[DAY 47] 60 DAY RAPID REVISION (RaRe) SERIES for UPSC Prelims 2024 – SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, CURRENT AFFAIRS & CSAT TEST SERIES!

Solution (a)

Silver bromide (AgBr) is a soft, pale-yellow, water-insoluble salt well known (along with other silver halides) for its unusual sensitivity to light. This property has allowed silver halides to become the basis of modern photographic materials. AgBr is widely used in photographic film.

Solution (a)

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a chemical compound primarily used in the manufacturing of various plastics. It is a colourless solid which is soluble in most common organic solvents, but has very poor solubility in water.

BPA’s largest single application is as a co-monomer in the production of polycarbonates, which accounts for 65-70% of all BPA production.

Solution (c)

All the given processes are physical processes except production of iodine from seaweeds.

Solution (c)

Ethylene Glycol, also called ethane-1,2-diol, the simplest member of the glycol family of organic compounds.

• Ethylene glycol is a clear, sweet, slightly viscous liquid that boils at 198 °C (388.4 °F). Its most common use is as an automotive antifreeze.
• In addition to its use in antifreeze, ethylene glycol is used as an ingredient in hydraulic fluids, printing inks, and paint solvents. It is also used as a reagent in making polyesters, explosives, alkyd resins, and synthetic waxes.
• In the plastic industry, ethylene glycol is an important precursor to polyester fibers and resins. Polyethylene terephthalate, used to make plastic bottles for soft drinks, is prepared from ethylene glycol.

Solution (d)

Solution (a)

Solution (b)

Solution (a)

Solution (c)

Steel is an alloy made up of iron with typically a few tenths of a percent of carbon to improve its strength and fracture resistance compared to other forms of iron.

Solution (d)

Solution (b)

Turmeric stains on the shirt turn red when washed with soap because the soap solution is basic in nature which changes the yellow colour of Turmeric into red colour. It is because turmeric contains tartaric acid, while the soap contains a sodium hydroxide base.

Solution (c)

Solution (c)

Solution (b)

Solution (c)

Solution (c)

Solution (c)

A semiconductor material has an electrical conductivity value falling between that of a conductor, such as metallic copper, and an insulator, such as glass. Its resistivity falls as its temperature rises; metals behave in the opposite way.

Some examples of semiconductors are silicon, germanium and gallium arsenide.

After silicon, gallium arsenide is the second-most common semiconductor and is used in laser diodes, solar cells, microwave-frequency integrated circuits, and others. Silicon is a critical element for fabricating most electronic circuits.

Solution (a)

Polycarbonates (PC) are a group of thermoplastic polymers containing carbonate groups in their chemical structures. Polycarbonates used in engineering are strong, tough materials, and some grades are optically transparent.

Much of the bullet-proof and shatter-proof glass that you see and experience in real life is actually made of bullet-resistant polycarbonate sheets.

Solution (a)

• Magnetite is a mineral whose primary component is an iron oxide that contains equal amounts of iron (II) and iron (III). Its empirical formula is Fe3O4, and it is often expressed as iron (II, III) oxide.
• Magnetite is found in igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks. As its name implies, it is magnetic; it and other inherently magnetic iron-containing minerals are described as being ferrimagnetic.

Solution (b)

G.N. Ramachandran, an outstanding figure in the field of protein structure, was the founder of the ‘Madras school’ of conformational analysis of biopolymers. His discovery of the triple helical structure of collagen in 1955 and his analysis of the allowed conformations of proteins through the use of the ‘Ramachandran plot’ ranks among the most outstanding contributions in structural biology.

Ramakrishnan Nagaraj (born 1953) is an Indian biochemist, molecular biologist and the leader of a team of scientists working in the field of peptide biochemistry at Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB). He is known for his studies on hemolytic and antibacterial properties in synthetic analogs of bacterial toxins.

Sálim Moizuddin Abdul Ali (12 November 1896 – 20 June 1987) was an Indian ornithologist and naturalist. Sometimes referred to as the “Birdman of India”, Salim Ali was the first Indian to conduct systematic bird surveys across India and wrote several bird books that popularized ornithology in India. He became a key figure behind the Bombay Natural History Society.

Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman won the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1930 for his pioneering work on scattering of light. Born in Tiruchirapalli on November 7, 1888, he was the first Asian and first non-White to receive any Nobel Prize in the sciences.

Solution (c)

• The Sagar Aankalan Guidelines were launched by the Indian government to establish a comprehensive framework for assessing and improving the performance of Indian ports. Hence option c is correct.
• It focuses on the National Benchmarking of Indian Ports’ Performance to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of seaports across India.
• It would apply to all Indian seaports. It will transform the performance assessment of Indian ports.
• It will help in fulfilling “Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047”.
• It will help in port development, modernization, green hydrogen and ammonia, port-led development, the cruise sector, business and commerce, shipbuilding, and knowledge sharing.

