UPSC Essentials | Daily subject-wise quiz : Science and Technology MCQs on effect of ammonia on the human body, thermal runaway and more (Week 169)

3. It can cause painful blisters on the skin.

4. It primarily affects the body by causing irreversible damage to bone marrow and reducing the production of blood cells.

5. Exposure to ammonia mainly results in permanent hearing loss without affecting the respiratory system.

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

(a) 1, 2 and 3 only

(b) 2, 3, 4 and 5 only

(c) 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5

(d) 1, 2 and 5 only

Relevance: Questions on toxic chemicals and their health impacts are relevant under the Science and Technology and Environment sections of the UPSC syllabus. Industrial accidents involving hazardous substances often become important current affairs topics for examination.

Explanation

— Seven people died and more than 40 were hospitalised in Tamil Nadu after an ammonia gas leak at a private seafood export company spread to the workers’ residential premises. The injured are currently under treatment at several hospitals near the seafood unit, with the critically injured being moved to Stanley Medical College in Chennai.

How does ammonia affect the body?

— Exposure to high levels of ammonia starts irritating and hurting the skin, eyes, throat, and lungs. It can lead to abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting. It can cause painful blisters on the skin. It can trigger swelling and narrowing of the throat, making it harder to breathe. It can lead to severe bouts of coughing and lung damage, which can ultimately result in death. Serious patients have reported pulmonary edema (fluid accumulation in the lungs), severe oxygen deprivation and respiratory failure.

— Most people can immediately smell the chemical, feel skin irritation or even start coughing, ensuring that they do not get exposed to high quantities. “Exposure for a long time may affect people’s ability to sense the chemical,” says the US Centres for Disease Control.

— Some, who have been exposed to very high levels of ammonia, can experience long-term health consequences such as chronic cough, asthma and scarring of the lungs. A 2012 study from Gujarat based on the data of over 1,200 employees of a urea manufacturing plant found that more than 68.22% workers who were exposed to ammonia gas at work had a significantly higher risk of respiratory disease as compared to workers that were not exposed to ammonia.

— There is no specific treatment for exposure to ammonia. Doctors and health professionals usually try to remove the ammonia from the body after an exposure and then provide supportive care for any symptoms a person develops.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 2

Which of the following are the Fixed Dose Combination (FDC) drugs that have been banned in India?

1. Aloe Vera + Orange Oil

2. Paracetamol + Lignocaine

3. Aloe Extract + Vitamin E + Dimethicone + Glycerine

4. Amoxicillin + Serratiopeptidase

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 1, 3 and 4 only

(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4

Relevance: Fixed Dose Combinations (FDCs) are important from the perspective of public health regulation and pharmaceutical governance. Recent government actions on irrational drugs make FDCs a potential area for prelims questions.

Explanation

— The Centre has imposed an immediate ban on 16 Fixed Dose Combination (FDC) drugs. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare issued the orders under Section 26A of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, effectively halting the manufacture, sale and distribution of these medicines across India after a scientific review flagged them that the formulations lacked therapeutic justification and could pose risks to public health.

— The banned combinations belong to different therapeutic categories, including dermatological preparations, pain-relief medicines, antispasmodic drugs, anti-diabetic formulations and antibiotic-based products.

— The Health Ministry said the decision forms part of the government’s broader effort to promote the rational use of medicines and ensure that only scientifically validated drugs are available to patients.

— Here are the 16 FDC drugs banned by the Centre with immediate effect:

1 Acetyl Salicylic Acid + Ethoheptazine

2 Aloe Extract + Allantoin + Alpha Tocopherol Acetate + D-Panthenol + Vitamin A

3 Aloe Extract + Vitamin E + Dimethicone + Glycerine

4 Aloe Vera + Jojoba Oil + Vitamin E

5 Aloe Vera + Orange Oil

6 Aloe Vera + Jojoba Oil + Wheat Germ Oil + Tea Tree Oil

7 Aloe Vera + Vitamin E + Herbal Preparation

8 Dicyclomine + Paracetamol + Clidinium Bromide

9 Dicyclomine + Paracetamol + Clidinium Bromide + Chlordiazepoxide

10 Gliclazide + Chromium Picolinate

11 Paracetamol + Lignocaine

12 Amoxicillin + Serratiopeptidase + Lactobacillus Sporogenes

13 Amoxicillin + Cloxacillin + Lactic Acid Bacillus + Serratiopeptidase

14 Amoxicillin + Serratiopeptidase

15 Cefadroxyl + Probenecid

16 Cefuroxime + Serratiopeptidase

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 3

With reference to the Thermal runaway, consider the following statements:

1. It is a hazardous condition in which battery cells overheat, potentially resulting in fire.

2. It is a positive temperature feedback effect of a system with higher heat generation than effective cooling through the battery walls.

