UPSC Essentials: Daily Subject-wise quiz — Environment, Geography, Science and Technology (Week 3)

QUESTION 1

Consider the following statements about Koronivia Joint Work on Agriculture (KJWA):

1. It is a landmark decision under the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) that recognizes the unique potential of agriculture in tackling climate change.

2. It resonates with FAO’s core mandate to eliminate hunger, food insecurity, and malnutrition.

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

QUESTION 2

With reference to the Hyperloop system, consider the following statements:

1. It is a surface transportation system that uses capsules or pods that travel nearly at the speed of sound.

2. It uses Electrostatic levitation for lifting and guiding the pods.

3. It is energy efficient.

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 2 only

(c) 1 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

QUESTION 3

Flex Fuel Technology was recently in the news. Consider the following statements about Flex Fuel Vehicle:

1. A flex fuel vehicle has an internal combustion engine (ICE) that runs on a mixture of petrol and water.

2. The engine has a fuel mix sensor and an engine control module (ECM) programming that senses and automatically adjusts for any ratio of designated fuels.

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

QUESTION 4

Consider the following statements with respect to Stockholm Conference:

1. It was the first world conference to make the environment a significant issue.

2. It led to the creation of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

3. Stockholm+50 is an international meeting convened by the United Nations General Assembly to commemorate the 50 years of the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 1 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

QUESTION 5

Consider the following:

1. Alain Aspect

2. John F Clauser

3. Carolyn R. Bertozzi

4. Anton Zeilinger

Which of the above received Noble Prize in Physics in 2022  for their work on quantum information science?

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 1, 3 and 4 only

(c) 1, 2 and 4 only

(d) 2, 3 and 4 only

QUESTION 6

Consider the following pairs with reference to the Ramsar sites and their locations:

            Ramsar Site                                              State

1. Karikili Bird Sanctuary                          Tamil Nadu

2. Sakhya Sagar                                              Uttar Pradesh

3. Pichavaram Mangrove                            Kerala

4. Pala Wetland                                              Odisha

Which of the pair(s) given above is/are correctly matched?

(a) Only one pair

(b) Only two pairs

(c) Only three pairs

(d) All four pairs

QUESTION 7

Which of the following statements is not correct with respect to Graphene?

(a) It is a one-atom-thick layer of carbon atoms arranged in an octagonal lattice.

(b) It is the building block of Graphite.

(c) It is the most electrically and thermally conductive material.

(d) It has vast potential in the field of energy and medicine.

QUESTION 8

This river basin extends over the states of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, and the Union Territory of Puducherry. The River is one of the major rivers of the peninsula which rises in the Brahmagiri range near the Kodagu district of Karnataka. The river drains into the Bay of Bengal while the major part of the basin is covered with agricultural land.

The above-mentioned lines refer to which of the following rivers?

(a) Tungabhadra

(b) Krishna

(c) Periyar

(d) Cauvery

ANSWERS TO MCQs

1. (b)

FYI:

— The Koronivia Joint Work on Agriculture (KJWA) is a landmark decision under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) that recognizes the unique potential of agriculture in tackling climate change.

— The Koronivia decision addresses six interrelated topics on soils, nutrient use, water, livestock, methods for assessing adaptation, and the socio-economic and food security dimensions of climate change across the agricultural sectors.

— The decision resonates with FAO’s core mandate to eliminate hunger, food insecurity, and malnutrition, reduce rural poverty, and make agriculture, forestry, and fisheries more productive and sustainable.

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

Source: http://www.fao.org

2. (c)

FYI:

— The Indian Railways and IIT-Madras are setting off on a joint mission to develop an indigenously built Hyperloop.

— Hyperloop is a fixed-guideway surface transportation system that uses capsules or pods that travel at nearly the speed of sound in a sealed tube at partial or near-complete vacuum.

— It uses magnetic levitation for lifting and guiding the pods and linear electric motors for acceleration and braking.

— This concept is more convenient, faster, and potentially energy-efficient for travel and freight transport than existing modes of air, rail, or road transport.

— The low energy requirement of the Hyperloop has drawn the Railways towards the project, highlighting that technology can help the country to attain Carbon neutrality.

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

(Other Source: http://www.energy.gov)

3. (b)

FYI:

— A flex fuel, or flexible fuel, has an internal combustion engine (ICE), but unlike a regular petrol or diesel vehicle, this can run on more than one type of fuel or even a mixture of fuels.

— The most common versions use a blend of petrol and ethanol or methanol, but these engines are also equipped to run on 100 per cent petrol or ethanol.

— This is made possible by equipping the engine with a fuel mix sensor and an engine control module (ECM) programming that senses and automatically adjusts for any ratio of designated fuels.

— It will push car makers to adopt flexible engines as part of a broader strategy to cut down on the country’s dependence on imported crude in the medium-to-long run.

— Some ethanol-compatible components are required to adjust to the different chemical properties and energy content in ethanol or methanol, such as fuel pumps and fuel injection system modifications. The ECM is also calibrated to accommodate the higher oxygen content of ethanol.

— The most important benefit is that ethanol blending sharply lowers harmful pollutants such as carbon monoxide, sulfur, and carbon and nitrogen oxides. Another obvious benefit is that blending will help reduce oil imports for fueling vehicles.

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

4. (d)

FYI:

— The 1972 United Nations Conference on the Human Environment in Stockholm was the first world conference to make the environment a significant issue.

— The Stockholm Declaration contained 26 principles that placed environmental issues at the forefront of international concerns and marked the start of a dialogue between industrialized and developing countries on the link between economic growth, the pollution of the air, water, and oceans, and the well-being of people around the world. 

