DAY – 13 (InstaTest-13): Insta 75 Days Revision Plan-2023: Topic – SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY, Subject-wise Test 16& 27 (Revision ) , Textbook-wise Test 10 and September 2022 CA (PRELIMS 30 & MAINS 30)

Solution: B

International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor

ITER, “the way” is one of the largest experimental efforts underway in the south of France at Cadarache with an aim to demonstrate nuclear fusion as a clean green source of unlimited energy. India’s contribution to ITER includes delivery of 9 in-kind packages to ITER. Each of the package to be delivered involves first of its kind development of materials, machining, technologies and quality to meet with the stringent nuclear safety norms of the French regulatory board and also ensure that the components work for the life time of ITER. ITER work on the “Tokamak” concept where the reaction of hydrogen isotopes Deuterium and Tritium produces energy by the mass-energy conversion principle, thereby proving to be a source of unlimited energy. ITER partners are the European Union, China, India, Japan, South Korea, Russia and the United States of America. European Union being the host party contributes 45% while the rest of the parties contribute 9% each.

Nodal Centre: Institute for Plasma Research (IPR), Ahmedabad, Gujarat

Solution: A

A Fast Breeder Reactor (FBR) is a nuclear reactor that uses fast neutron to generate more nuclear fuels than they consume while generating power, dramatically enhancing the efficiency of the use of resources.

Nuclear fission by fast neutron causes the increase in neutrons generated. Furthermore, because the sodium used as coolant absorbs fewer neutrons compared to light water, more neutrons remain within the reactor. Increased number of neutrons causes higher proportion of uranium 238 converting into plutonium 239 and yields more plutonium than original nuclear fuel.

These reactors can be fueled with more commonly available isotopes of uranium and thorium, such as uranium-238 or thorium-232, as opposed to the rare uranium-235 which is used in conventional reactors. These materials are called fertile materials since they can be bred into fuel by these breeder reactors.

No moderator is used in Fast breeder reactor.

The Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) is a 500 MWe fast breeder nuclear reactor presently being constructed at the Madras Atomic Power Station (MAPS) in Kalpakkam, India.

Solution: B

Superconducting heroes despite the zeroes

In 1911, while studying the properties of matter at very low temperature, the Dutch physicist Heike Kamerlingh Onnes and his team discovered that the electrical resistance of mercury goes to zero below 4.2 K (-269°C).  This was the very first observation of the phenomenon of superconductivity.  The majority of chemical elements become superconducting at sufficiently low temperature.

Below a certain “critical” temperature, materials undergo transition into the superconducting state, characterized by two basic properties: firstly, they offer no resistance to the passage of electrical current. When resistance falls to zero, a current can circulate inside the material without any dissipation of energy. Secondly, provided they are sufficiently weak, external magnetic fields will not penetrate the superconductor, but remain at its surface. This field expulsion phenomenon is known as the Meissner effect, after the physicist who first observed it in 1933.

Solution: B

What are some advantages of Li-ion batteries?

Compared to the other high-quality rechargeable battery technologies (nickel-cadmium or nickel-metal-hydride), Li-ion batteries have a number of advantages. They have one of the highest energy densities of any battery technology today (100-265 Wh/kg or 250-670 Wh/L). In addition, Li-ion battery cells can deliver up to 3.6 Volts, 3 times higher than technologies such as Ni-Cd or Ni-MH. This means that they can deliver large amounts of current for high-power applications, which has Li-ion batteries are also comparatively low maintenance, and do not require scheduled cycling to maintain their battery life. Li-ion batteries have no memory effect, a detrimental process where repeated partial discharge/charge cycles can cause a battery to ‘remember’ a lower capacity. This is an advantage over both Ni-Cd and Ni-MH, which display this effect. Li-ion batteries also have low self-discharge rate of around 1.5-2% per month. They do not contain toxic cadmium, which makes them easier to dispose of than Ni-Cd batteries.

Solution: A

What are flex fuel vehicles?

Flex fuel vehicles (FFV) are capable of running on 100 per cent petrol or 100 per cent bio-ethanol or a combination of both.

