DAY – 35 ( INSTA REVISION TEST)INSTA REVISION PLAN 2.0, 2020

Solution: D

The Very Large Telescope array (VLT) is the flagship facility for European ground-based astronomy at the beginning of the third Millennium.

It is the world’s most advanced optical instrument, consisting of four Unit Telescopes with main mirrors of 8.2m diameter and four movable 1.8m diameter Auxiliary Telescopes. The telescopes can work together, to form a giant ‘interferometer’, the ESO Very Large Telescope Interferometer, allowing astronomers to see details up to 25 times finer than with the individual telescopes.

The light beams are combined in the VLTI using a complex system of mirrors in underground tunnels where the light paths must be kept equal to distances less than 1/1000 mm over a hundred metres. With this kind of precision the VLTI can reconstruct images with an angular resolution of milliarcseconds, equivalent to distinguishing the two headlights of a car at the distance of the Moon.

Using the European Space Organisation’s (ESO) Very Large Telescope (VLT), astronomers have noticed the unprecedented dimming of Betelgeuse, a red supergiant star (over 20 times bigger than the Sun) in the constellation Orion.

https://www.eso.org/public/teles-instr/paranal-observatory/vlt/

Solution: C

Himachal Pradesh became the first state in the country to have 100% LPG gas coverage. Along with Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana, the state government launched its own Himachal Grihini Suvidha Yojana in May 2018.

https://indianexpress.com/article/governance/himachal-pradesh-first-to-achieve-100-lpg-coverage-6283215/

Solution: C

The Commonwealth is a voluntary association of 54 independent and equal countries.

It is home to 2.4 billion people, and includes both advanced economies and developing countries. 32 of our members are small states, including many island nations.

Our member governments have agreed to shared goals like development, democracy and peace. Our values and principles are expressed in the Commonwealth Charter.

The Commonwealth’s roots go back to the British Empire. But today any country can join the modern Commonwealth. The last country to join the Commonwealth was Rwanda in 2009.

The Commonwealth Secretariat is the intergovernmental organisation which co-ordinates and carries out much of the Commonwealth’s work, supported by a network of more than 80 organisations.

https://thecommonwealth.org/about-us

https://thecommonwealth.org/member-countries

Solution:  D

NASA’s Voyager 2 is the second spacecraft to enter interstellar space. On Dec. 10, 2018, the spacecraft joined its twin—Voyager 1—as the only human-made objects to enter the space between the stars.

Voyager 1 and 2 were designed to take advantage of a rare planetary alignment to study the outer solar system up close. Voyager 2 targeted Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune.

Like its sister spacecraft, Voyager 2 also was designed to find and study the edge of our solar system.

Firsts

• Voyager 2 is the only spacecraft to study all four of the solar system’s giant planets at close range.
• Voyager 2 discovered a 14th moon at Jupiter.
• Voyager 2 was the first human-made object to fly past Uranus.
• At Uranus, Voyager 2 discovered 10 new moons and two new rings.
• Voyager 2 was the first human-made object to fly by Neptune.
• At Neptune, Voyager 2 discovered five moons, four rings, and a “Great Dark Spot.”

https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/missions/voyager-2/in-depth/

Solution: C

InSight, short for Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport, is a Mars lander designed to give the Red Planet its first thorough checkup since it formed 4.5 billion years ago. It is the first outer space robotic explorer to study in-depth the “inner space” of Mars: its crust, mantle, and core.

The lander uses cutting edge instruments, to delve deep beneath the surface and seek the fingerprints of the processes that formed the terrestrial planets. It does so by measuring the planet’s “vital signs”: its “pulse” (seismology), “temperature” (heat flow), and “reflexes” (precision tracking).

This mission is part of NASA’s Discovery Program for highly focused science missions that ask critical questions in solar system science.

https://mars.nasa.gov/insight/mission/overview/

Solution: D

Quantum Technology is based on the principles of Quantum mechanics, that was developed in the early 20th century to describe nature in the small — at the scale of atoms and elementary particles.

Conventional computers process information in ‘bits’ or 1s and 0s, following classical physics under which our computers can process a ‘1’ or a ‘0’ at a time.

Quantum computers compute in ‘qubits’ (or quantum bits). They exploit the properties of quantum mechanics, the science that governs how matter behaves on the atomic scale.

What can quantum computers do?

Quantum computers aren’t just about doing things faster or more efficiently. They’ll let us do things that we couldn’t even have dreamed of without them. Things that even the best supercomputer just isn’t capable of.

They have the potential to rapidly accelerate the development of artificial intelligence. Google is already using them to improve the software of self-driving cars. They’ll also be vital for modelling chemical reactions.