— The Action Plan contained three main categories: 

(a) Global Environmental Assessment Programme

(b) Environmental management activities

(c) International measures to support assessment and management activities carried out at the national and international levels.

— The major result of the Stockholm conference was the creation of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

— Stockholm+50 is a major international environmental meeting that was held in Stockholm, Sweden.

— Stockholm+50 marks the fiftieth anniversary of the 1972 UN Conference on the Human Environment.

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

Source: http://www.stockholm50.global, http://www.un.org

5. (c)

FYI:
— The Nobel Prize in Physics 2022 was awarded jointly to Alain Aspect, John F. Clauser, and Anton Zeilinger “for experiments with entangled photons, establishing the violation of Bell inequalities and pioneering quantum information science.

— They conducted groundbreaking experiments using entangled quantum states, where two particles behave like a single unit even when separated. The results have cleared the way for new technology based on quantum information.

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

(Other Source: http://www.nobelprize.org)

6. (a)

FYI:

— The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands defines wetlands as “areas of marsh, fen, peat land or water, whether natural or artificial, permanent or temporary, with water that is static or flowing, fresh, brackish or salt, including areas of marine water the depth of which at low tide does not exceed six meters”.

— The Ramsar Convention, which came into existence in 1971, is an intergovernmental treaty that provides the framework for national action and international cooperation for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources.

— The five new wetlands added to the list are the Karikili Bird Sanctuary, Pallikaranai Marsh Reserve Forest, Pichavaram Mangrove, Sakhya Sagar, and Pala Wetland.

Wetland	State	Description
Karikili Bird Sanctuary	Tamil Nadu	The Karikili Bird Sanctuary comprises two rain-fed non-perennial irrigation tanks spreading over more than 58 hectares. The Site is gently undulating and lies near low ridged, rocky hillocks. The near-threatened oriental darter (Anhinga melanogaster) and spot-billed pelican (Pelecanus philippensis) breed here. The Site was declared a Birds Sanctuary in 1972.
Sakhya Sagar	Madhya Pradesh	Sakhya Sagar is a human-made reservoir on the outskirts of Shivpuri town within the Madhav National Park. The Site features a mosaic of landforms including open water and surrounding marshes, plantations, and a small patch of agricultural land. This wetland provides a permanent source of water for wildlife, and habitats for animals including thousands of migratory waterfowl and also mugger crocodiles (Crocodylus palustris), whose presence attracts tourists.
Pichavaram Mangrove	Tamil Nadu	The Pichavaram Mangrove Forest near Chidambaram is the world’s second-largest mangrove forest. It is located between two prominent estuaries, the Vellar Estuary in the north and the Coleroon Estuary in the south. The Vellar-Coleroon estuarine complex forms the Killai backwater and Pichavaram mangroves. The backwaters are interconnected by the Vellar and Coleroon river systems and offer abundant scope for water sports such as rowing, kayaking, and canoeing.
Pala Wetland	Mizoram	The geographical location of Palak Dil/Pala Wetland falls under the Indo-Burma biodiversity hotspot and is therefore rich in animal and plant species. The lake is a major component of the Palak Wildlife Sanctuary and supports the sanctuary’s major biodiversity. The wetland falls under the Phura Forests Range.
Pallikaranai Marsh Reserve Forest	Tamil Nadu	This freshwater marsh and partly saline wetland support some bird species, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, fish, and butterfly species. These include notable species such as Russell’s viper (Daboia siamensis) and birds such as the glossy ibis (Plegadis falcinellus), grey-headed lapwings (Vanellus cinereus), and Pheasant-tailed jacana (Hydrophasianus chirurgus).

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

(Other Source: cuddalore.nic.in,  forest.mizoram.gov.in, rsis.ramsar.org)

7. (a)

FYI:

— The Kerala government announced the country’s first Graphene Innovation Centre, a joint venture of the Digital University of Kerala, Centre for Materials for Electronics Technology (C-MET), and Tata Steel Limited.

— Graphene is a one-atom-thick layer of carbon atoms arranged in a hexagonal lattice.

— It is the building block of Graphite, but graphene is a remarkable substance on its own with a multitude of astonishing properties.

— It is the thinnest, most electrically and thermally conductive material in the world, while also being flexible, transparent, and incredibly strong.

— Graphene is also known as a wonder material due to its vast potential in the energy and medical world

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

8. (d)

FYI:

— The Cauvery basin extends over the states of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, and the Union Territory of Puducherry draining an area of 81,155 Sq.km which is nearly 2.7% of the total geographical area of the country.

— It is bounded by the Western Ghats on the west, by the Eastern Ghats on the east and the south, and by the ridges separating it from the Krishna Basin and Pennar Basin on the north.

— The Cauvery River is one of the major rivers of the peninsula. It rises at an elevation of 1,341 m at Talakaveri on the Brahmagiri range near Cherangala village of Kodagu district of Karnataka. The total length of the river from its origin to an outfall is around 800 km.

— Its important tributaries joining from left are the Harangi, the Hemavati, the Shimsha, and the Arkavati whereas the Lakshmantirtha, the Kabbani, the Suvarnavati, the Bhavani, the Noyil and the Amaravati joins from right.

— The river drains into the Bay of Bengal and the major part of the basin is covered with agricultural land.

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

(Source: indiawris.gov.in)

Previous Quizzes:

Polity and Governance (Week 1)

Polity and Governance (Week 2)

History, Culture, and Social Issues (Week 1)

History, Culture, and Social Issues (Week 2)

UPSC Weekly Quiz (Current Affairs)

UPSC Essentials: Daily subject-wise quiz — Economy (Week 2)

Environment, Geography, Science and Technology (Week 1)

International Relations (Week 1)

International Relations (Week 2)

International Relations (Week 3)

Tomorrow’s Quiz: Economy

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