Bio-ethanol contains less energy per liter than petrol but the calorific value (energy contained in the fuel) of bio-ethanol will become on par with petrol with use of advanced technology. The government has also advised carmakers to start making Flex Fuel Strong Hybrid Electric Vehicles (FFSHEV). Such a vehicle, though yet to be made widely available in world markets, essentially houses an electric motor which powers the vehicle alongside the traditional petrol engine.

What way are they different from existing vehicles?

Since an FFV is capable of running on either petrol or ethanol, it will be the first of its kind 100 per cent dual fuel vehicle to be running on Indian roads. To be sure, a liter of petrol sold in India has an average of 8 percent ethanol content even though oil marketing companies have clearance to do even 10 percent (E10) blending. All vehicles manufactured in India are tuned for E10. All existing vehicles on Indian roads will not be able to run on higher ethanol content beyond 10 percent.

While fuel economy (miles per gallon) is generally lower with increased levels of ethanol (engines are optimized for gasoline), many FFVs have improved acceleration performance when operating on higher ethanol blends.

Solution: C

National Green Hydrogen Mission

• Mission aims to make India a Global Hub for production, utilization and export of Green Hydrogen and its derivatives.
• Mission will help in India becoming energy independent and in Decarbonisation of major sectors of the economy.

The Mission will result in the following likely outcomes by 2030:

• Development of green  hydrogen production capacity of at least 5 MMT (Million Metric Tonne) per annum with an associated renewable energy capacity addition of about 125 GW in the country
• Over Rs. Eight lakh crores in total investments
• Creation of over Six lakh jobs
• Cumulative reduction in fossil fuel imports over Rs. One lakh crore
• Abatement of nearly 50 MMT of annual greenhouse gas emissions

Solution: D

The Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR), known for its cutting-edge R&D knowledge base in diverse S&T areas, is a contemporary R&D organization. CSIR has a dynamic network of 37 national laboratories, 39 outreach centres, 1 Innovation Complexes, and three units with a pan-India presence.

The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, abbreviated as CSIR, was established by the Government of India in September 1942 as an autonomous body that has emerged as the largest research and development organisation in India.

CSIR covers a wide spectrum of science and technology – from oceanography, geophysics, chemicals, drugs, genomics, biotechnology and nanotechnology to mining, aeronautics, instrumentation, environmental engineering and information technology. It provides significant technological intervention in many areas concerning societal efforts, which include environment, health, drinking water, food, housing, energy, farm and non-farm sectors.

• Prime Minister of India is the Ex-officio President of CSIR.
• Shri Narendra Modi, Hon’ble Prime Minister is the President of CSIR.
• Dr. N Kalaiselvi is the present Director General of CSIR-cum-Secretary DSIR, Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India.

Solution: C

Software Technology Parks of India (STPI), an autonomous society under Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Govt. of India has been set up with distinct focus to boost up Software export from the country.

Software Technology Parks of India (STPI) is a premier S&T organization under Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) engaged in promoting IT/ITES Industry, innovation, R&D, start-ups, product/IP creation in the field of emerging technologies like IoT, Blockchain, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), Computer Vision, Robotics, Robotics Process Automation (RPA), Augmented & Virtual Reality, Animation & Visual effect, Data Science & Analytics for various domains like Gaming, FinTech, Agritech, MedTech, Autonomous Connected Electric & Shared(ACES) Mobility, ESDM, Cyber Security, Industry 4.0, Drone, Efficiency Augmentation, etc.

Solution: B

Mission Innovation is a global initiative catalysing a decade of action and investment in research, development and demonstration to make clean energy affordable, attractive and accessible for all.

The Mission Innovation (MI) is a global initiative of 22 countries and the European Commission (on behalf of the European Union) catalyzing investment in research, development and demonstration to make clean energy affordable, attractive and accessible for all.  Mission Innovation was launched during 21st Conference of the Parties (COP 21) in November 2015, in presence of Hon’ble Prime Minister, India along with world leaders. India is an active and founding member of Mission Innovation. Department of Biotechnology (DBT) is the nodal agency for coordinating national efforts in clean energy RD & D and implementing various activities in close collaboration with Department of Science and Technology (DST) and other line ministries.