Tsunamis, drought, earthquakes and floods may become more predictable with quantum applications. The collection of data regarding climate change can be streamlined in a better way through quantum technology. This in turn will have a profound impact on agriculture, food technology chains and the limiting of farmland wastage.

https://www.wired.co.uk/article/quantum-computing-explained

https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/picking-up-the-quantum-technology-baton/article31136893.ece

Solution: A

What is Fly Ash?

Popularly known as Flue ash or pulverised fuel ash, it is a coal combustion product.

Composition:

Composed of the particulates that are driven out of coal-fired boilers together with the flue gases.

Depending upon the source and composition of the coal being burned, the components of fly ash vary considerably, but all fly ash includes substantial amounts of silicon dioxide (SiO2), aluminium oxide (Al2O3) and calcium oxide (CaO), the main mineral compounds in coal-bearing rock strata.

Minor constituents

Include: arsenic, beryllium, boron, cadmium, chromium, hexavalent chromium, cobalt, lead, manganese, mercury, molybdenum, seleniumstrontium, thallium, and vanadium, along with very small concentrations of dioxins and PAH compounds. It also has unburnt carbon.

How is it regulated?

In the past, fly ash was generally released into the atmosphere, but air pollution control standards now require that it be captured prior to release by fitting pollution control equipment.

1. For example, in the United States, fly ash is generally stored at coal power plants or placed in landfills. About 43% is recycled, often used as a pozzolanto produce hydraulic cement or hydraulic plaster and a replacement or partial replacement for Portland cement in concrete production.

1. In modern coal-fired power plants, fly ash is generally captured by electrostatic precipitators or other particle filtration equipment before the flue gases reach the chimneys.

Health and environmental hazards:

Toxic heavy metals present: All the heavy metals found in fly ash nickel, cadmium, arsenic, chromium, lead, etc—are toxic in nature. They are minute, poisonous particles accumulate in the respiratory tract, and cause gradual poisoning .

Radiation: For an equal amount of electricity generated, fly ash contains a hundred times more radiation than nuclear waste secured via dry cask or water storage.

Water pollution: The breaching of ash dykes and consequent ash spills occur frequently in India, polluting a large number of water bodies.

Effects on environment: The destruction of mangroves, drastic reduction in crop yields, and the pollution of groundwater in the Rann of Kutch from the ash sludge of adjoining Coal power plants has been well documented.

However, fly ash can be used in the following ways:

1. Concrete production, as a substitute material for Portland cement, sand.
2. Fly-ash pellets which can replace normal aggregate in concrete mixture.
3. Embankments and other structural fills.
4. Cement clinker production – (as a substitute material for clay).
5. Stabilization of soft soils.
6. Road subbase construction.
7. As aggregate substitute material (e.g. for brick production).
8. Agricultural uses: soil amendment, fertilizer, cattle feeders, soil stabilization in stock feed yards, and agricultural stakes.
9. Loose application on rivers to melt ice.
10. Loose application on roads and parking lots for ice control.

The issues which impede its full-scale utilization in India:

Indian fly ash is primarily of the calcareous or class C variety, implying that it possesses not only pozzolanic, but also hydraulic (self-cementing) properties. In contrast, European fly ash is of a silicious or class F variety, implying an absence of hydraulic properties.

The pricing of fly ash is increasingly becoming a contentious issue that is hampering its gainful utilisation.

Imperfections typical of quasi-markets, such as information asymmetry and high transaction costs, vested interests, technical and technological limitations, and the lack of regulatory oversight and political will, have impeded the flow of fly ash to its most value-adding use.

https://www.insightsonindia.com/2019/10/28/fly-ash-4/

Solution: B

Context: Centre is moving ahead with its plan to develop Rakhigarhi as a tourist hub and set up a museum.

Rakhigarhi, in Haryana, became an archaeological hotspot when Amarendra Nath, former director of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), undertook excavations at the site in 1997.

Solution: D

A private member’s Bill is different from a government Bill and is piloted by an MP who is not a minister. Individual MPs may introduce private member’s Bill to draw the government’s attention to what they might see as issues requiring legislative intervention.

An MP who is not a minister is a private member and while both private members and ministers take part in the lawmaking process, Bills introduced by private members are referred to as private member’s Bills and those introduced by ministers are called government Bills.

Government Bills are backed by the government and also reflect its legislative agenda. The admissibility of a private Bill is decided by the Chairman in the case of the Rajya Sabha and the Speaker in the case of the Lok Sabha.

Before the Bill can be listed for introduction, the Member must give at least a month’s notice, for the House Secretariat to examine it for compliance with constitutional provisions and rules on legislation. While a government Bill can be introduced and discussed on any day, a private member’s bill can only be introduced and discussed on Fridays.