3. It appears during charging while oxygen cycle is running for a long time at a high rate.

Which one of the following conclusions based on the above statements is correct?

(a) All three statements are correct.

(b) There are two correct statements, that include statement 1.

(c) There is only one correct statement.

(d) There is no correct statement.

Relevance: Thermal runaway is an important concept related to battery technology, electric vehicles, and energy storage systems under Science and Technology. UPSC frequently tests conceptual understanding of emerging technologies and their practical challenges.

Explanation

— Lithium ion batteries, found in equipment you might want to carry with you in your checked-in baggage while travelling, are producing a safety risk this summer in the United Kingdom, BBC News reported. According to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), the fire risk posed by lithium batteries — found in power banks, laptops, mobile phones, smart watches, and vapes, is now the top safety risk to aircrafts.

— The increasing use of power banks — which rely on lithium-ion batteries — inside airplanes has led to onboard safety risks, especially incidents that involve thermal runaway.

— Thermal runaway is a dangerous condition in which battery cells overheat, potentially causing fire, explosion, or toxic gas release that is difficult to control. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— Thermal runaway is a positive temperature feedback phenomenon that occurs when a system generates more heat than it can effectively cool through the battery walls. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

— Thermal runaway occurs during charging when the oxygen cycle operates at a high rate for an extended period of time. Hence, statement 3 is correct.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 4

With reference to Pegasus spyware and “zero-click” exploits, consider the following statements:

1. Pegasus spyware is an open-source surveillance tool developed by a consortium of cybersecurity researchers to strengthen digital security systems.

2. A “zero-click” exploit refers to a cyberattack technique that requires the target to click on a malicious link multiple times before the device can be compromised.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Relevance: Cybersecurity, spyware, and digital surveillance are important components of the Science and Technology and Internal Security portions of the UPSC syllabus. Pegasus and zero-click exploits highlight contemporary issues related to cyber warfare, data security, and digital governance.

Explanation

— WhatsApp recently discovered and disrupted a sophisticated hacking campaign that used a one-click exploit developed by Israel-based spyware maker NSO Group to target its users, the messaging platform’s parent company Meta has revealed. The company said the attackers sent specially crafted phishing links through WhatsApp chats, luring victims to click on them before redirecting them to malicious websites that attempted to install Pegasus, the spyware known for notoriously being used by authoritarian governments to target politicians, journalists, and civil society activists among others.

— Once installed, Pegasus can gain near-complete control over a smartphone, allowing operators to read encrypted messages, access emails and photos, record calls, activate the microphone and camera, and track the device’s location.

— Unlike the infamous “zero-click” exploits that made Pegasus notorious, a one-click exploit requires the victim to perform a single action – typically clicking on a malicious link sent through a messaging app, email or SMS. Once the link is opened, the attacker exploits software vulnerabilities to silently install Pegasus spyware on the target’s device, often without any further interaction or visible signs of compromise. Zero-click attacks, by contrast, are considerably more sophisticated because they require no user interaction whatsoever.

— Pegasus: It is a highly sophisticated commercial spyware developed by the Israeli cyber-intelligence company NSO Group and is reportedly sold to government agencies for surveillance purposes. Hence, statement 1 is not correct.

— “Zero-click” exploit: It is a cyberattack technique that does not require any interaction from the target, such as clicking a link, opening a message, or downloading an attachment. The exploit takes advantage of vulnerabilities in applications or operating systems to compromise a device automatically. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 5

A total solar eclipse occurs when:

(a) the Earth comes between the Sun and the Moon, causing the Moon to disappear completely from the sky.

(b) the Moon blocks the Sun entirely, and the areas on Earth in the centre of the Moon’s shadow at the time witness a total solar eclipse.

(c) the Moon covers only a part of the Sun, resulting in a total solar eclipse across the entire Earth.

(d) the Sun passes directly between the Earth and the Moon, preventing sunlight from reaching the Earth.

Relevance: Eclipses and related astronomical phenomena are important topics under the Science and Technology and General Science portions of the UPSC syllabus. Recent discussions on solar eclipses and observational astronomy make the topic relevant from a current affairs perspective.

Explanation

— There will be a total solar eclipse on August 12, 2026, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has confirmed.

— A total solar eclipse occurs when the Moon blocks the Sun entirely, and the areas on Earth in the centre of the Moon’s shadow at the time witness a total solar eclipse.

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

Previous Daily Subject-Wise-Quiz

Daily Subject-wise quiz — History, Culture, and Social Issues (Week 159)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Polity and Governance (Week 169)

Daily subject-wise quiz —  Science and Technology (Week 168)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Economy (Week 168)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Environment and Geography (Week 168)

Daily subject-wise quiz – International Relations (Week 168)

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