[MISSION 2024] RTM(Revision through MCQs)- 17 August 2023

Ans: (b)

Explanation:

• Biofuels are obtained from biomass, which can be converted directly into liquid fuels that can be used as transportation fuels. The two most common kinds of biofuels in use today areethanol and biodiesel and they both represent the first generation of biofuel technology.
• Ethanol, for instance, is renewable and made from different kinds of plant materials. Biodiesel on the other hand is produced by combining alcohol with new and used vegetable oils, animal fats or recycled cooking grease.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2023/08/17/pm-e-bus-sewa-scheme/

Ans: (b)

Explanation:

• HCNG is a mixture of compressed natural gas (CNG) and some % Hydrogen by energy.
• HCNG which may be used as a fuel of Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) is considered a cleaner source of fuel, more powerful and offers more mileage then even CNG.
• Some advantages of HCNG:
• HCNG reduces emissions of CO up to 70%. S1 is incorrect since it is not possible.
  • Enables up to 5 % savings in fuel.
  • Better performance due to higher Octane rating of H2.
• S3: Delhi Government has tied up with Indian Oil Corporation Limited to study the technology and infrastructure needs to induct 50 HCNG buses on a trial basis. IOCL has plans to mix (18-20) % Hydrogen in these buses.
• S4: Current cost of H2 is more than the cost of Natural Gas. So, HCNG’s cost is more than CNG.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2023/08/17/pm-e-bus-sewa-scheme/

Ans: (c )

Explanation:

• The World Health Organization (WHO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for international public health. It is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland and has six regional offices and 150 field offices worldwide.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2023/08/17/global-initiative-on-digital-health/

Ans: (d)

Explanation:

• UAS can only be controlled by remote human operators. This statement is incorrect. While remote human operators can control UAS, advancements in technology have led to the development of autonomous systems as well. These systems can navigate and perform tasks without continuous human intervention.
• UAS have applications limited to the field of entertainment and photography. This statement is incorrect. UAS have a wide range of applications beyond entertainment and photography. They are used in industries such as agriculture, environmental monitoring, disaster response, surveillance, infrastructure inspection, and more.
• The use of UAS is restricted to civilian purposes only. This statement is incorrect. UAS are used for both civilian and military purposes. While they have gained significant attention for their commercial and civilian applications, they are also utilized by military forces for reconnaissance, surveillance, and other strategic purposes.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2023/08/17/indias-first-drone-common-testing-centre/

Ans: (d)

Explanation.

• Context: The STEREO (Solar TErrestrial RElations Observatory) mission launched twin spacecraft, STEREO-A and STEREO-B, in 2006, to study the Sun.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2023/08/17/stereo-solar-terrestrial-relations-observatory-mission/

Ans: (a)

Explanation:

• The primary sources of microplastics are human-related activities, such as the breakdown of larger plastic items due to weathering and mechanical processes, as well as the shedding of microplastics from synthetic textiles and the degradation of plastic waste. Natural processes like volcanic eruptions are not considered significant contributors to microplastic pollution.
• Microplastics have been found in oceans, rivers, lakes, soil, sediments, and even the air. They have become pervasive in various environmental compartments due to their widespread use and persistence in the environment.
• While the presence and potential risks of microplastics are being extensively studied, the full impact of microplastics on the environment and human health is not yet completely understood. Research is ongoing to determine the extent of their effects.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2023/08/17/scientists-detect-microplastics-in-the-human-heart-for-the-first-time-report/

Ans: (c)

Explanation:

• Context: India’s first solar mission, Aditya-L1, intended for launch by the end of August or early September, has arrived at the Sriharikota spaceport.
• The Aditya-L1 mission will be launched to the L1 orbit (which is the first Lagrangian point of the Sun-Earth system)
• Aditya-L1 is the first Indian space mission to observe the Sun and the solar corona L1 orbit allows Aditya-L1 to look at the Sun continuously
• It will be launched aboard a PSLV-XL launch vehicle.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2023/08/17/aditya-l1/

Ans: (d)

Explanation:

S1 and S2: Large but poorly known amounts of methane are trapped in the sediments beneath the sea floor frozen into a form of water ice called methane hydrate. At low temperatures the methane hydrates on the sea floor are stable, but if the water and the sea floor become warmer, then the hydrates can break down. Because microorganisms then oxidize the resulting methane gas to form the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide (CO2), methane hydrates have recently become a topic of intense discussion within the context of climate change. See https://worldoceanreview.com/en/wor-1/energy/methane-hydrates/  S3: Methane is relatively short-lived in the atmosphere; a molecule of methane is oxidized to water and carbon dioxide within a decade or so, mainly by reaction with another trace gas, the hydroxyl radical OH-. Thus, unlike the case of carbon dioxide (which stays in the atmosphere longer than methane), a concerted effort to reduce methane emissions would have almost immediate results in terms of reduction of greenhouse effect. See http://earthguide.ucsd.edu/virtualmuseum/climatechange1/03_3.shtml

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2023/08/17/termination-level-transition/

Ans: (d)

Explanation:

• Agricultural crop residue burning contribute towards the emission of greenhouse gases (CO2, N2O, CH4), air pollutants (CO, NH3, NOx, SO2, NMHC, volatile organic compounds), particulates matter and smoke thereby posing threat to human health.
• Satellite observations have revealed elevated levels of O3 (Ozone), CO and aerosols over vast areas of Central Africa and South America, over the tropical Atlantic, and the Indian Ocean due to long-range transport of pollutants emitted from biomass burning.
• See http://www.aaqr.org/files/article/619/40_AAQR-13-01-OA-0031_422-430.pdf

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2023/08/17/termination-level-transition/

Ans: (c )

Explanation:

• The Sulina Channel holds immense importance for Ukraine’s grain trade as an alternative passage after Russia’s withdrawal from the Black Sea grain deal. This deal was used to provide safe passage for cargo ships carrying grain from Ukrainian Black Sea ports.
• The Sulina Channel, a distributary of the Danube, plays a crucial role in this new trade route, connecting major Ukrainian ports to the Black Sea within Romania’s borders.
• The Danube is the second-longest river in Europe, after the Volga in Russia. It rises in the Black Forest mountains of western Germany and flows for 2,850 km to its mouth on the Black Sea.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2023/08/17/sulina-channel-danube-river/