Of the 300 or so Private Members’ Bills introduced in the 14th Lok Sabha, barely 4% were discussed; 96% lapsed without even a single debate in the House. Till date, Parliament has passed 14 Private Members’ Bills.

Solution: C

The Swachh Iconic Places is an initiative under the Swachh Bharat Mission. It is a special clean-up initiative focused on select iconic heritage, spiritual and cultural places in the country. The initiative is being coordinated by the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation in association with the Ministry of Urban Development, Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Tourism and the concerned State governments.

Solution: D

Vigyan Jyoti Scheme:

• Department of Science & Technology (DST) launched this as a dedicated program for girl students to pursue their careers in Science, Engineering and Technology.
• The programme aims to encourage and inspire girl students to pursue higher education and become self-reliant and also offers exposure for girl students coming from rural background to help understand how to plan their journey from school to college and thereafter from research to a job of their choice in the field of science.
• Apart from the NASA scientists, the students also interacted with Indian army personnel and learnt about their upgraded technologies and innovations on the occasion of Technique Programme, an annual Techno-Management festival of IIT Guwahati.
• The Programme ‘Vigyan Jyoti’ Aims To Tap 100 Girl Students In 550 Districts From 2020-2025, The Students Will Be Chosen Based On Their Percentile
• The programme will cover girl students from grade 9 to 12.

Solution: D

1000 springs initiative:

• Launched by Ministry of Tribal Affairs
• It is an online portal on GIS-based Spring Atlas with the hydrological and chemical properties of the springs mentioned.
• Aim: To improve access to safe and adequate water for the tribal communities living in difficult and inaccessible part of rural areas in the country. It is an integrated solution around natural springs.
• It includes the provision of infrastructure for piped water supply for drinking; provision of water for irrigation; community-led total sanitation initiatives; and provision for water for backyard nutrition gardens, generating sustainable livelihood opportunities for the tribal people.

Solution: C

Patent Law Treaty (PLT):

• The Patent Law Treaty (PLT), adopted by WIPO in June of 2000, entered into force on April 28, 2005.
• It aims to harmonizing and streamlining formal procedures with respect to national and regional patent applications and patents and making such procedures more user friendly.
• The PLT will make it easier for patent applicants and patent owners to obtain and maintain patents throughout the world by simplifying and, to a large degree, merging national and international formal requirements associated with patent applications and patents.
• India is NOT signatory to the treaty.

The PLT:

• simplifies and minimizes patent application requirements to obtain a filing date;
• imposes a limit on the formal requirements that Contracting Parties may impose;
• eases representation requirements for formal matters;
• provides a basis for the electronic filing of applications;
• provides relief with respect to time limits that may be imposed by the Office of a Contracting Party and reinstatement of rights where an applicant or owner has failed to comply with a time limit and that failure has the direct consequence of causing a loss of rights; and
• provides for correction or addition of priority claims and restoration of priority rights.

Solution: B

The Supreme Courthas formed a Committee on Prison Reforms chaired by former apex court judge, Justice Amitava Roy, to examine the various problems plaguing prisons in the country, from overcrowding to lack of legal advice to convicts to issues of remission and parole.

The decision was in reaction to a letter written by former Chief Justice of India R.C. Lahoti highlighting the overcrowding of prisons, unnatural deaths of prisoners, gross inadequacy of staff and the lack of trained staff.

Key recommendations:

• Every new prisoner should be allowed a free phone call a day to his family members to see him through his first week in jail.
• Modern cooking facilities, canteens to buy essential items and trial through video-conferencing should be made available.
• Speedy trial remains one of the best ways to remedy the unwarranted phenomenon of over-crowding.
• There should be at least one lawyer for every 30 prisoners, which is not the case at present.
• Special fast-track courts should be set up to deal exclusively with petty offences which have been pending for more than five years.

Solution: D

Participatory notes:

• Participatory notes (P-notes) are issued by registered foreign portfolio investors (FPIs)
• These are used by overseas market participants that don’t want to get registered as FIIs.
• P-notes are not issued in India, rather these are issued by an India registered FII to other overseas investors.
• The FII will be the entity to initiate a transaction in our stock markets, which could be on behalf of foreign clients.
• P-notes are then issued by the FII to the client, underlining that the securities are held on behalf of the client albeit in the name of the FII.
• The P-note holder is entitled to all the dividends, capital gains and other payouts on the underlying securities. FIIs have to periodically report to Sebi on P-note issuance without the need to name the final beneficiary.
• P-Notes are not used within the country but are mainly used outside India for making investments in shares listed in the Indian stock market.