organization through which states parties to UNCLOS organize and control all mineral-resources-related activities in the Area (the seabed and ocean floor and the subsoil thereof, beyond the limits of national jurisdiction) for the benefit of humankind as a whole.

· Headquarters: Kingston, Jamaica

· Members: As of May 2023, ISA has 169 Members, including 168 Member States and the European Union.

· The ISA is responsible for granting licenses and regulating activities related to the exploration and exploitation of mineral resources in the international seabed.

· It ensures that these activities are carried out in a manner that protects the marine environment and promotes the equitable and efficient utilization of resources.

Context: The Council of the International Seabed Authority (ISA) commenced the first part of its 29th session recently.

Incorrect

Solution (a)

Statement Analysis

Statement 1

Statement 2

Incorrect

Correct

· Headquarters: Kingston, Jamaica

· Members: As of May 2023, ISA has 169 Members, including 168 Member States and the European Union.

· The ISA is responsible for granting licenses and regulating activities related to the exploration and exploitation of mineral resources in the international seabed.

· It ensures that these activities are carried out in a manner that protects the marine environment and promotes the equitable and efficient utilization of resources.

Context: The Council of the International Seabed Authority (ISA) commenced the first part of its 29th session recently.

Question 4 of 5

4. Question

Consider the following statements about Global E-waste Monitor 2024

It is an annual report published by World Economic Forum and UNEP
According to 2024 report, India and China generated the highest amount of e-waste per capita in 2022

Choose the correct statement:

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

Correct

Solution (d)

Statement Analysis

Statement 1

Statement 2

Incorrect

· It provides the most up-to-date overview of global e-waste data, statistics, and progress in policy and regulation since 2014.

· Prepared by – Global E-waste Statistics Partnership (GESP) with the support from Fondation Carmignac, a corporate foundation.

· E-waste production – A record 62 million tonnes of e-waste was produced in 2022, 82% up from 2010.

· It will rise another 32% to 82 million tonnes in 2030.

· Just 1% of rare earth element demand is met by e-waste recycling.

· Recycled waste – Less than one quarter (22.3%) of the year’s e-waste mass was documented as having been properly collected and recycled in 2022.

· Among regions, Europe has the highest rate of documented formal collection and recycling of e-waste at 42.8% while Africa generates the lowest rates of e-waste but struggles to recycle it.

· Per-capita e-waste – Europe (17.6 kg), Oceania (16.1 kg) and the Americas (14.1 kg) generated the highest amount of e-waste per capita in 2022.

Context: According to the Global E-waste Monitor (GEM), the world’s generation of electronic waste is rising five times faster than documented e-waste recycling.

Incorrect

Solution (d)

Statement Analysis

Statement 1

Statement 2

Incorrect

· It provides the most up-to-date overview of global e-waste data, statistics, and progress in policy and regulation since 2014.

· Prepared by – Global E-waste Statistics Partnership (GESP) with the support from Fondation Carmignac, a corporate foundation.

· E-waste production – A record 62 million tonnes of e-waste was produced in 2022, 82% up from 2010.

· It will rise another 32% to 82 million tonnes in 2030.

· Just 1% of rare earth element demand is met by e-waste recycling.

· Recycled waste – Less than one quarter (22.3%) of the year’s e-waste mass was documented as having been properly collected and recycled in 2022.

· Among regions, Europe has the highest rate of documented formal collection and recycling of e-waste at 42.8% while Africa generates the lowest rates of e-waste but struggles to recycle it.

· Per-capita e-waste – Europe (17.6 kg), Oceania (16.1 kg) and the Americas (14.1 kg) generated the highest amount of e-waste per capita in 2022.

Context: According to the Global E-waste Monitor (GEM), the world’s generation of electronic waste is rising five times faster than documented e-waste recycling.

Question 5 of 5

5. Question

Which of the following statement(s) is associated with the term Afar Triangle recently seen in news?

a) A fault in the Great Rift Valley in the Horn of Africa
b) The western part of the North Atlantic Ocean where many ships and planes have vanished
c) The region in south-east Asia that provides ideal conditons for opium cultivation
d) The region beyond the Kuiper Belt where two giant black holes are merging

Correct

Solution (a)

Option a

Correct

· East Africa is home to Africa’s longest geological feature, the Great Rift Valley.

· The northernmost part of the Great Rift Valley features a large geological depression known as the Afar Triangle, located in the Horn of Africa.

· Other names – Afar Triangle is also known as the Afar Depression, or the Danakil Depression, or the Denakil Plain.

· Danakil – The depression in northeastern Ethiopia is one of the world’s hottest places, as well as one of its lowest, at 100 metres below sea level.

· The Danakil plain was formed by the evaporation of an inland water body.

· All the water entering Danakil evaporates, and no streams flow out from its extreme environment.

· It is covered with more than 10 lakh tonnes of salt.

· Ethnic – It is named after the Afar Ethnic Group who inhabit the region, while the term triangle represents the triangular shape of the geological depression when viewed on a topographical map.

· Geologically Active – The Afar Triangle is East Africa’s most geologically active region and is made up of active volcanoes, salt lakes, and lava lakes.

· Converging Plates – The Afar Triangle is a geological depression where three tectonic plates, the Nubian, Somali, and Arabian plates, converge.

· The rifting process occurring here is a result of the tectonic plates slowly moving apart, a phenomenon that has been taking place for millions of years.

· Afar formation – In 2005, a 35-mile-long rift opened up in the Ethiopian desert, signaling the ongoing separation of the African continent.

· This rift is the surface expression of deep-seated tectonic forces at work, as the Somali plate moves away from the Nubian plate, stretching and thinning the Earth’s crust.

· Geologists predict that in 5 to 10 million years, the tectonic movement will eventually split the African continent into two, creating a new ocean basin.

· New Ocean – This new body of water would be the result of the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden flooding over the Afar region and into the East African Rift Valley.

· Consequently, this part of East Africa would evolve into its own distinct continent.

· The formation of a new ocean is a complex and lengthy process that involves various stages of rifting, from continental breakup to the development of a mid-ocean ridge.

Context: Geologists have found a fault that can create world’s sixth ocean.