Major Objectives:

• Domestic investment, innovation action and international cooperation.
• Catalyzing clean energy solutions for all
• Analyzing global innovation progress and facilitating knowledge-sharing through Innovation Platform.
• Pathways to deployment by actively working in partnership with the private and financial sectors

This will accelerate progress towards the Paris Agreement goals and pathways to net zero.

Solution: D

The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) is an intergovernmental organization mandated to facilitate cooperation, advance knowledge, and promote the adoption and sustainable use of renewable energy. It is the first international organisation to focus exclusively on renewable energy, addressing needs in both industrialised and developing countries. It was founded in 2009 and its statute entered into force on 8 July 2010. The agency is headquartered in Masdar City, Abu Dhabi. The Director-General of IRENA is Francesco La Camera, a national of Italy. IRENA is an official United Nations observer.

Solution: B

Project “LOcal Treatment of Urban Sewage Streams for Healthy Reuse) (LOTUS HR)

The project Local Treatment of Urban Sewage Streams for Healthy Reuse (LOTUS HR) is an Indo-Netherlands joint project funded by Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Govt of India and NWO/STW, The Govt of Netherlands.

• The project aims to demonstrate a novel holistic (waste-) water management approach, that will produce clean water that can be reused for various proposes (e.g. industry, agriculture, construction etc.), while simultaneously recovering nutrients and energy from the urban waste water, thus converting drain into profitable mines. Special attention will be paid to pathogen removal and removing conventional and emerging pollutants.
• The project will develop an innovative pilot scale plant, suitable to cope with Indian conditions in a location specific manner. The final design of the pilot plant will be scalable and modular, to fit into the highly populated urban terrain.

Solution: A

Women in Science and Engineering-KIRAN (WISE-KIRAN)

Under this scheme, women scientists are being encouraged to pursue research in frontier areas of science and engineering, on problems of societal relevance and to take up S&T-based internship followed by self-employment. A large number of well-qualified women get left out of the S&T activities due to various circumstances which are usually typical to the gender. The challenges faced by them are several but most often the “break in career” arises out of motherhood and family responsibilities. To address such issues, Department of Science and Technology (DST) launched Women Scientists Scheme (WOS). This initiative primarily aimed at providing opportunities to women scientists and technologists between the age group of 27-57 years who had a break in their career but desired to return to mainstream.

Ministry / Department: Department of Science & Technology (DST), Govt of India

Eligibility: Minimum Post Graduate degree, equivalent to M.Sc. in Basic or Applied Sciences or B.Tech. or MBBS or other equivalent professional qualifications

Solution: A

The Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB) is a statutory body with primary and distinctive mandate to support basic research in emerging areas of Science & Engineering. As the premier national research funding agency, raise the quality and footprint of Indian science and engineering to the highest global levels in an accelerated mode, through calibrated support for research and development. The SERB stimulates the search for new knowledge and encouraging invention, discovery, innovation and development by supporting bottom-up research competitively at all levels of research ecosystem.

Science and Engineering Research Board is a statutory body under the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, established by an Act of the Parliament of India in 2009 (SERB ACT,2008). The Board is chaired by the Secretary to the Government of India in the Department of Science and Technology and shall have other senior government officials and eminent scientists as members. The Board was set up for promoting basic research in science and engineering and to provide financial assistance to scientists, academic institutions, R&D laboratories, industrial concerns and other agencies for such research.

Solution: C

NIDHI (National Initiative for Development and Harnessing Innovations), an umbrella program is pioneered by the Department of Science & Technology (DST), Government of India, for nurturing ideas and innovations (knowledge-based and technology-driven) into successful startups.

NIDHI, by design connects and strengthens all the links of the innovation chain from scouting to sustaining to securing to scaling to showcasing, because a chain is only as strong as its weakest link. The key stakeholders of NIDHI include various departments and ministries of the central government, state governments, academic and R & D institutions, mentors, financial institutions, angel investors, venture capitalists, industry champions and private sectors.

Objectives

• To take forward student innovations in IEDC / NewGen IEDC programme to commercialization stage.
• To promote student startups.
• To accelerate the journey of idea to prototype by providing initial funding assistance.

Solution: D

Patents

What is a Patent and how does it help the innovators?