Solution (d)

• The Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) is a statutory body established under the provisions of the Electricity Regulatory Commissions Act, of 1998. Hence statement 1 is correct.
• It is the central commission for the purposes of the Electricity Act, of 2003, which has repealed the ERC Act, of 1998.
• The Commission consists of a Chairperson and four other members including the Chairperson, Central Electricity Authority, who is an ex-officio Member of the Commission.
• The Chairperson of the Central Electricity Authority is an ex-officio member of the CERC. Hence statement 2 is correct.
• It intends to promote competition, efficiency, and economy in bulk power markets, improve the quality of supply, promote investments, and advise the government on the removal of institutional barriers to bridge the demand-supply gap and thus foster the interests of consumers.
• It regulates the tariff of generating companies owned or controlled by the central government. Hence statement 3 is correct.
• It regulates the inter-state transmission of electricity and determines tariffs for inter-state transmission of electricity. Hence statement 4 is correct.
• It regulates the tariff of generating companies other than those owned or controlled by the central government specified in clause (a) if such generating companies enter into or otherwise have a composite scheme for the generation and sale of electricity in more than one state.
• It issues licences to persons to function as transmission licensees and electricity traders with respect to their interstate operations.

Solution (a)

• The 14th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS COP14) adopted the Single Species Action Plan for the conservation of the Hawksbill Turtle. Hence statement 1 is incorrect.
• The International Single Species Action Plan is developed under the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA). Hence statement 2 is correct.
• It is to implement coordinated measures to restore migratory waterbird species to favourable conservation status.
• AEWA is an intergovernmental treaty dedicated to the conservation of migratory waterbirds and their habitats across Africa, Europe, the Middle East, Central Asia, Greenland, and the Canadian Archipelago. Hence statement 3 is correct.
• It was developed under the framework of the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) and administered by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
• It brings together countries and the wider international conservation community to establish coordinated conservation and management of migratory waterbirds throughout their entire migratory range.

Solution (c)

• Papua New Guinea is an island country that lies in the south-western Pacific. Hence statement 1 is incorrect.
• Its capital is Port Moresby.
• It has Indonesia to the west, Australia to the south, and the Solomon Islands to the southeast. Hence statement 2 is correct.
• It is mainly mountainous but has low-lying plains in southern New Guinea.
• The islands that constitute Papua New Guinea were settled over a period of 40,000 years by a mixture of peoples who are generally referred to as Melanesians.
• It is the world’s most linguistically diverse country, with more than 800 languages. Hence statement 3 is correct.
• English is the main language of government and commerce. In most everyday contexts, the most widely spoken language is Tok Pisin.
• The majority of Papua New Guinea’s people are at least nominally Christian.
• It is a constitutional monarchy and a member of the Commonwealth. Hence statement 4 is correct.
• Papua New Guinea became self-governing on December 1, 1973, and achieved independence on September 16, 1975.

Solution (c)

• The Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is the regulatory body in the field of civil aviation primarily dealing with safety issues.
• It is an attached office of the Ministry of Civil Aviation.
• Its primary function is to ensure the safety of passengers and crew members on all flights operating in India. Hence statement 1 is correct.
• In addition to safety, the DGCA also plays a crucial role in the growth and development of the Indian aviation industry. The organization works closely with airlines and airport operators to promote the industry’s growth and improve the overall travel experience for passengers.
• It also coordinates all regulatory functions with the International Civil Aviation Organisation.
• It is responsible for the regulation of air transport services to/from/within India and for the enforcement of civil air regulations, air safety, and airworthiness standards. Hence statement 2 is correct.
• It plays a crucial role in developing new airports and modernizing existing facilities to ensure that they can meet the growing demands of the aviation industry.
• It investigates any incidents or accidents that occur within the Indian airspace and takes appropriate action to prevent similar incidents from happening in the future. Hence statement 3 is correct.

Solution (b)

• The Melghat Tiger Reserve is located in the Amaravati district of Maharashtra. Hence statement 1 is incorrect.
• It is located on the southern offshoot of the Satpura Hill Range in Central India, called Gavilgarh Hill.
• It was established as a wildlife sanctuary in 1967 and was declared a tiger reserve in 1974.
• It was the first tiger reserve in Maharashtra. It was among the first nine tiger reserves notified in 1973-74 under Project Tiger.
• The name ‘Melghat’ means the confluence of various ‘ghats’ or valleys, as is typical of the landscape of this Tiger Reserve.
• It is a catchment area for the Khandu, Khapra, Sipna, Gadga, and Dolar, all of which are tributaries of the River Tapti. Hence statement 2 is correct.
• The forest is tropical dry deciduous, and dominated by teak.
• The Tapti River and the Gawilgadh ridge of the Satpura Range form the boundaries of the reserve.
• The Korkus are the largest tribal community in Melghat. Hence statement 3 is correct.
• Other communities include the Gawli community, the Gond tribe, and several other smaller tribal communities.

