UPSC Essentials | Daily subject-wise quiz : Science and Technology MCQs on LIGO-India project, diseases caused by the virus and more (Week 172)

(d) 1, 3, 4 and 5

Relevance: Emerging and re-emerging zoonotic viral diseases continue to pose significant global public health challenges due to their epidemic potential and high case fatality rates. UPSC can ask questions on infectious diseases, their causative agents, and modes of transmission.

Explanation

— Recent episodes involving cases of ebola, hantavirus, and nipah virus show that dangerous zoonotic infections are no longer rare, isolated events. They are appearing with increasing regularity at the interface of humans, animals, forests, farms, hospitals, and global travel. These outbreaks are not only scientific events; they also expose weaknesses in surveillance, public trust, vaccine access, and international preparedness.

— Ebola virus disease is feared because it can cause severe illness and death, with an average case-fatality rate of around 50%. Recent cases in central Africa have again shown how conflict, displacement, unsafe burials, distrust of health workers, and weak surveillance can make outbreak control extremely difficult.

— Hantaviruses, named after the Hantaan River region in South Korea, are mainly rodent-borne viruses. Some cause kidney disease, while others cause hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, a severe lung illness that can rapidly progress to respiratory failure and shock.

— Nipah virus, carried mainly by fruit bats, can cause respiratory illness and encephalitis, with case-fatality rates estimated at 40-75%. Recurring concerns in India and Bangladesh show that it remains a persistent regional threat.

— Cholera is caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae, and leptospirosis is caused by the bacterium Leptospira interrogans.

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 2

With reference to the LIGO-India project, consider the following statements:

1. It is designed primarily to detect electromagnetic radiation emitted by black holes and neutron stars.

2. The project has been developed in Gujarat.

3. It is capable of detecting collisions involving black holes and neutron stars.

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: UPSC has consistently emphasised space science, astrophysics, and frontier technologies, often testing candidates on the underlying scientific principles rather than current affairs alone.

Explanation

— The upcoming LIGO India project in Maharashtra would be the most sensitive scientific instrument in the world, said Professor Rana Adhikari of the California Institute of Technology and one of the lead scientists at the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO) in the US. Prof Adhikari made the remarks while delivering the Chandra Public Lecture at IUCAA in Pune. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.

— LIGO-India will be one of just a few Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave observatories in the world. It is a 4 km arm length interferometer that may detect gravitational waves produced by the merger of enormous astronomical phenomena such as black holes and neutron stars. Hence, statement 1 is not correct and statement 3 is correct.

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

(Other Source: http://www.pib.gov.in)

QUESTION 3

Which of the following statements describes ‘the planet is tidally locked’?

(a) The planet follows a highly elliptical orbit, causing extreme seasonal variations.

(b) The planet rotates so rapidly that its day is shorter than its year.

(c) The planet has no axial rotation and therefore experiences no day–night cycle.

(d) The planet has synchronised its rotation with its orbital period, so that one side permanently faces its star while the other remains in constant darkness.

Relevance: The discovery of potentially habitable exoplanets has renewed interest in concepts such as tidal locking, planetary habitability, and orbital dynamics.

Explanation

— Astronomers have detected an atmosphere around a rocky planet located about 49 light-years from Earth, marking what researchers describe as the clearest evidence yet that a potentially habitable exoplanet can retain an atmosphere.

— The planet, LHS 1140b, lies within its star’s habitable zone, the region where temperatures could allow liquid water to exist on the surface. While scientists stress there is no evidence of life, the discovery suggests the planet possesses several key ingredients considered key for habitability.

— LHS 1140b was first discovered in 2017. It is larger and has more mass than Earth but cooler, and orbits a relatively calm red dwarf star once every 25 days. Unlike Earth, the planet is tidally locked, meaning one side permanently faces its star while the other remains in constant darkness. This means there is no night and day.

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 4

The technology, called PLATON, was recently in the news. It is associated with:

(a) Quantum-encrypted satellite communication

(b) Precision navigation for deep-space missions

(c) Particle detection system

(d) Carbon capture and underground geological storage

Relevance: UPSC can focus on emerging scientific technologies and their applications rather than merely testing factual recall. UPSC has consistently asked questions linking recent scientific developments with their underlying technologies and applications, especially in areas such as semiconductors, quantum technology, space science, artificial intelligence, and detector systems.

Explanation

— Researchers at ETH Zurich and EPFL have developed a new particle detection system that could transform how scientists observe some of the universe’s most elusive particles. The technology, called PLATON, replaces millions of tiny detector components with a single block of light-producing material and uses an AI-powered camera system to reconstruct particle paths in three dimensions.

— Particle detectors play a crucial role in physics experiments by tracking the movement of elementary particles through dense materials. Conventional detectors rely on scintillators, which emit tiny flashes of light when struck by charged particles. To pinpoint where those interactions occur, the scintillator is typically divided into millions of small segments connected by optical fibres and photon sensors.

— While highly accurate, this design becomes increasingly complex and expensive as detectors grow larger. Existing experiments, such as Japan’s T2K neutrino experiment and CERN’s LHCb, use millions of individual components to achieve high spatial resolution.

— PLATON takes a different approach by using a single, unsegmented scintillator block and reconstructing the origin of the emitted light with advanced camera technology.

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 5

With reference to the measurement of air pollutants and the associated process in the Air Quality Monitoring Stations, consider the following pairs:

1. Sulphur dioxide – Beta Attenuation Monitors

2. Nitrogen oxides – UV fluorescence

3. Ozone – UV photometry

4. Carbon monoxide – Non-dispersive infrared (NDIR) absorption

How many of the pairs given above are correctly matched?

(a) Only one pair

(b) Only two pairs

(c) Only three pairs

(d) All four pairs

Relevance: Air quality monitoring has become increasingly important due to persistent concerns over urban pollution. UPSC can ask the scientific principles behind environmental monitoring and pollution measurement techniques.

Explanation

— Particulate matter is measured using Beta Attenuation Monitors (BAM), which rely on the beta ray attenuation principle. A small Carbon-14 or Krypton-85 source emits beta rays through a clean patch of filter tape. After air is drawn through and dust collects on the tape, the instrument re-measures the spot. Fewer beta rays pass through, and the decline in signal is used to calculate PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations.

— Sulphur dioxide is measured by UV fluorescence, which detects the weak glow SO2 emits under ultraviolet light. Hence, pair 1 is not correct.

— Ozone is measured by UV photometry, which tracks how much UV light it absorbs. Hence, pair 3 is correct.

— Carbon monoxide is measured using non-dispersive infrared (NDIR) absorption, based on how much infrared light CO absorbs. Hence, pair 4 is correct.

— Nitrogen oxides are measured through chemiluminescence, where instruments detect the faint light produced when the gases react with ozone inside the analyser. Hence, pair 2 is not correct.

— Ammonia is measured using optical spectroscopy based on its characteristic absorption of light.

— These methods are approved under the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) of 2009, which list “gravimetric, wet-chemical (for manual stations) and automatic instrument-based techniques” to ensure comparable data across India.

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 172)

Daily subject-wise quiz —  Science and Technology (Week 171)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Economy (Week 171)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Environment and Geography (Week 171)

Daily subject-wise quiz – International Relations (Week 171)

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