Patent is a statutory right granted by the respective governments. It gives one the exclusive rights and bars others from making, using, selling and importing product or process, based on the patented invention without one’s prior permission.

What are the criteria of patentability?

For an invention to be patentable, the criteria of patentability are as follows:

1. It should be novel: invention should not have been published or used anywhere in the world before the date of filing the patent application in the patent office.
2. Must involve an inventive step: a feature of invention should involve a technical advancement as compared to existing knowledge or having economic significance or both

    III. Capable of industrial application: invention is capable of being made or used in an industry

1. It should not fall under the categories of inventions that are excluded from patentability under the concerned jurisdiction

What is the term for patent in India?

The term of every patent in India is 20 years from the date of filing.

What is Paris Convention?

Paris Convention is an international convention. India is also a member to this convention. Under this convention if one applies for registration of patent in any member country, within six months from the date of filing of patent application in India, they will have the same priority as in India.

What is PCT?

PCT stands for Patent Cooperation Treaty. It is an international treaty for claiming one’s domestic priority in member countries of PCT. Through PCT one can file applications in countries of interest within 30 months of the priority date. Under the PCT system, a patent search report is provided and on demand a preliminary examination of application is also done. This additional information helps in delaying the investment by 30 months.

Solution: B

A biodiversity cold spot is an area with low species richness or diversity, often due to environmental factors such as low productivity, extreme climate, or harsh physical conditions.

Biodiversity cold spots support critical global and local ecosystem processes, contain unique evolutionary lineages and rare species, encompass the last major wilderness landscapes, support a diverse range of animal species.

Examples:

1. Polar Regions: Antarctica and Arctic regions
2. Deserts
3. Sargasso Sea
4. High Altitude Region
5. Human Dominated Regions

Amazon Forest is a biodiversity hotspot.

Solution: C

Methanogens are strictly anaerobic, methane-producing Archaea. They all belong to the phylum Euryarchaeota.

Methanogens are the only known group of organisms that can produce methane as a by-product of their metabolism. They do so by using hydrogen or other organic compounds as electron donors and carbon dioxide or other simple carbon compounds as electron acceptors.

Methanogens are strictly anaerobic, meaning that they cannot survive in the presence of oxygen. They typically live in environments with little or no oxygen, such as swamps, marshes, and the digestive tracts of some animals.

Methanogens have potential applications in biotechnology, including the production of biofuels such as methane and hydrogen gas. They are also used in bioremediation, the process of using microorganisms to clean up pollutants in the environment.

Solution: C

The Race to Zero campaign was launched in 2020 by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the High-Level Climate Champions for Climate Action, which is a team of global leaders appointed by the United Nations to drive climate ambition and action. The campaign is part of the wider “Race to Zero” initiative, which aims to mobilize a global coalition of governments, businesses, cities, and other stakeholders to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 at the latest and limit global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, in line with the Paris Agreement on climate change

Solution: B

Hon’ble Finance Minister Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman as part of the Budget Speech for FY 2019-20 proposed the idea of an electronic fund-raising platform “Social Stock Exchange”, under the regulatory ambit of SEBI for listing social enterprises and voluntary organizations working for the realization of a social welfare objective so that they can raise capital as equity, debt or as units like a mutual fund.

Objectives of the Social Stock Exchange:

• Regulated platform that brings together social enterprises and donors
• Facilitate funding and growth of social enterprises
• Enabling mechanism to ensure robust standards of social impact and financial reporting

https://static.nseindia.com//s3fs-public/inline-files/Social%20Stock%20Exchange%20FAQs_0.pdf

Solution: B

Minerals Security Partnership (MSP):

• The US and 10 partners — Australia, Canada, Finland, France, Germany, Japan, the Republic of Korea (South Korea), Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the European Commission have come together to form the MSP.
• Catalyzing investment from governments and the private sector: The new grouping is aimed at catalyzing investment from governments and the private sector to develop strategic opportunities.
• Focus on the supply chains of minerals: The new grouping, industry insiders say, could focus on the supply chains of minerals such as Cobalt, Nickel, Lithium, and also the 17 ‘rare earth’ minerals.

https://www.insightsonindia.com/2022/08/05/rare-earth-elements-and-push-for-inclusion-in-supply-partnership/

Solution: A

https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/chad-rebels-sign-deal-after-months-talks-2022-08-07/

Solution: A

Participatory Guarantee System of India (PGS-India) is a quality assurance initiative for organic products in India. It is a grassroots-based certification system that involves the participation of farmers, consumers, and other stakeholders in the certification process.