Solution (a)

• National Electronic Funds Transfer (NEFT) is suitable for both small and large-value transactions.
• It allows individuals to transfer any amount to the recipient’s account on a one-on-one transfer basis without a maximum limit for funds that can be transferred in a single day. Hence statement 1 is correct.
• The Real Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) system is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, including weekends and bank holidays. Hence statement 2 is incorrect.
• Immediate Payment Service allows for both peer-to-peer transfers and merchant payments. IMPS is available 24/7 throughout the year, including bank holidays, and enables real-time instant inter-bank funds to transfer with no upper limit for transactions.
• The upper limit usually varies from bank to bank. There is also no lower limit or minimum transaction amount specified for IMPS. Hence statement 3 is incorrect.

Solution (b)

• Cryptocurrencies in India fall under the virtual digital assets (VDAs) category and are subject to taxation. Hence statement 1 is incorrect.
• The profits generated from cryptocurrency trading are taxed at a rate of 30%, with an additional 4% cess (Union budget 2022-23).
• In 2022, the RBI launched its own Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) known as the e-Rupee which is based on blockchain technology.
• Bitcoin is an open-source digital currency, that facilitates instant payments without central authority issuance. Hence statement 2 is correct.

Note: A bitcoin halving is an event where the reward for mining new blocks is halved, meaning miners receive 50% fewer bitcoins for verifying transactions. Bitcoin halving is scheduled to occur once every 210,000 blocks – roughly every four years – until the maximum supply of 21 million bitcoins has been generated by the network.

Solution (c)

• Google DeepMind is a British-American AI research laboratory that is a subsidiary of Google.
• DeepMind is based in London and has research centres in Canada, France, Germany, and the US.
• It has introduced Genie AI (Artificial Intelligence), a new model that can generate interactive video games from just a text or image prompt.
• It is the first generative interactive environment that has been trained in an unsupervised manner from unlabelled internet videos. Hence statement 1 is correct.
• Generative Interactive Environments (Genie) is a foundation world model that is trained on videos sourced from the Internet.
• The model can “generate an endless variety of playable (action-controllable) worlds from synthetic images, photographs, and even sketches”. Hence statement 2 is correct.

Solution (a)

• Uyghurs are a predominantly Muslim minority Turkic ethnic group, whose origins can be traced to Central and East Asia. Hence statement 1 is correct.
• The Uighurs speak their own language, similar to Turkish, and see themselves as culturally and ethnically close to Central Asian nations.
• The Uighurs are considered to be one of the 55 officially recognized ethnic minority communities in China.
• However, China recognises the community only as a regional minority and rejects that they are an indigenous group.
• Currently, the largest population of the Uighur ethnic community lives in the Xinjiang region of China. Hence statement 2 is incorrect.

Solution (b)

At 5’o clock it ticks 5 times so there are total 4-time intervals.

Total time taken = 36 seconds

Hence, the time taken between any two consecutive ticks = 36/4 seconds = 9 seconds

Similarly, clock will tick 11 times at 11 o’ clock.

At 11o’clock there will be 10 intervals.

Hence total time needed at 11 o’clock = 10 × 9 = 90 seconds.

Solution (c)

             Let the average marks in the third Annual examination be x.

Total marks = (Marks in first + second + third + forth) Annual examination

4(60)( 200/100) = (45/100) (200) + ( 50/100) (200) + ( 55/100) (200) + ( x/100) (200)

4(60) = 45 + 50 +55 + x

x = 90

So, the student must score 90% in the fourth annual examination to secure 60% overall average.

∴ Average marks in the fourth annual examination (90/100) × 200 = 180 marks.

Solution (b)

From the details given in the question, the Ratio of the numbers = 1: 1/2: 1/5 = 10: 5: 2

Second number = 5/17 × 85 = 25.

Solution (c)

We have given that the number 3ab0 is divisible by 25.

Any number divisible by 25 ends with the last two digits 00, 25, 50, or 75.

So, b0 should equal 00 or 50. Hence, b=0 or 5.

Since a is now free to take any digit from 0 through 9, ab can have multiple values.

We also have that ab is divisible by 17.

The multiples of 17 are 17, 34, 51, 68, 85, 102, 119, 136, 153 and 170.

Among these, the only number ending with 0 or 5 is 85.

Hence, ab=85

Solution (c)

Original quantity of oil and water is 24 litres and 16 litres.

Let the final quantity of water be a.

10 litres is being removed from 40 litres twice.

∴ a/16 = [1 – (10/40)]^2 = 9/16 ∴ a = 9

Hence, the final solution has 9 litres of water and 31 litres of oil.

∴ Required ratio = 9 : 31

Hence, option c.