PGS-India was launched in 2006 by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Government of India, with the aim of creating a credible, cost-effective, and feasible organic certification system that is accessible to small and marginal farmers.

PGS-India is recognized by the National Program for Organic Production (NPOP) and is supported by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Government of India.

Solution: D

• The G10 consists of eleven industrialized nations that meet on an annual basis or more frequently, as necessary, to consult each other, debate and cooperate on international financial matters. The member countries are Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States, with Switzerland playing a minor role.
• The G10 was formed when the wealthiest members of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) agreed to be part of the General Agreements to Borrow (GAB), so as to provide more funding for the IMF’s usage.

Solution: C

National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) was constituted vide Government of India Resolution dated 29th August, 1997 as an attached office of the Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP), Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilizers as an independent Regulator for pricing of drugs and to ensure availability and accessibility of medicines at affordable prices.

Functions of National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority

1. To implement and enforce the provisions of the Drugs (Prices Control) Order in accordance with the powers delegated to it.
2. To deal with all legal matters arising out of the decisions of the Authority. 3. To monitor the availability of drugs, identify shortages, if any, and to take remedial steps.
3. To collect/ maintain data on production, exports and imports, market share of individual companies, profitability of companies etc., for bulk drugs and formulations.
4. To undertake and/ or sponsor relevant studies in respect of pricing of drugs/ pharmaceuticals.
5. To recruit/ appoint the officers and other staff members of the Authority, as per rules and procedures laid down by the Government.
6. To render advice to the Central Government on changes/ revisions in the drug policy.
7. To render assistance to the Central Government in the parliamentary matters relating to the drug pricing

https://www.nppaindia.nic.in/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Functions-of-NPPA.pdf

Solution: C

• Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA) is a statutory body of Ministry of Women & Child Development, Government of India.
• It functions as the nodal body for adoption of Indian children and is mandated to monitor and regulate in-country and inter-country adoptions.
• CARA is designated as the Central Authority to deal with inter-country adoptions in accordance with the provisions of the Hague Convention on Inter-country Adoption, 1993, ratified by Government of India in 2003.
• CARA primarily deals with adoption of orphan, abandoned and surrendered children through its associated /recognised adoption agencies.

https://cara.nic.in/about/about_cara.html

Solution: A) Till such time that a theory better than Darwin’s comes along, Science will continue to believe in it

Statement B is wrong as per the passage. The passage states that theory of evolution does not answer certain questions but continues to remain the best explanation for evolution of life. Hence A. Statement C is correct per se but is not the inference of the passage. Moreover, the focus of Darwin’s theory was not to explain the origin of life but the evolution of life.

Ans. D) Earth’s feedback loop will go haywire if the 2 degree threshold is breached which will lead to unanticipated consequences such as unmitigated rise in temperature

The main idea of the passage is to explain that the feedback loop of earth will go haywire, once the two degree limit is crosses as it will lead to positive feedback which will have several consequences. A and B are not closely linked to the central theme of the passage. C is correct as the disruptions mentioned will be caused, however it does not capture the essence of the problem which is the feedback loop going haywire. Hence D

Correct Answer: A) increase by 2 percent

Explanation:

Let initial price of rice – 100 and new price of rice – 120

Suppose initial consumption is 100kg and new consumption is 85kg

Initial expenditure = 10000

New expenditure = 10200 (200/10000)*100 = 2 percent increase.

Correct Answer: C) 20%

Explanation:

n(M or E) = n(M) + n(E) – n(M and E)

n(M or E) = 40+50-10 = 80

so % of the students who like neither English nor Mathematics

= 100 – 80 = 20%

Correct Option: B) 200rs

P : Q : R = 3 : 5 : 9

Hire charges paid by Q

= Rs[680 × (5/17)]⇒ 40 × 5 = Rs 200.

Hence, option B is correct.